Asking doctors for a letter of recommendation

[GomerPyle]

Hey all,

I was wondering if any of you guys recommend me getting a letter from a physician that I have shadowed. I was thinking that it is a good idea, but I haven't seen it "required" by any schools. I am just scared that they could be too busy or could care less about writing an LOR, and thus the effort wouldn't be there to write a good letter.

I am leaning towards asking for an LOR from one of two physicians which I have shadowed, and I would like to hear your preference on who I should ask. I shadowed a cardiothoracic surgeon for 3 days in the clinic, and than shadowed him during a coronary bypass surgery as well. He is a very nice person and always welcomes me to come in. He is VERY professional, an amazing surgeon and very well respected, yet I don't know if he would have enough time or interest to write me a strong letter because he is obviously very focused on other things. I feel like he would rather put his time and focus onto something else rather than write me letter, which could result in a weak letter of recommendation.

I also shadowed a pediatric neurologist, who was VERY relaxed and fun to be around. He was very "chill", seems like he has a lot of free time, and doesn't appear as stressed as most of us think doctors should be. He is very nice, has a down to earth personality, and I think if I shadow him for another day or two, I could get a strong letter of recommendation from him. But I am also unsure on whether he would put in enough time to write me a good letter because it seems to me that he would also rather be doing something else. This is why I am not totally certain I want to send off letters from doctors...

I feel more comfortable asking the ped neurologist for a letter of recommendation just because it appears to be more "fitting", however I feel that the surgeon could write me a very strong and powerful letter but he seems like he could be too busy to have any interest. If you were reading a letter of recommendation from a cardiothoracic surgeon and a pediatric neurologist, which one would you be more drawn to? I feel like surgeons have that edge and could draw more interest from the reader? I just dont know who to ask or what to do at this point. Both doctors like me and value my hard work and dedication, but I am afraid!!!

What do you guys think?

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[Tots]

What is a doctor you shadowed going to be able to say about you? "GomerPyle was very good at following me around." I would say pass on the letter and focus on getting strong letters from people who know you.

 

[GomerPyle]

What is a doctor you shadowed going to be able to say about you? "GomerPyle was very good at following me around." I would say pass on the letter and focus on getting strong letters from people who know you.

Well I am sure somebody who I have been following around for several days would get to know me pretty well. I have an outgoing personality, I display a strong interest and motivation for medicine, and try my best to be a professional in the clinic. Maybe these are some things that could be talked about in my letter...I dont know!

 

[sliceofbread136]

Well I am sure somebody who I have been following around for several days would get to know me pretty well. I have an outgoing personality, I display a strong interest and motivation for medicine, and try my best to be a professional in the clinic. Maybe these are some things that could be talked about in my letter...I dont know!

LizzyM generally discourages LORs from doctors. Get one from someone else.

 

[stevvo111]

I'd get one, but if you do plan on doing so, you have to know them for more than several days. A semester of maybe weekly, or so meetings/shadowing events would be enough. But 3-5 times total is way too little for anyone to know anything significant about you, unless in those 3 days you asked him why he is a doctor, he explained the perils of medicine, the cool things of medicine, let you discuss your thoughts, and approved your thoughts as significant. In that case, let him/her read your personal statement, and if they like it then do it. My bro had his shadowing doctor of a semester read his personal statement, and the doctor actually said he would definitely write a rec letter in support if my bro ever needed one.

 

[LizzyM]

Letters from physicians are generally not useful in letting us know about your academic apptitude or your classroom behavior or your ability to communicate well in writing and verbally. Those are the things we generally glean from letters from professors.

The letters from physicians tend to be vapid with comments about your grooming, posture, attentiveness, curiosity, and so forth. They generally don't provide information we are looking for.

 

[catzzz88]

Hey all,

I shadowed a cardiothoracic surgeon for 3 days in the clinic, and than shadowed him during a coronary bypass surgery as well.

OP, my advice would strongly be: don't do it! Unless you have shadowed a doctor for a minimum of 6 months and 75+ hours, I would certainly not ask for a LOR. Unless you are desperate, I wouldn't even ask for a LOR if you have shadowed for 75+ hours... One exception would be if you know and interact with the doctor outside of clinic (ex: if he is your PI, a close family friend, a professor whose class you have taken, or if he is a co-worker at your company who you see every day).

If you are close with him and you are desperate for a LOR, I would make sure to talk to him about what kinds of things you don't want in the LOR and what kinds of things would be helpful (per LizzyM above).

Just some friendly advice, use it as you will!

Best,
C

 

[Bacchus]

Were either of these experiences long-term?

I did get a LOR from a physician to satisfy the DO LOR requirement. However, in addition, the letter was a nice character reference in addition to an alumni recommendation for one school.

From the information above, I get the impression I would ask neither physician for a letter of recommendation at this time.

 

[GomerPyle]

Thanks for the advice everybody.

None of the shadowing experiences were long term. It appears that everybody discourages me getting an LOR from a physican. I already have 3 professor LOR's, 1 research LOR, 1 volunteering LOR, 1 advisor LOR, and 1 patient care/experience LOR. Is this sufficient?

 

[sliceofbread136]

Thanks for the advice everybody.

None of the shadowing experiences were long term. It appears that everybody discourages me getting an LOR from a physican. I already have 3 professor LOR's, 1 research LOR, 1 volunteering LOR, 1 advisor LOR, and 1 patient care/experience LOR. Is this sufficient?

More than sufficient

 

[deleted261193]

^ agreed. some schools won't let you submit more than 4 or 5 letters so you're more than ok.