Question about LORs

[maddoc1979]

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Hi everyone...new here and entering the match this fall. Been reading for a while and getting to know the crowd here that way.

Anyways, I'm just curious about LORs...I'm starting to request these from people but was wondering if I need to specifically have them write two letters - one for ophtho and one for the transitional year. Or just a single, more general letter?

Thanks.

 

[Redhawk]

Just use the same letters, unless maybe if you're also applying for another backup residency via ERAS (I don't know how that works). TY programs know you're doing the year to fulfill a requirement for something else, such as ophtho, so there's no need to make extra letters.

 

[jwolfe]

Hi Redhawk, I think I am going to give a counterpoint here. 🙂
The TY or prelim programs know you are applying for something else, so it is not going to kill you to use the same letter. But you are going to have to ask for a separate letter anyway because the SF match letters will be collected individually in sealed envelopes and then sent off. The ERAS letters will be sent straight to the people at your school that upload such things.
I would (did) ask your letter writers to amend the letter they already wrote. They have saved the letter and it will take only a second to change the first and last sentence.
just my $0.02
Best of luck!

 

[Andrew_Doan]

For the most part, I had different people write my ophthalmology and IM prelim LORs.

However, for the ones writing an LOR for both matches, then it was the same LOR. Hope this helps, and welcome to the forum!

Good luck! 😉

 

[Redhawk]

Ahhhh, jwolfe, my arch nemesis..... 🙂 See you at graduation.

Yeah, you definitely want to at least make sure that the writers keep an extra copy because they must submit copies separately to SFMatch and ERAS. For SFMatch, they actually give you the letter in a sealed envelope and you send them all in at once with your application. For ERAS they submit the letter to your school for submission.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Ahhhh, jwolfe, my arch nemesis..... 🙂

There's always a different opinion. 😉