I am a rising M2 and am working on an Ortho project this summer. Unlike some of my classmates, I do not really work with the Ortho doc who is heading the research project, rather I am working primarily with the chief resident of my program who is more of the point man for the research project.
I was wondering how important is it to get a letter of recommendation from a research mentor, I can understand some students who work very closely with their mentor getting a recommendation from them but I don't think mine knows me well enough to assess me. When the time comes should I try and ask the resident who I work with who will be an attending by that time for a recommendation? Do students primarily accrue recommendations during their 4th year? I have been working with the ortho department but most of my interactions and conversations are with the residents rather than the attendings outside of a few shadowing experiences in the OR.
I understand that letters of recommendation are really important, I'm just wondering how to go about building the relationships that will be necessary to produce a strong letter of recommendation rather than a luke warm or generic one.
