Advice re letters of recommendations

[quixote1974]

I understand most programs want 3 letters of recommendations. I've got one from a child psych attending, another from a medicine attending set up, neither are "big name" professors, but they know me quite well and they are 2 of the best clinical teachers here. My question is will programs require the third letter of recommendation before they consider my application complete so that they can decide to offer me an interview?

I'll do an away rotation which ends in late sep, and I was planning on asking a psych attending there, but that would mean that my third letter won't go out until Oct or November. Would it delay my application as residencies won't consider my application complete until they receive this third letter?

The other options are to get a letter from my department chair, who told me he'd be happy to write, but didn't think it would be useful because I didn't work with him directly, and that he could only comment about what others have said about me. I could also get another letter from our neuro chair, but he really really wants me to go into neurology.

I really hate this recommendation letter process. Your advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

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[MBK2003]

Some programs will wait until all LORs are received before offering an interview (big name east coast and west coast programs, in particular). I was offered interviews by two schools with only one LOR uploaded to ERAS, so it depends on the strength of your application and the school.

I would recommend that you let the attending know two weeks into your away rotation that you would like a LOR and ask if they could have it ready by the end of your rotation. Also, don't be afraid to have an LOR from a faculty outside the Psych/IM/Neuro world - I had one from a Gyn-Onc and it was a topic of conversation during a number of my interviews. Also, a letter from a Neurologist would be a strong addition to the application. You might consider getting four LORs because a few programs ask for 4 instead of 3 LORs.

Good luck on the application process and your away rotation.

MBK2003