prelim med question

[darkmansaad]

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quick question regarding Prelim Med years...i know a bunch require a letter from Medicine chair and I did not get one during 3rd year. During 4th year I have a cardio elective in september, not sure if a Cardiology chair letter counts or if I cant apply to those prelim programs? Someone help me out here sorta confused and would like to rectify the situation asap if possible

Also what letters do I need for prelim year....i assume the ones i was sending for the categorical programs i was applyin for would be sufficient (anes/rads/optho/whatever else). Any truth to that?

Thanks for the time and responses in advance

 

[nightflight747]

Well, for one you can still get a letter from the Medicine chair. If a program requires that- and some just do- than the Cards letter won't do it. In addition, you should have letters from the Medicine rotation; just ask one or two attendings that you liked working with. You can also put in the Cards letter there, if you get it in time. If you have an outstanding specialty letter, add it as well!

The question often was more re: the Personal statement... some people just use their specialty statement, some edit that, and some (like me) wrote an entirely different PS.

If you get the Med Chair letter, add one Med attending letter, and get a cards letter (do well!), then you should be good. They all require three letters, as far as I remember.

Good luck!

 

[UCLAstudent]

Also what letters do I need for prelim year....i assume the ones i was sending for the categorical programs i was applyin for would be sufficient (anes/rads/optho/whatever else). Any truth to that?

Thanks for the time and responses in advance

I used the same letters for prelim/TY and categorical (radiology) programs, with the exception of adding a medicine chair letter for the prelim/TY programs. Besides the chair letter, I had letters from neurology, psychiatry, radiology, and internal medicine. One prelim medicine interviewer even commented on how strong my radiology letter was, so using specialty-specific letters shouldn't be a problem for you. I also used the same personal statement and didn't change anything to adapt it for prelim/TY programs. It all worked out well. 👍

 

[gluon999]

A bump to shed some more light on this. I don't have a medicine department letter but I do have two letters from IM attendings. Will not having a letter from the chairman of medicine hurt me in getting a prelim med/TY spot?