Gifts for LOR writers - skysurfer64

[ArchivalUser]

Skysurfer, i think this is a good question. I was thinking of showing my appreciation by sending a card and a box of chocolate (or any other packaged edible gifts) . I really dont think there is anything wrong with giving gifts to people who helped us. I wouldn't gift someone alcohol or something of alot of value, that might come off as unprofessional.

[ArchivalUser]

no AMGs give gift cards, that is nuts

[ArchivalUser]

Make America great again. Make America grey again. Make America great again. Make America grey again.
Make America great again. Make America great again.

Make America great again. Make America gay again. Make America great again. Make America grey again.
Make America great again. Make America great again.

[ArchivalUser]

I think a hand written thank you card is at least a minimum, IMHO (letter writers' still go out of their way to write and send the letter, no matter how generic they might be). The box of chocolates sounds like a good idea @vidya23p. Thanks!

[ArchivalUser]

Send a thong

[ArchivalUser]

@ryanhope "Do it. Give gifts."

I laughed pretty hard.

[ArchivalUser]

For those of us that got observerships and externships with doctors who were strangers to us and decided to help us just because we sent them an email, its absolutely not a bad idea to meet them and gift them after the match, thanking them for inviting us randomly to their practice and for writing us an LOR.

For those of us who got an LOR, from the doctor who we worked with through school rotations, maybe we don't need to gift them because we met them as part of an organized teaching structure.

In the event of getting matched, god willing, i will definitely gift the former because they were the very few who replied to my emails, invited me to their practice and accommodated an absolute stranger to work with them.

[ArchivalUser]

I have given gifts at the end of every clinical rotation (set of golf balls, lunch for the team, fancy coffee, etc). I would obviously do this only if the attending wasn't a jerk - which was almost never the case for me.

Anyway, I also plan to send something to my LOR writers as a token of appreciation. I assume most people who ask someone for an LOR, is because they developed some type of relationship with that person. It wouldn't be anymore awkward than a patient giving a small gift (under 100$) to their family physician or whoever.

Also, I think a gesture like that goes a long way (obviously they know that if you match, you don't have to send them anything or even talk to them ever again). Maybe it will make that LOR writer feel appreciated, rather than used for their title. Maybe it will encourage them to give LORs to other students who need.

I hate people in this forum saying "this is the US, you can't do this, you can't do that."

To them, I say: This is America, and you can do anything you want. #freeMS

[ArchivalUser]

@cantgive up....."send a thong". Hilarious. 😂😂😂😂

[ArchivalUser]

@pioneerdr you need to get back to the books for step 1 and work on your ethics, I work in the clinic and patients never bring gifts to only doctors for under $100! It is not ethical to accept such gifts and $100 is a lot of money. They do send edible arrangements, bring food etc BUT for the whole team to share. I work with doctors who wrote me recommendation letters without even me asking them, it was their wish to do so, now why in the world would I want to give them gifts or anything if they did it with good intention. If you work or still in touch with those doctors, bring a cake to celebrate, but don't send gift cards please. American doctors are happy to write LORs for people they worked with and feel that they are good candidates, because you already paid them with your knowledge, work ethics etc, and they are happy to write you a letter. Because that's how it was when they applied to MATCH and got their letters. Now you make it look like LORs can be for sale.
If you have extra money for gifts or gift cards better donate to cancer or any other society of your choice, you can do so on doctor's behalf as well.