two questions for application season

[clipperfan]

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First,
Which is better? An awesome LOR from a PHD researcher or a generic LOR from a MD researcher/psychiatrist? I already have a good LOR from one psychiatrist.
This is for a repeat applicant who is a us citizen IMG. Both LORs are new.


Second,
As a repeat IMG applicant who was not successful with the match this year but got a good amount of research experience this year, how much research should I emphasize in my P/S? Will it be a negative thing for those community programs if I write my PS entirely about my research tasks this year? Should I write two Personal statments - one emphasizes my desire for research and one....



Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[atsai3]

First,
Which is better? An awesome LOR from a PHD researcher or a generic LOR from a MD researcher/psychiatrist? I already have a good LOR from one psychiatrist.
This is for a repeat applicant who is a us citizen IMG. Both LORs are new.


Second,
As a repeat IMG applicant who was not successful with the match this year but got a good amount of research experience this year, how much research should I emphasize in my P/S? Will it be a negative thing for those community programs if I write my PS entirely about my research tasks this year? Should I write two Personal statments - one emphasizes my desire for research and one....



Thanks in advance for any input.

If I were looking at a us img reapplicant my primary concern would be regarding your clinical abilities and training. The research stuff only really helps us distinguish between high quality applicants, it won't persuade us to look at low quality applicants.

Your publication list will speak for itself. Stick with the md letters.

-AT.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

There is nothing I hate more about this process than interviewing an applicant who is trying to tell me what he/she thinks I want to hear.
If your passion is for research, emphasize it and go aggressively after programs which will nurture and mentor that passion. If your passion is for community mental health--build up the clinical side and convince me that you care, and that my program offers unparalleled opportunities to train in that. If you're just desperate to match anywhere....well, I'm afraid I'll figure that out myself...