can I include links to websites in my letter of intent?

[yogurtpimple]

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I interviewed at my top choice 3 weeks ago and plan to write them a letter of intent. I have 3 updates:
1) started company with a friend designing and selling electronics
2) continued volunteering in food banks
3) completed a pre-req

for the company we have a website with some products we designed and are selling. I was thinking of including a link to it. is that a bad idea? also are these updates worth including? this school isnt engineering/medicine (TAMU or carle) so IDK if they would care...

 

[wysdoc]

I interviewed at my top choice 3 weeks ago and plan to write them a letter of intent. I have 3 updates:
1) started company with a friend designing and selling electronics
2) continued volunteering in hospice and food banks
3) completed an english pre-req

for the company we have a website with some products we designed and are selling. I was thinking of including a link to it. is that a bad idea? also are these updates worth including? this school isnt engineering/medicine (TAMU or carle) so IDK if they would care...

I don’t think they will click on an external link in your email, or that having this side business is relevant to your entry into med school.
I would advise keeping your letter focused on the other 2 more relevant items, and on the reasons you are a good fit for this school and highly interested in attending

 

[yogurtpimple]

Thank you, that makes sense, I wont include the link.
The company definitely isn't relevant. But the skills I learned maybe are? Particularly, I think it maybe relevant to some research going on in this school, where I can use the stuff I learned to design low cost medical devices. I designed medical devices before, but they were mechanical, and starting this company just expanded my tool box.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Have you received a decision? I don't think a letter of intent is useful until after you hear back from them. After all, the exercise would be moot if you got outright accepted or rejected.

 

[yogurtpimple]

Have you received a decision? I don't think a letter of intent is useful until after you hear back from them. After all, the exercise would be moot if you got outright accepted or rejected.

I haven't received a decision yet, but this school apparently really values letters of intent. They said that it matters a lot in the informational session, and people on sdn recommended to send one ASAP.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I won't dissuade you from doing what you feel strongly about, but it helps to know how others would read your letter.

Are You Ready for Commitment? When and How to Write a Letter of Intent | Student Doctor Network | SDN

So you are nearing the end of your application season. You have spent years completing prerequisite courses, engaging in thoughtful and philanthropic

www.studentdoctor.net

My feeling is that if you started a company in the middle of your application cycle, it makes me question why you want to attend our school and give up something that you started. (Insert Lane Kiffin to LSU reference here for contemporary reasons.) If it's a little Etsy-style project of selling things, that's one thing... vs. something bigger or more viral.

 

[yogurtpimple]

I won't dissuade you from doing what you feel strongly about, but it helps to know how others would read your letter.

Are You Ready for Commitment? When and How to Write a Letter of Intent | Student Doctor Network | SDN

So you are nearing the end of your application season. You have spent years completing prerequisite courses, engaging in thoughtful and philanthropic

www.studentdoctor.net

My feeling is that if you started a company in the middle of your application cycle, it makes me question why you want to attend our school and give up something that you started. (Insert Lane Kiffin to LSU reference here for contemporary reasons.) If it's a little Etsy-style project of selling things, that's one thing... vs. something bigger or more viral.

GOt it, I'll just keep the company out then. To answer your question though, it's more of an Etsy thing. We do sell custom circuit boards, but we open source our designs and provide schematics for free, so people can make them on their own if they don't want to buy them premade. We haven't sold anything yet, but people have downloaded our designs and code.

I started it to learn how to design PCBs, and keep track of my progress. I could just mention that I designed an original circuit board which I plan to patent instead of mentioning the company, since it's not really a for profit thing ?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I started it to learn how to design PCBs, and keep track of my progress. I could just mention that I designed an original circuit board which I plan to patent instead of mentioning the company, since it's not really a for profit thing ?

Could you tell me the value of this information to becoming a student at that institution that the adcom members can embrace?

 

[yogurtpimple]

Could you tell me the value of this information to becoming a student at that institution that the adcom members can embrace?

There are several labs at this medical school working on implantable devices and surgical equipment. The skills I’ve built starting this project would be directly applicable there. Beyond that though, I don’t see much added value.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

There are several labs at this medical school working on implantable devices and surgical equipment. The skills I’ve built starting this project would be directly applicable there. Beyond that though, I don’t see much added value.

Just make sure you know who would be reading your letter. For example, do you think the people working in these labs would serve on the admissions committee? Do you have confidence the admissions STAFF would see the value? I can see the value if you are pitching to be a research assistant in those labs, but it might not be so clear for an application manager or adcom chair. Did you interview with someone who runs one of these labs?

 

[yogurtpimple]

Just make sure you know who would be reading your letter. For example, do you think the people working in these labs would serve on the admissions committee? Do you have confidence the admissions STAFF would see the value? I can see the value if you are pitching to be a research assistant in those labs, but it might not be so clear for an application manager or adcom chair. Did you interview with someone who runs one of these labs?

Good point. I interviewed with physicians, alumni and students, no researchers. I'm kinda set on including it because I have no significant updates besides this tbh, and I just enjoyed working on it a lot. One of my most meaningful experiences was my engineering job, and it's one of my passions.

 

[PickaGodnPray]

I'm kinda set on including it because I have no significant updates besides this tbh, and I just enjoyed working on it a lot. One of my most meaningful experiences was my engineering job, and it's one of my passions.

Just be careful that it doesn't get misinterpreted and takes away from your thesis that ONLY medicine as a career will fulfill you. I don't know your app, so I cannot get the full grasp, but from what you are mentioning here I am now left with more questions than answers about why you were doing this when you could have been gaining more clinical/research experience, how this will make you a better physician, and why if this is a passion of yours you are pursuing a career so far removed from it?

 

[yogurtpimple]

Just be careful that it doesn't get misinterpreted and takes away from your thesis that ONLY medicine as a career will fulfill you. I don't know your app, so I cannot get the full grasp, but from what you are mentioning here I am now left with more questions than answers about why you were doing this when you could have been gaining more clinical/research experience, how this will make you a better physician, and why if this is a passion of yours you are pursuing a career so far removed from it?

I already work full-time and couldn't get a research job. I do volunteer with hospice on weekends tho. My hope is to use what I see in the clinic, and the skills I learned as an engineer, to improve medical care. This was the general message of my secondaries and application. But I get your point, I'll just keep it out completely.

 

[doc_J61]

for the company we have a website with some products we designed and are selling. I was thinking of including a link to it. is that a bad idea? also are these updates worth including? this school isnt engineering/medicine (TAMU or carle) so IDK if they would care...

Yes! Absolutely include it. This is super impressive! Don't sell yourself short.