Ask someone to speak to Adcoms on your behalf

[hardworker101]

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Hi
I have a friend who is a medical student at a school that I am interested in. I know him to a certain extent but we aren't close friends. Is it acceptable to ask him to speak to the admissions office about me (recommend me to them) and will this have any impact on getting an interview?

I also need some help on how to ask him about this question without sounding like I'm pushing him to do it.

Thank you

 

[phantomx87]

I am actually in sort of a similar situation. My friend is actually a student interviewer at my top school. I knew that it would present a conflict of interest for the friend, so all I had them do was help me craft an update/interest letter. I think it also helps that I have done a huge amount of research/clinical work at said institution, so I really had some significant things to put in the letter.

Anyone's take on having PI/attending at an institution talk to ADCOM on our behalf? Anyone?

 

[nick_carraway]

I wish I could take the initiative to ask people to mention me to adcoms. I don't like to bother people if I don't have to so I would find it hard to actually request that they mention me.

If you can show your enthusiasm toward the school to your friend, they might take it upon themselves to help you out. That's what someone I know did and it got him an interview at Columbia.

 

[chickenlittle84]

I think it really depends on the culture of the school school...I imagine some schools really like having this kind of insider information/personal perspective on an applicant, but I think at some schools it can really backfire and leave a bad taste in the adcoms mouth. I do think this kind of tactic is much better coming from a student than from a faculty member because then it is like a peer recommending you, rather than you asking a higher up to pull a string for you...

 

[BrokenGlass]

I think it really depends on the culture of the school school...I imagine some schools really like having this kind of insider information/personal perspective on an applicant, but I think at some schools it can really backfire and leave a bad taste in the adcoms mouth. I do think this kind of tactic is much better coming from a student than from a faculty member because then it is like a peer recommending you, rather than you asking a higher up to pull a string for you...

This is probably against school policy at any med school. If someone knows you, they should immediately distance themselves from any decision making on your file rather than lobbying on your behalf.

 

[chickenlittle84]

This is probably against school policy at any med school. If someone knows you, they should immediately distance themselves from any decision making on your file rather than lobbying on your behalf.

For the final decision making process, of course. But I think many schools encourage their current students to let them know about any great students they know of that are applying...I think it helps more in the getting an interview stage than in the acceptance phase. I personally know three medical students (at three different schools) who have told me their medical school really encourages them to let the office know if there is someone great applying...at least two of them have successfully recommended people and seen these people get interviews, when its likely they would not have otherwise.

 

[drizzt3117]

This is probably against school policy at any med school. If someone knows you, they should immediately distance themselves from any decision making on your file rather than lobbying on your behalf.

I think that's true if they're a member of the admissions committee and you're related, have a prior romantic relationship, such that it would be unethical for them to participate. That's certainly not the case if they just know you... many PIs lobby for their staff to be admitted to their med schools successfully, this is just part of the game.

That said, I'm not entirely sure how much impact a student that isn't on the adcom will have by lobbying on your behalf, though.

 

[sirt6]

How much of a difference do you think it makes to have a strong LOR from the director of a specific program I would like to attend at a certain medical school?

 

[Concordia]

I am with chickenlittle84 on this one. If the particular student would not be interviewing you, then there little opportunity for the student recommendation to be unethical. If your friend is on good speaking terms with the adcom, an endorsement would not hurt you (the worst thing that could happen is that adcom would ignore the recommendation).
As far as the approach goes, I would probably recommend showing your hopeful enthusiasm to said student. I am sure they understand just how trying this whole process is, and in my experience, med students are very helpful to prospective students. However, I hope that you don't hang to much hope on the success of your venture, should your friend not be able to get you an interview or an acceptance. But it's better to try than to wonder if it would have helped you out.

 

[notdeadyet]

This is why the gods invented LORs. Seriously.

I'm a first year and I know about five folks applying to med school this cycle, three of which are applying to the school I'm at. I think all three would be swell here. This is probably not unusual.

If every first year at my school recommended three people, that would be three hundred, "Uh, Dean Acme? Can I speak to you a minute?" They don't want that.

 

[shevie]

OP, unless your friend is actually a member of the admissions committee (many schools have student interviewers and stuff), I highly doubt it would make much of a difference to the dean. "Uh, Dean X, I wanted to speak to you about [insert name], he applied and i just want you to know that i know him personally and hes an excellent candidate. I mean, just look at his 24 publications, three of which were in Nature....blah blah blah" Now even if this is done more subtlely (sp?)/tactfully, I highly doubt it would have much of an impact. They have all your info, and hearing from a med student that YOU would make a good doctor doesnt mean that much, being that this person doenst really have an MD after his name or anything. On the other hand, if your PI has a rltp w/ the dean, or is an alumnus of a school and a professor elsewhere but still has contacts, or if you have a close family friend who has ties w/ the dean, what THEY say COULD very well make a difference. But a friend? I really dont think the dean of admissions/adcom really cares.

