Should an LOR be specific for a specific speciality?

[Ruban]

So I'm an MS3, still undecided on what field to go into. I am finishing a clinical rotation and am interested in getting an LOR from one of the attendings. My concern is that if I ask for a letter for one specialty (e.g., "Ruban would make an awesome radiologist because...") and then go into another speciality (e.g. pediatrics), then I'll have to throw away the initial letter.

Any recommendations? Should the letter be a generic letter that does not mention a specific field instead? (e.g., "Ruban will make a good resident...")

Any input greatly appreciated!

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[bigfrank]

I would decide on a specialty before getting generic LORs. Definitely, they should be specialty-specific it at all possible.

 

[Idiopathic]

So I'm an MS3, still undecided on what field to go into. I am finishing a clinical rotation and am interested in getting an LOR from one of the attendings. My concern is that if I ask for a letter for one specialty (e.g., "Ruban would make an awesome radiologist because...") and then go into another speciality (e.g. pediatrics), then I'll have to throw away the initial letter.

Any recommendations? Should the letter be a generic letter that does not mention a specific field instead? (e.g., "Ruban will make a good resident...")

Any input greatly appreciated!

Ideally, a specialty specific letter from a faculty member of the specialty you are interested in is preferred. However, dont turn down a great letter from someone who you think will benefit you, even if they can only talk about nonspecifics (work ethic, motivation, abilities). I had one general and two specific letters, simply because by the middle of 3rd year I hadnt decided on my specialty.

 

[jennyboo]

Ruban, I did an anesthesia rotation with a great attending early in my MS-3 year while I was thinking of going into emergency medicine. I asked for the letter anyway, telling the writer that I hadn't decided what I was going into. He wrote it as a general letter of recommendation "good for any specialty".

Months later I decided to go into anesthesiology and submitted that "general" letter. Although I ended up having more than one anesthesia letter (the letter that came after was indeed "specific to the specialty"), the "general" letter worked just fine and many people commented it was the best one.

For letters, I think two things help the most:

1) If it is WELL WRITTEN and describes you in detail, and is not generically written for every student who asks for one.

2) If the writer is known by your interviewers.

A letter that's simply well written will go very far, whether it says anything about your specialty choice and how you "fit" it or not. More important than anything else, choose someone who's politically and socially savvy (you will usually recognize these as the faculty who win awards, get recognition, or are chairs or residency directors, and whose character you have a strong respect for) and who can write well.

Also keep in mind that someone who has been part of the resident selection process for many years has seen many good and bad letters and should, if fairly intelligent, know what a good one looks like. So if you get along well with a potential writer who is all of the above and also has sat on the resident selection committee, ask them!

 

[PhillyGuy]

It should be specific for the field. It's also ok if the letter is from someone in a related field. For example, a plastics letter is ok for ent. However, you should never use a letter from an unrelated specialty. Don't use any medicine LOR for surgery.

 

[Hurricane]

However, you should never use a letter from an unrelated specialty. Don't use any medicine LOR for surgery.

That may be true for surgery, but it's certainly not for other fields. In psych for example, some programs required a letter from a non-psych attending. I used a medicine letter.

 

[Samoa]

That may be true for surgery, but it's certainly not for other fields. In psych for example, some programs required a letter from a non-psych attending. I used a medicine letter.

I'm not even sure that's true for surgery. I thought it was, but I've recently been told otherwise by the PD from a well-respected program in my (surgical) field. Apparently, a letter from a faculty member who knows you well and can write a strong letter about you as a person, helps you regardless of that faculty member's field.

 

[Wednesday]

Hi Ruban,

You could also just wait until you decide on a specialty and ask for the letter then. Most attendings will remember you if they are going to write a good letter for you in the first place.

I also had a letter from outside my specialty (and I think general) and it was my strongest. Not because I'm not going to be good at my specialty, but because I had a real connection with that attending and he remembered me very well. Even had him for my first block of third year and asked for the letter over a year later.

In general it's usually okay, and sometimes encouraged to have a letter from someone outside your specialty. I mean, I would hope that everyone works hard and shines in their specialty of choice, but it says much more about you if an attending is impressed with you in a specialty that you're not as interested in. But some specialties don't want this. An advisor at your school (like the PD) would probably be the best person to ask about that.

 

[echostation]

I had the same questions regarding LORs, although mine is definitely a different and rather complicated situation as I'm an American IMG.

I plan to go into Pathology but do any of you have any suggestions as to what kind of LORs are best to get for this field? Is it best to get 3 clinical elective LORs in pathology? Or is doing a research elective or some research with a pathologist who can give you a good LOR also necessary/very important?

I am behind with some of this stuff, I wanted to do some research electives last summer but was unable due to a continuing family emergency that needed me to make multiple trips for home and across to the US.