Commitee Letters

[StarlingForce1]

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Hello,

I will be applying non-trad, having taken two years off after college graduation and having started a master of science degree. I will be applying via AMCAS during the summer between the first and second year of the masters program. The undergraduate university I attended does have a health careers evaluation committee, and I understand that it is typically a red flag for an applicant to not obtain one if their university offers one. That being said, since I am enrolled in a subsequent, advanced degree program beyond my bachelors, do I still need to obtain a committee letter from my undergraduate institution, or can I get away without one since I am completing a second degree? My undergraduate university does offer this kind of thing to alumni, and there is no such committee where I am doing my master of science degree, but it would seem that since I did not do so well in undergraduate (hence the master of science,) that a committee letter from my undergraduate university might not bode well for my application, and also, since I intend to apply as early as possible, that I cannot encourage a committee writer to submit by a certain date, as I would be able to with the professors and physicians who will be submitting on my behalf.

I guess my overall point here, is, I do not want to risk submitting a poor committee evaluation letter, if I can instead get away with not submitting a committee letter. I am certain my academic advisor for my master of science degree program could speak to my aptitude for success in medical school as well as competency for the field of medicine itself, but as I mentioned, there is no such committee where I am studying towards my master of science degree.

Could someone please provide their thoughts regarding this?

Thank you.

🙂

 

[HollywoodUpstairs]

Since you took two years off from academic work and are now pursuing an advanced degree, it's probably not a deal breaker to say that you did not intend to apply to medical school immediately out of undergrad and too much time has lapsed for an undergrad committee letter to reflect your current attitude and abilities.

Having said that, you would be wise to contact the schools to which you intend to apply, explain your situation and confirm that your application will be reviewed without a committee letter.

 

[StarlingForce1]

Since you took two years off from academic work and are now pursuing an advanced degree, it's probably not a deal breaker to say that you did not intend to apply to medical school immediately out of undergrad and too much time has lapsed for an undergrad committee letter to reflect your current attitude and abilities.

Having said that, you would be wise to contact the schools to which you intend to apply, explain your situation and confirm that your application will be reviewed without a committee letter.

Hi Verbal currency,

What you posit, is actually not a far cry from the truth. Late in my biology undergraduate education, I was bitten by the proverbial research bug, and my professors obviously encouraged me to pursue that- but I have found that research is not something I will enjoy as the primary theme in my career; having volunteered in a hospital and shadowed some physicians, I feel more in my element in a hospital than in the laboratory, and the underlying emotional element that is absent in the laboratory, is quite abundant in the clinical realm.

I think I will call the schools though, that is a good idea.

Thank you

🙂