Make sure you come across as easy to get along with and a team player on interview day. Residencies often rely heavily on their residents to evaluate whether a candidate will be a good fit (after all, they will be your closest colleagues for the next several years). Some schools look great on paper, but applicants find that when they visit a program, they don’t gel with the residents.
You are looking at them as much as the other way around. Your residency interview is a two-way interview. Letters from attendings in other departments can be especially convincing, as they show your ability to master other disciplines and earn respect from colleagues. One of the best possible letters to receive is from an attending who writes that, as a fourth-year student, you performed equal to or better than the interns.įinally, not all letters need to be from physicians in your chosen specialty. These will often be your strongest letters due to the added independence and responsibility you get as a fourth-year. You can continue sending letters out after you have submitted your application, so don’t hesitate to request a letter from attendings in your fourth-year rotations. In addition, if you are applying to more than one specialty, you can guide the appropriate letters to each program. For example, if you have a letter from a faculty member who has connections to a program you are applying to, you can make sure that letter gets to them. This allows you to individualize for each program. Not signing it will cause program directors to wonder what you are hiding.ĮRAS makes it possible for you to submit and store as many letters as you need, then send certain letters out to each program. It is generally advised to sign the waiver saying you agree to not see your letters. For all letter writers, share your CV and personal statement and ask them to complete the letter within 4-6 weeks. Do not wait until application season begins, as they will have seen many med students by then and won’t have a strong memory of you.
If you feel an attending has seen you at your best, ask for a letter immediately after you finish that rotation. Your letters should come from faculty who have worked closely with you and can attest to your strengths and readiness for residency.
0 kommentar(er)
