advice needed re: letters of rec issue

[md689]

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Hello everyone.

I am trying to advise a friend on the following situation and am hoping for some feedback more knowledgeable than my own.

My friend had placed several generic letters of rec in her credential file as an undergrad. The people who wrote on her behalf were people who knew her well and could have raved not only generically, but could also specifically have attested to her suitability for a career as a physician. However, when she applied this cycle, she avoided inconveniencing them by simply using whatever generally praiseful letters had been collected a few years ago, before she graduated from school.

Judging from her stats (37 MCAT, 3.86 GPA), along with her research activities (she's been published several times) and extracurriculars, I can't imagine why, besides these letters not being specific and personal enough, she isn't having the success that our other friends are in this process.

THE QUESTION IS THIS: Should she do either of the following:
1- have one or more recommenders who wrote letters that went to schools now write revised, personal versions, that she can send along now, as she waits for word from the schools where she did interview
2- have another recommender, like a current employer who didn't write, now write and be specific about her suitedness for medicine? This person would be less knowledgeable, but would at least be a different reference.

I appreciate whatever advice you have. My friend is kind of beating herself up about not having gotten the letters updated by the writers in the first place ... so if there's any way to make that regret productive, I'd like to help her do so. She's going to be a great doctor.

Thank you.

 

[sflynn]

You did not indicate how old the letters of recommendation are but regardless, a letter of rec for med school is something extra special. I have a file of letters of rec in the career center at my grad school. Four years later I still use that file when applying for jobs and I constantly add to it.

For medical school however, I asked each person individually. Not only were they willing to write them for me, they have been anxious to hear the results.

If I were your friend, I would have letters of rec resent immediately though in this interview cycle it may be too late.

Stephanie
.....heading for Univ. of Cincy interview on Tues

 

[md689]

Stephanie,

Good luck on your interview-

as for age of letters ... I'm not 100% sure. I think they must have been written before graduation, which would make it pre-2001. Not sure how long before, though.

md689

 

[Wrigleyville]

I'd get new letters. If your friend has been out of school for a few years, the admissions committee is probably going to wonder why she's using old letters that don't speak to what she's been doing since she graduated.

I graduated in 2000, and when I started the application process this past fall I solicited letters from two of my old professors and two from coworkers/managers at my place of business. I updated the professors on what I had been doing since graduation, and they incorporated some of that into their letters. Both of my managers at work asked me to write my own recommendation (because they didn't know what to emphasize for medical schools), which I was more than happy to do.

Hope this helps.

 

[2DEG]

I hope this is not totally unrelated. I am taking Org. Chem 1. And I am also volunteer TA'ing for Gen Chem 1 which I took last semester. For the org. Chem1, I am hoping to do this as an Honor class.

I have quite a long way to go before I apply to med schools. But should I start requesting rec. letters from my profs after the final or something? Since I am TA'ing for Gen Chem, I know that prof well, and If I do take the Org. Chem as an honor class..then I will this prof well too.

Thanks for any advice. Best wishes all.

Regards,
shahab

 

[randomlogik]

shahab,
i think since you are not going to be applying to med school right away, you would be better off waiting. Maintain a good relationship with your professor in the next few years, and then they can still be able to write you a good, more up-to-date letter when the time comes.

 

[Freakingzooming]

Personally, I don't think there's a real reason why he can't just have the letter of rec on hand.. Do you have a pre-med office? Have the letter sent there. And just keep it on file. There's no harm in asking as soon as you finish a class, when the prof still remembers you.

Remember, you are taking a premed class with about 300 students (or that was my ochem class).. you want to be someone who is remembered and someone who is still remembered. but profs wil forget. they don't have the time to remember every student they taught.

Originally posted by randomlogik
shahab,
i think since you are not going to be applying to med school right away, you would be better off waiting. Maintain a good relationship with your professor in the next few years, and then they can still be able to write you a good, more up-to-date letter when the time comes.