Psych LORs

[DD214_DOC]

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Typically how many letters do we need for psych? For some reason I have 3 stuck in my head. I have an awesome letter from a psychiatrist already, but need two more. I thought I had them in the bag but was basically ignored despite doing really well on the rotations. What happens if I don't get the others?

 

[masterofmonkeys]

I think three would make you a bit of an oddball (in a good way i guess).

Most decide on psych late in med school and simply don't have the chance to get three letters. it's not like ORL or IM where you start laying the ground work in 1st year.

One outstanding psych letter would be plenty i'd think.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Typically how many letters do we need for psych? For some reason I have 3 stuck in my head. I have an awesome letter from a psychiatrist already, but need two more. I thought I had them in the bag but was basically ignored despite doing really well on the rotations. What happens if I don't get the others?

Program-dependent, but typically 2 from psych, 1 from IM or FP.
Other specialities are also acceptable most places. If another specialist (esp neuro) comments on how great you are for psychiatry that's probably better than a lukewarm psych letter from someone who doesn't know you well.

 

[diosa428]

Thoughts on getting one psych letter from an attending and one psych letter from a research mentor who did some work with me clinically but mostly supervised my research (1 year, at the NIMH)? I'd probably get an additional 2 letters - one from IM and one from peds.

 

[DD214_DOC]

So what happens if I am unable to get the other letters? Would my application be considered, "incomplete" and basically ignored? My first psych rotation was so-so, so I am not sure if the shrink would write a letter or not -- she was very odd and we didn't get along real well.

 

[chameleonknight]

You have to have 3 letters: your application is incomplete without them. Not all of these letters need be from a psychiatrist. In fact, typically one or two of them are psych, and the others should be from attendings you worked with a lot, i.e. a Sub-I/AI in medicine or another specialist you knows you well.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Should I take the lack of a reply to my email as a sign to bugger off? I ended up getting another unrelated email from the same person regarding feedback about the rotation (and it was personalized so I know it wasn't a copy/paste from a template). Kinda odd for someone to just pretend they never got an email.

Are most people courteous enough to politely decline? Or is just ignoring a request pretty typical?

 

[j48seconds]

I think the best think for you to do is go to set a time to meet with them and talk to them in person. That is the only way to know for sure what the answer will be. I also think it's the most etiquette way. Plus they can't ignore you if you're face to face.

 

[DD214_DOC]

I think the best think for you to do is go to set a time to meet with them and talk to them in person. That is the only way to know for sure what the answer will be. I also think it's the most etiquette way. Plus they can't ignore you if you're face to face.

Well, these guys are hundreds of miles away so that isn't going to happen.

 

[2tall]

Well, these guys are hundreds of miles away so that isn't going to happen.

Set up a phone meeting.

 

[diosa428]

What is everyone doing for schools that require 4 letters? We do our clerkships as second years so unfortunately anyone I haven't worked with as a fourth year hasn't seen me in 2 years... So I'll have a psych letter from an attending, a psych letter from my research mentor, a peds letter from my peds sub-i... but for my fourth letter I have an option of either a medicine letter from an attending who I had as a second year, who has already told me he's willing to write a letter but cannot promise it would be as strong as a letter from someone who i've worked with fourth year, or holding out and hoping that I can get a letter from my next rotation, which is neurology... which I won't start until mid-Sept, so cutting it close...