Target date for LOR / end of aways.

[bzzt]

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Yo
Can anybody give a goal date for having all your aways (and home rotation) completed? I was assuming that to get your ERAS and LORs in by mid September that you probably want to be done with aways by end of August...

 

[yeasterbunny]

Yo
Can anybody give a goal date for having all your aways (and home rotation) completed? I was assuming that to get your ERAS and LORs in by mid September that you probably want to be done with aways by end of August...

That was what I figured when I did my planning. A rotation in September could still potentially be useful for "audition" value, and it's never too late to start new research projects; although it will be too late for ERAS you will be able to talk about it during interviews.

 

[tomomoto]

For those of you who aren't able to complete your aways by August (like me; my school's schedule doesn't really allow for an away until mid-august at the earliest) it should be fine to wait until a little later. I ended up doing 2 aways; two weeks at the beginning of september and 4 weeks from mid-september till mid august. I wasn't able to submit my ERAS until Sept. 20th, and I'm sure that wasn't ideal but it all worked out in the end.

 

[leagueelbow]

I was told July, August, and September are the key months to do home/away rotations in the field of your choice and to obtain LORs.

I believe they have to be submitted by the middle of October.

 

[clintpark]

Since ASTRO is so early this year(9/21-9/25), I would try to avoid late September.

 

[yeasterbunny]

Don't forget that some people may take a long time (a couple weeks at least) to write letters for you. That being said, I'm pretty sure you can submit your ERAS before they are all in and then programs can download your more complete app later.

 

[Pewl]

Don't forget that some people may take a long time (a couple weeks at least) to write letters for you. That being said, I'm pretty sure you can submit your ERAS before they are all in and then programs can download your more complete app later.

In addition to adding LOR's to your ERAS, is there a way to update new research or abstracts that you've worked on since submitting ERAS? Like, is there an option to add other new stuff to your ERAS after submitting it?

 

[Gfunk6]

In addition to adding LOR's to your ERAS, is there a way to update new research or abstracts that you've worked on since submitting ERAS? Like, is there an option to add other new stuff to your ERAS after submitting it?

No. You cannot update your common application like you can for LORs. If you want programs to have the new info then you must send it to them yourself.

 

[Pewl]

No. You cannot update your common application like you can for LORs. If you want programs to have the new info then you must send it to them yourself.

Is there a "proper" way of updating your application like that? As opposed to emailing them with an attachment saying "Hi! This is a new paper I'm working on."

 

[Gfunk6]

Is there a "proper" way of updating your application like that? As opposed to emailing them with an attachment saying "Hi! This is a new paper I'm working on."

Dear [Insert Program Coordinator's Name]:

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to update my application to your residency program. Recently I have [Insert accomplishment]. If you could update my application, I would really appreciate it. Thanks very much for your consideration.

Best,

Pewl

 

[RadOncRudy]

Something I noticed last year in terms of getting LORs in was that there are a few programs who want completed LORs by October 15th (in other words they wanted 3 letters they could download)...programs that I think fell into that category included UTMB-Galveston and Colorado. That being said, I didn't have 2 of my rad onc letters yet bc I did one of my aways during the month of September (which was totally find btw). So for those few programs I ended up using a letter from my medicine chair...I definitely freaked out about it at the time but got the interviews anyway, so try not stress too much if you have to do a later away which delays time to getting LOR. Good luck

 

[BuzzLightYear]

This may be obvious...everyone talks about the LORs from away rotations. Is this a guaranteed letter from every away? If so, is the letter a "canned" letter from the chair? Or is it personalized?

 

[stephew]

no its not guarenteed. And theyre not canned (though if youre perfectly competant but uninspiring you will get a bland letter that may as well be). ive seen letters that would effectively ding someone from ever getting a residency had the med school dean not put a hold on it.

 

[Pewl]

no its not guarenteed. And theyre not canned (though if youre perfectly competant but uninspiring you will get a bland letter that may as well be). ive seen letters that would effectively ding someone from ever getting a residency had the med school dean not put a hold on it.

Are you allowed to ask the dean to "screen" your letters for you and indicate whether or not they are good letters? Without revealing the actual content of the letters, of course.

 

[radonc]

Are you allowed to ask the dean to "screen" your letters for you and indicate whether or not they are good letters? Without revealing the actual content of the letters, of course.

you can ask, but they may (not) answer. i had better luck asking the secretary to the dean...