bothomas Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Ok so for the last year I've worked PRN at 3 hospitals and recently took a full time position at a smaller rural hospital with an extremely busy ER. As an RRT I have a few great people to write LOR like professors but no PA/MD. Mostly at this hospital I work ER and we have a pile of MD's that rotate through but I just don't think any of them know me really well, even though me may have been in several codes together etc. There are a pile of hospitalists here... but in all honesty the majority are awful in my opinion and I try to avoid them. Should I seek out shadowing opportunities in hopes of getting LOR or is it smarter to single out one of my ER MD's and work on them? Or both? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Bottom line; you need a good LOR from someone who wants you to succeed. Shadowing generally doesn't get you that. It's hard to follow your situation, but I might want to befriend an ER MD and work with him or her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Do the programs you want to apply to require a PA/MD? I think it would be better yet to get a supervisor who knows you and how you work to write you a LOR vs some random MD that you try to 'work on'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bothomas Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 Program of choice says "preference is given to applicants with two of three letters from physicians, PAs or clinical supervisors, and others familiar with your clinical experience." I can easily get a supervisor to write a letter but I think one from MD/PA is needed to be competitive. @ugolong My situation is that even though I have interacted numerous times daily with the MD's in my ER I don't feel like they know me well enough to write a LOR. The pace here is insane. We never chit chat. There may be only two or three MD's that actually know me by name. I'm sure they could all easily attest that I am a damn good RT and know my stuff, but I have seen some really detailed LOR's and I just don't think our relationship is there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshuatree Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I have minimal daily exposure to MD's & PA's as well, but my supervisors know me extremely well. I risked it and asked some people I shadowed for letters because I learned so much, and really got along with them well. At least I got them, and if they perhaps don't know me as well- hopefully my other letters from EMS & other clinical work will make up for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic3 Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 My job is similar in that there's no time to chat with anyone so we don't get to know each other. However, I found one person who I connected with and asked her for a letter. Even though we don't know each other personally, she can attest to my work ethic and she agreed. So I say ask one of those MDs if you can even find a chance to do so and if they say no, then go for your other options (shadowing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT2PA Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Program of choice says "preference is given to applicants with two of three letters from physicians, PAs or clinical supervisors, and others familiar with your clinical experience." I can easily get a supervisor to write a letter but I think one from MD/PA is needed to be competitive. @ugolong My situation is that even though I have interacted numerous times daily with the MD's in my ER I don't feel like they know me well enough to write a LOR. The pace here is insane. We never chit chat. There may be only two or three MD's that actually know me by name. I'm sure they could all easily attest that I am a damn good RT and know my stuff, but I have seen some really detailed LOR's and I just don't think our relationship is there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Eh....my sentiment stands. I had 3 LORs all from supervisors and had no issues getting interviews - 1 program even 'required' a PA LOR and interviewed me. It's better to have people who can attest to your skills and person vs just having someone with an MD or PA title. There are more important factors to be competitive than who writes an LOR for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bothomas Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 I really appreciate all the advice. The two MD's I think I would really like to write the letters are the ones I seem to end up on the craziest codes with. I tried like hell today to squeeze one dang second in with one of them...because we had a critical pt. It sucks that I did 3 ABG's on the PT and had them on tx's and bipap and although I spoke to the doc like 6 times there was always 2 or 3 more people there waiting to talk to him. It drives me nuts that my old ER at my last hospital was perfect and I didn't get one because I was so far off on applying. I've actually though about going back there and talking to the doc's there that I worked with for shadowing. And then hopefully I can open the door for some LOR's. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bothomas Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 Sorry about my grammar but my 18 month old is all over me. Haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic3 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I really appreciate all the advice. The two MD's I think I would really like to write the letters are the ones I seem to end up on the craziest codes with. I tried like hell today to squeeze one dang second in with one of them...because we had a critical pt. It sucks that I did 3 ABG's on the PT and had them on tx's and bipap and although I spoke to the doc like 6 times there was always 2 or 3 more people there waiting to talk to him. It drives me nuts that my old ER at my last hospital was perfect and I didn't get one because I was so far off on applying. I've actually though about going back there and talking to the doc's there that I worked with for shadowing. And then hopefully I can open the door for some LOR's. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That's not a bad idea. How long ago was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bothomas Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 I left there 4 months ago. I figure I need to show my face soon or they'll forget all about me. Haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 If there are people there who can provide you a good reference, stay in touch! There is NOTHING that says your LORs need to be from someone you've interacted with in the last 'two months'. One of my LORs came from someone I haven't worked with in MANY years, but we've stayed in touch and he's been a mentor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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