Strategies for asking for reference letters

[Guest Onlyothernameleft]

I was wondering if anyone (2013s or 2012s in particular) could offer some tips on asking for reference letters, particularly for letters from 2-week away electives at other schools. How about approaching someone you worked with a few of months ago? There are a couple of staff I got along very well with and regret not asking right after the rotation (I was but a newb clerk at the time).

[A-Stark]

There's no particular strategy. The ideal time is during your sit-down evaluation (assuming it's a good one!) and asking whether the staff would be able to write a strong/favourable letter for you. Sometimes they'll offer to do so without prompting. It's always a good sign when they simply offer to help in some way in the future.

 

Anyway, you can always ask staff you worked with before. It's a good idea to offer to provide a CV and ask them if there's anything else they might need that would be helpful.

[boringem]

Hey Onlyothernameleft,

 

This post:

 

http://boringem.org/2013/03/02/interview-inducing-elective-behavior/

Discusses "the ask" for a reference letter from the emergency elective perspective. Other specialties are likely not that different.

 

Best of luck!

 

-brent