LOR advice

[Cheyf]

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Long story short - which option is best:

1. submit 3 letters (rads chair, rads program director, vascular surgeon)
2. submit 4 letters (rads chair, rads program director, vascular surgeon, lukewarm family physician letter)
3. submit 3 letters (rads chair, rads program director, vascular surgeon) with plan to submit 4th letter at a later date once written (pretty well known cardiologist)

Please help! Thanks 🙂

 

[justadumbbunny]

#3

Was told by my advisor last year the expectation is 2 non-rads, 1 rads letter. +/- 1 research.

 

[redoitall]

The rads chair letter may sound good but did you work with her/him? If not I would be careful with this.
Like said above, the expectation is 1 rad letter, 2 non-rad letters (you want at least one from IM physician) and a research letter if you have done research. That's what I have gathered from all my interactions with people in my school.
I am submitting 1 rad, 1 IM, 1 General Surgery (because he knows me well, I am not applying to IR), 1 research.

 

[jorts42]

If the program isn't research oriented, then would it be okay to have the 4th letter be an extra rads? There are a few program websites that list that they want 2 or "at least 1" rads letter.

 

[redoitall]

There are a few program websites that list that they want 2 or "at least 1" rads letter.

Which programs have you come across that require 2 rads letter? I am asking because when I talke to radiologists at my institution, they said that we get one letter from one faculty as the expectation for most programs is one rad letter. Now a second letter from another radiologist could be used, but I think it should come with a reason as to why you want to add it. Of course if you have done substantial research with a radiologist that would make sense. But then, the argument was made to me that it would be better to have this one letter only and not use the second rad letter if it is not as good.

You can add up to 4 letters as you know. I think that academic (usually more competitive) programs will look favorably on research letters. A smaller, community program may not care as much. You also run another risk in case they decide to download only 3 out of the 4 in a random fashion. Which one would you want them to have?

Ideally one would reach out to each and every program but it is not feasible. Plus often the requirements are not presented on their website or the ERAS URL is dead. It seems a daunting task to really identify the requirement for each program (perhaps we should start a sticky about that, and contribute our knowledge). So for my part, I have loaded the 4 letters mentioned above and submitted to all programs I have applied to (academic and community). Hopefully it won't come and bite me.

 

[jorts42]

Which programs have you come across that require 2 rads letter? I am asking because when I talke to radiologists at my institution, they said that we get one letter from one faculty as the expectation for most programs is one rad letter. Now a second letter from another radiologist could be used, but I think it should come with a reason as to why you want to add it. Of course if you have done substantial research with a radiologist that would make sense. But then, the argument was made to me that it would be better to have this one letter only and not use the second rad letter if it is not as good.

You can add up to 4 letters as you know. I think that academic (usually more competitive) programs will look favorably on research letters. A smaller, community program may not care as much. You also run another risk in case they decide to download only 3 out of the 4 in a random fashion. Which one would you want them to have?

Ideally one would reach out to each and every program but it is not feasible. Plus often the requirements are not presented on their website or the ERAS URL is dead. It seems a daunting task to really identify the requirement for each program (perhaps we should start a sticky about that, and contribute our knowledge). So for my part, I have loaded the 4 letters mentioned above and submitted to all programs I have applied to (academic and community). Hopefully it won't come and bite me.

It was 3/50 of the places I'm applying. As I said, it's not many. I just figured I might as well add another letter on there really wasn't a reason. The 2 rads letters were in different settings. I still have 2 clinical letters. I don't understand how the extra one will hurt at a community program. Maybe it won't help but how could it hurt? Also only downloading 3/4 letters seems bizarre but hopefully someone with more knowledge and experience can chime in

 

[Cheyf]

Updated question: Cardiologist has been out on vacation and also sick, so his letter likely won't be done in the near future.

Should I continue with just the 3 letters (rads PD, rads chair whom I spent time with, and vascular surgeon) or should I add the 4th family physician letter that is relatively weaker but still a "good" letter?

 

[radapp6113]

Updated question: Cardiologist has been out on vacation and also sick, so his letter likely won't be done in the near future.

Should I continue with just the 3 letters (rads PD, rads chair whom I spent time with, and vascular surgeon) or should I add the 4th family physician letter that is relatively weaker but still a "good" letter?

A lot of the programs I applied to asked for 3 with only one being from a radiologist. I took that to mean they wanted 2 from other clerkships so I would send in the other letter.

 

[DrKazarShabam]

A lot of the programs I applied to asked for 3 with only one being from a radiologist. I took that to mean they wanted 2 from other clerkships so I would send in the other letter.

May I ask which programs (require no more than 1 letter from a radiologist)?