Yet another LOR question.

[MC POST]

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First, thanks so much for the advice shared @ this site, hope I can contribute soon.
There is a philosophy that one could/should submit 1 ophtho letter and 2 core rotation letters. my question is: for the 2 core rotations, should one do 2 glowing letters from internal med docs; or 1 great internal letter and one good/ok, but less personal surgery letter? Thanks!

ps-I think the late 4th letter deal is obsolete now, correct?

 

[Jokestr]

There are many past posting's on LOR's...and I don't think there is a perfect way to answer your question. But, I would say go with two GREAT letters no matter who they are from rather than one great and one average letter. I had one ophtho, one IM, and one Family Medicine letter, but they were all outstanding letters and heck, I got in.
Good luck,

 

[sether52do]

How do you know that you have glowing letters when we waive the right to look at them before sending them in?

 

[Haptic]

If the conventional wisdom is 1 ophtho and 2 non-ophth then it's wrong...You reallly want two ophtho, if not three. I think people in ophtho seem to care about what other academic ophtho think about you. I had only one ophtho and I thinkit would have been better to get two but I came into the field too late (july of 4thyear).

Interviewers will comment about your letters letting you know how they are.

 

[bulldoc]

what do you all think about 3 ophtho letters, no core letters?

 

[Jokestr]

How do you know that you have glowing letters when we waive the right to look at them before sending them in?

As previously stated most of the people interviewing you will let u know if you have great letters. Also, even if you waive the right to see your letters a lot of the docs writing the letters will show u a copy after it is written. And I actually know multiple people who have asked for LOR's and been told to write LOR's about themselves and the doc will sign off on it. I'm not saying it's entirely ethical(or even truthful for that matter), but it's a great way to assure yourself of a great letter, and who knows u better than U!

 

[Jokestr]

If the conventional wisdom is 1 ophtho and 2 non-ophth then it's wrong...You reallly want two ophtho, if not three. I think people in ophtho seem to care about what other academic ophtho think about you. I had only one ophtho and I thinkit would have been better to get two but I came into the field too late (july of 4thyear).

Interviewers will comment about your letters letting you know how they are.

I also agree that two can sometimes be better than one ophtho. Three I think is overboard(you want to be well rounded and there is still a lot of medicine in ophtho). But, don't sacrifice a great letter for a marginal/average letter just because it's an extra ophtho letter. I do not think you will ever get asked on the interview trail "why did you only have one letter from ophthalmology?" I've heard of a lot of crazy questions on the interview trail, but never that one. Anyone?

 

[Vballguy]

Being MD/PhD, I had one from my thesis mentor, one from my surgery clerkship, and one from our Ophtho PD. However, most applicants I know had 2 ophtho letters.

I would also go with the general premise that you want the 3 best letters you can get. I was told by my PD that everyone in ophtho has great letters, so you can't get by with an 'average' letter. Personally, I would go with a better non-ophtho letter than a so-so 2nd ophtho letter.

 

[MC POST]

Thanks for the feedback.