 

[AIF]

OP, unless your friend is actually a member of the admissions committee (many schools have student interviewers and stuff), I highly doubt it would make much of a difference to the dean. "Uh, Dean X, I wanted to speak to you about [insert name], he applied and i just want you to know that i know him personally and hes an excellent candidate. I mean, just look at his 24 publications, three of which were in Nature....blah blah blah" Now even if this is done more subtlely (sp?)/tactfully, I highly doubt it would have much of an impact. They have all your info, and hearing from a med student that YOU would make a good doctor doesnt mean that much, being that this person doenst really have an MD after his name or anything. On the other hand, if your PI has a rltp w/ the dean, or is an alumnus of a school and a professor elsewhere but still has contacts, or if you have a close family friend who has ties w/ the dean, what THEY say COULD very well make a difference. But a friend? I really dont think the dean of admissions/adcom really cares.

I disagree. Provided your friend is sufficiently articulate it can only help. Consider it this way: the adcom is basing their entire decision regarding you on a 35 page file (most of which is fairly standard between candidates)- you are an unknown entity. The student, however, is a known entity, and they have already been selected. It's a case of like-attracting-like. The committee is looking for differences among candidates, and having a recommendation from someone within the University is a unique characteristic. This is especially true at a MS where the class sizes are small (say ~125).

Furthermore, the person will have an MD after their name in the immediate future and, theoretically, the only difference between a current student and an alumnus, professor, PI, etc. is just time. Call me naive, but I believe med schools respect the students they have chosen enough to also respect their opinions.

 

[CCLCMer]

Hi
I have a friend who is a medical student at a school that I am interested in. I know him to a certain extent but we aren't close friends. Is it acceptable to ask him to speak to the admissions office about me (recommend me to them) and will this have any impact on getting an interview?

I also need some help on how to ask him about this question without sounding like I'm pushing him to do it.

Thank you

What would you even be asking him to say about you, and how exactly do you envision what he says making you stand out? You're not "close friends," so how well does he even know you? I agree with whoever said to ask him to write you a peer LOR or just send an email to go into your file. But only if he can add some new perspective about you (ex. the two of you did an EC together or something) that can't be gotten from other sources. I don't think it's helpful for some random student to come into the admissions office and say, "hey, dean, there's someone applying this year that I met a couple of times. You should let them in because they kind of know me." Why don't you just ask him for advice on how to make yourself a stronger candidate for his school?

 

[MDRus]

I asked a prominent research physician who went to the med school, is an active alum and has done research projects with the school to write a letter for me. (after i interviewed)

At another school, I asked a friend of my family, a lawyer, who was a close college friend of the Dean of Admissions to throw in a good word. maybe just to get pulled out of the pile for a closer look. (hoping for interview)

At another school, a friend who is a M2 wrote a wonderful letter about our shared medical-related experiences overseas. got an interview at the school and i do not believe i would have without the letter.

i have other plans along these lines depending on how my process progresses with waitlists, etc.

i believe you do everything you can to get noticed. as long as it is appropriate.

 

[Kiara08]

i believe you do everything you can to get noticed. as long as it is appropriate.

does this count as appropriate? i know a nurse who worked in the past with one of the ppl who interviewed me at a school where i've been waitlisted. she said she'd be willing to put in a good word for me but idk how ethical/strange that is. her husband (a resident) who worked for a while at the hospital affiliated with the school, will most likely also write me an additional LOR. any advice about the nurse?

 

[MDRus]

does this count as appropriate? i know a nurse who worked in the past with one of the ppl who interviewed me at a school where i've been waitlisted. she said she'd be willing to put in a good word for me but idk how ethical/strange that is. her husband (a resident) who worked for a while at the hospital affiliated with the school, will most likely also write me an additional LOR. any advice about the nurse?

it is certainly ethical, you can be the best judge if it will be useful. doubt it will hurt.

comments?

 

[dabiophyz]

It is absolutely appropriate. Networking is essential for success no matter what field you are in, and people who tell you different are just being ignorant. Do everything you can.

 

[Kiara08]

It is absolutely appropriate. Networking is essential for success no matter what field you are in, and people who tell you different are just being ignorant. Do everything you can.

she doesn't work w/him any longer and now lives in a diff state than the school, so she'd end up just calling him/emailing him. he is a member of the admissions committee though and i do need all the help i can get.


also one of my LOR writers wants to write another one as an update/further info type thing. is this fine too?

 

[MDRus]

she doesn't work w/him any longer and now lives in a diff state than the school, so she'd end up just calling him/emailing him. he is a member of the admissions committee though and i do need all the help i can get.


also one of my LOR writers wants to write another one as an update/further info type thing. is this fine too?

The LOR update is terrific. the nurse thing is a bit sketchy. just doubt if it will help much. personally, i would skip it. but others here may feel differently.

 

[DianaUT06]

It is absolutely appropriate. Networking is essential for success no matter what field you are in, and people who tell you different are just being ignorant. Do everything you can.

Agreed. Networking is what helped me get accepted to my 1st choice this year when I reapplied. 👍 Get yourself out there and bump heads with some folks...no harm in that. In my case, it really helped others to see my strong suit, personality and perseverance. I never asked anyone to help me, however, they would offer to...I also had both faculty and students who offered.