who to get letters from

[504196]

About to do advanced rotations this summer in surgery. Just wondering who it's best to get letters from. I've heard ppl that are high up and well known nationally. I have the option of doing my rotations at a community based, level 1 trauma center or at my home academic/university hospital. I'll probably end up applying to mainly academic programs but also some community programs. Would it be better for me to do all my rotations at the academic center? Or should I just get letters from people at both institutions? Does it really matter that much? Where did you all try to get your good letters?

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[vhawk]

I'm not some irrefutable expert on the topic but I've interviewed a fair number of applicants, have sat in on many rank meetings, and went through the whole process, and the way I see it is this. The letters you want are:

Good letter from your chair
Good letter from the most well known person you can find (ideally it's someone the person interviewing you knows, so the more well known they are the better the chances that any given interviewer will know them)
Letter from the person who knows you best, spent the most time with you, and will be very specific about how you are amazing, she's seen you do 10 whipples solo and blindfolded, etc
Letter from someone like a research mentor or someone who highlights whatever nonclinical area you want to showcase

For letters 1, 3 and 4 how well known they are either doesn't matter very much or is not in your control, but for that letter 2 it can be something that helps nudge you above a comparable candidate. Letters are probably the 3rd or 4th most important part of the application so it's not like it is a dealbreaker but it could help.

 

[Dr.LeoSpaceman]

About to do advanced rotations this summer in surgery. Just wondering who it's best to get letters from. I've heard ppl that are high up and well known nationally. I have the option of doing my rotations at a community based, level 1 trauma center or at my home academic/university hospital. I'll probably end up applying to mainly academic programs but also some community programs. Would it be better for me to do all my rotations at the academic center? Or should I just get letters from people at both institutions? Does it really matter that much? Where did you all try to get your good letters?

Strength of the letter is weighted perhaps even more highly than from whom it's coming. A letter from a well-known person isn't all that helpful if it's a form letter that doesn't say much.

You will need one from your home Chair of Surgery, and then you should fill out the other three slots with people who can perhaps speak to specific aspects of your candidacy (3 of the 4 should be surgeons, and one can be a non-surgeon if they add a unique perspective). If you have a research mentor, one should come from them and speak to your research ability/accomplishments. One should be from someone who worked with you clinically and speak to that. If this is a "known" person, great. If not, then that's ok too.

I would ask around to the 4th years who just matched at your school to see where they got their letters, and get a sense of who writes "good" letters. I think the risk of getting a letter from the outside is that you may not have the same insight. Personally, I would choose a letter from someone who knows me well at my home program over a big name person at an away who may not know you that well. But if you feel you have three solid letters already, that big name away might be worth having.

 

[ragha1234]

ideally chairman and / or PD
It could be a private attending if he is well known to the fellowship program applying to. Otherwise I would bet on a core academic faculty at least.