Question for aprog. director: Prelim LOR specifics...

[Mental Gymnast]

---

Members don't see this ad.

For applicants applying to a prelim medicine year, I was wondering if LOR's have to SPECIFICALLY indicate that they are for a prelim year as opposed to categorical medicine? I did well on a medicine sub-I, and have received a recommendation from the clerkship director with the intention of going into medicine. If I will now be changing my mind and doing something else with a prelim medicine year, can I just use the same letter for prelim medicine applications since it still comments on how well of a medicine intern/resident I will be? Or do I have to go through the pain of asking the letter writer to change that last line to "mental gymnast will make a great addition to your PRELIM program."?? Thanks much!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

No one goes into prelim medicine because they love prelim medicine...

Your standard letters will be fine. More generally, if someone is applying to Derm/Rads/Neuro/Anesth etc, and wants a prelim year, I think that as long as you have 1-2 letters from a medicine rotation, you'll be fine.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I don't think it would be necessary to get the wording changed.

 

[fakin' the funk]

More generally, if someone is applying to Derm/Rads/Neuro/Anesth etc, and wants a prelim year, I think that as long as you have 1-2 letters from a medicine rotation, you'll be fine.

What if I have Surgery, ICU, Anesthesia letters for a prelim? Am I hosed?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

What if I have Surgery, ICU, Anesthesia letters for a prelim? Am I hosed?

No, that sounds fine, but I'd consider adding a letter from your medicine rotation also. Most medicine departments write a "departmental" letter, so you just have to ask the person who runs the rotation how to get one.

 

[lord_jeebus]

No, that sounds fine, but I'd consider adding a letter from your medicine rotation also. Most medicine departments write a "departmental" letter, so you just have to ask the person who runs the rotation how to get one.

Yes, many of the prelim medicine programs I applied to specifically required a "Chairman's Letter." Not having one could restrict your options quite a bit.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

Yes, many of the prelim medicine programs I applied to specifically required a "Chairman's Letter." Not having one could restrict your options quite a bit.

what the hell?

how many students know the chairman and vice versa....

so these programs just wanted a chairmans letter as an endorsement, not necessarily a well written one? just a generic chairmans letter?

this is just for prelim right? not categorical programs?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

what the hell?

how many students know the chairman and vice versa....

so these programs just wanted a chairmans letter as an endorsement, not necessarily a well written one? just a generic chairmans letter?

this is just for prelim right? not categorical programs?

The chairman's letter is not really from the chair. It's a standardized letter, similar to the MSPE/Dean's letter, that talks about your medicine rotations. At most schools, you simply have to ask for one.

You'll definitely need this letter for categorical programs. Many prelims will require it also, but not all.

A small number of schools, especially DO schools, do not generate chair letters. In that case, you'll have to get letters from your medicine rotations and hope for the best.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

this is the first time i've ever heard of it.

we only have an MSPE, and they send that to eras. and that's it.

no one ever told me about a chairman's letter. so i'm assuming the Dean's letter mspe is enough.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Most medicine departments have a meeting early in the 4th year with medical students, discussing the chair letter etc. Usually, people interested in Derm/Rads/Neuro/Anesth attend also, if they are interested in prelims. You should ask the IM clerkship director about a chair letter, to see if your school generates them.

 

[Tippmann]

2 questions:

1) Do I need a chairman's letter for a transitional year program?

2) How big a deal is it if I don't include a Chairman's letter to prelim programs that require one? My school doesn't hand these out if we're just using them to apply for prelim programs (despite the irony that their own prelim program requires a Chairman's letter)

 

[NotAProgDirector]

2 questions:

1) Do I need a chairman's letter for a transitional year program?

2) How big a deal is it if I don't include a Chairman's letter to prelim programs that require one? My school doesn't hand these out if we're just using them to apply for prelim programs (despite the irony that their own prelim program requires a Chairman's letter)

#1 -- not usually.

#2 -- You'll have to apply and see what happens. The good news is that the Chair/Dept letter simply shows up as an LOR, so there is no way for a program to screen based on it's presence or absence. They'll have to read your whole application before they discover there is no chair letter, and by that time they may have already decided to interview you.

Did you point out to your own program that you will be unable to apply for a prelim program due to a lack of a chair letter? This is really ridiculous. Given how much you pay for tuition, a simple letter (which honestly is mostly a form letter) is not a big deal.

 

[Taurus]

aProgDirector,

I'm looking through FREIDA and for each program it lists the required number of LOR's. How is it viewed if we submit more than the number listed in FREIDA? Will programs toss out our application because "we didn't follow directions"?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

aProgDirector,

I'm looking through FREIDA and for each program it lists the required number of LOR's. How is it viewed if we submit more than the number listed in FREIDA? Will programs toss out our application because "we didn't follow directions"?

Required = minimum.

You can send 4 letters to any program without any problems.

I would not suggest trying to send more than 4 letters. Choose your best 4 letters, and send them. If you think you might get a good letter later in the app season, send 3 letters and save the 4th slot for later.