SLOR vs Written LOR

[DOnut]

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Hey everyone,

I was just wondering which you feel is better...a Standard Letter of Recommendation (SLOR) form the CORD website, or a traditional LOR? I am in the process of applying EM/IM and I have LOR coming from both residency program directors of the EM program and the EM/IM program where I just finished rotating. For the EM program director, I specifically asked him to write a SLOR, however for the EM/IM director, I forgot to ask for a SLOR. Do you think this will make a difference? Is a SLOR really any better than a regular written LOR? I'd appreciate anyones advice.

 

[Daiphon]

if by 'better' you mean 'superior', than not necessarily so; but if by 'better' you mean 'more efficient and required by EM residencies', then yes.

em residencies want at least one SLOR (this is why they developed it... www.cordem.org/slor.htm), as it is (IMHO) an efficient and effective way to get all the important parts of a recommendation letter across without all the flowery prose bs.

then again, having a regular ol' LOR from EM/IM docs might not be too bad, as they should have an idea of how to express themselves succinctly.

long story short, it shouldn't matter... if you're worried about it, however, you could always just call the EM/IM programs in which you are interested, ask them what format they'd prefer for your (s)lor, and then get back to the original EM/IM attending and ask if he/she wouldn't be kind enough to write you one of both - then use ERAS to send the appropriate (S)LOR's to programs.

just my $0.02...
-t