advice on references

[sleeper11]

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So, I went abroad for a year and did a research project with a doctor where I received the highest grade. This project is going to be submitted for a peer-reviewed journal. The problem is, I don' t think my supervisor or PI (whatever you call it) really likes me very much.

We had some issues with data collection and this was the first real research I had ever done, so I was very novice and unprofessional in my write-up. I don't think she was happy with my work and she edited large portions of my work and was generally not impressed with my work. Partly because she is also a perfectionist, so she wanted everything done in her way.

I'm applying to med school this coming June and I realize that I don't think I can ask her for a reference letter even though I have a publication with her. Would this look strange to adcoms? Would they ask me why I never asked her for one, especially because this may be one of the major "extras" on my resume (I went abroad and got published). And, would they ever contact her....because I don't know if she has nice things to say about me.

And anyone with experience with difficult supervisor-student relationships....is there any way I can fix this problem? I had sent her a thank you card at the end of the project...but she never responded or anything....uggh, I've never really had people dislike me...so I'm having a hard time internalizing this.

 

[theseeker4]

So, I went abroad for a year and did a research project with a doctor where I received the highest grade. This project is going to be submitted for a peer-reviewed journal. The problem is, I don' t think my supervisor or PI (whatever you call it) really likes me very much.

We had some issues with data collection and this was the first real research I had ever done, so I was very novice and unprofessional in my write-up. I don't think she was happy with my work and she edited large portions of my work and was generally not impressed with my work. Partly because she is also a perfectionist, so she wanted everything done in her way.

I'm applying to med school this coming June and I realize that I don't think I can ask her for a reference letter even though I have a publication with her. Would this look strange to adcoms? Would they ask me why I never asked her for one, especially because this may be one of the major "extras" on my resume (I went abroad and got published). And, would they ever contact her....because I don't know if she has nice things to say about me.

And anyone with experience with difficult supervisor-student relationships....is there any way I can fix this problem? I had sent her a thank you card at the end of the project...but she never responded or anything....uggh, I've never really had people dislike me...so I'm having a hard time internalizing this.

Well it sounds like there is no way you could possibly trust a letter of recommendation from her to be completely positive, no matter how much you try to fix the problem, so go forward assuming you won't have a LOR. List the project and publication as you would even if you had the LOR, and don't even mention the lack of a LOR. Adcoms might expect one, but drawing attention to it is the last thing you should do. If they bring it up, tell them you couldn't get it without lying and without telling them she flat out didn't like you, or you didn't trust what she would write, etc. Something along the lines of "her lack of response to your thank you note following the project, combined with her being abroad made you believe you wouldn't be able to get the LOR from her you needed." or some such. It might not be enough for all adcoms to accept, but it is what it is and even if you got her to agree to write you one, I certainly wouldn't trust it from how you describe your relationship, so you have to work with what you have.