which 3 LORs would you submit?

[heathermed]

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LOR selection issues...

I have letters from the following people and I'm having a really hard time choosing which ones to include in my limit of 3-4.

1 from anesthesia program director
1 from former anesthesia chairman from a community hospital that just stepped down
2 from attending anesthesiologists at a program with a residency
1 from IM program director
1 from GI fellowship program director

I waived my right to read any of them, but if I had to guess, the quality of each letter goes in the following order since this is the order of the people knowing me the best.

2 attending anesthesia > IM PD > GI PD > anesthesia PD > anesthesia chairman

I've been getting mixed suggestions on what to include and I was hoping you guys could help.

which 3-4 would you include for my anesthesia applications? Should I send 3 or 4 or does that make a difference?

thank you very much for all your help and suggestions,
I really appreciate everything!

 

[gaspasser2004]

The best letters of recommendation come from those who know you the best. Lucky enough to have spent two years doing research under an internationally known anesthesiologist? That would be a great letter. On the other hand, I think it is better to have a letter from someone not well known who truly knows you well than to have a "superstar" write you some form letter that he/she has written for a hundred other residency applicants.

Unlike medical school, the people interviewing/selecting you for residency will actually have to personally work with you for 3-4 years. They are using the letters to see if you are a reasonable person. If you didn't have good enough grades/USMLE's, your letters wouldn't have been read in the first place.

As far as specialties are concerned, I think it helps to have at least one letter from an anesthesiologist. But, that anesthesiologist should hopefully know you well. Going back to what I said before, I think it is better to have a detailed, thoughtful letter from an unknown (even non-academic) anesthesiologist who has worked with you and knows you well than a short, form-like letter from a chairman.

Only you know which of your letter writers knows you best. If I were you, I would submit the letter from the anesthesiologist who knows you best then select the other two to three letters from those who know you best, regardless of speciality or rank.

 

[green thicket]

If my LOR from my internal medicine clerkship director wrote me a letter for anesthesiology, is it ok to use this for prelim as well? Or should i ask him to tailor it to remove any discussion of anesthesiology? Does it matter for prelim if it does mention i want to go into anesthesiology?

 

[shift_roro]

If my LOR from my internal medicine clerkship director wrote me a letter for anesthesiology, is it ok to use this for prelim as well? Or should i ask him to tailor it to remove any discussion of anesthesiology? Does it matter for prelim if it does mention i want to go into anesthesiology?

So many variables/factors go into the quality of a LOR, but from what you're saying, personally I would choose the 2 anesthesia attendings, IM PD, and anesthesia PD. Good luck!