I've been with my PI for over a year now and I can see that he really dislikes my work not matter how hard I try. I've had him as a professor in about 3 classes now, but I barely spoke in class. I tried to get a LOR from him last year for a summer program, but he refused to write it because he wasn't confident I could handle it. I recently went back to him and he said he'll take me back, but with hesitation. I believe if I ask him for a LOR for med school, I believe it will just bring up the negative qualities about me. Should I switch to another lab or could I just not submit a LOR from him? I hear that I am required b/c it'll send up red flags to the adcoms...
Conflict w. PI Over LOR
- Thread starter RiceBoy
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Um, sounds like a bad idea to ask an LOR from him. Why would you go back to his lab?
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It's time to jump labs. Some schools require a LOR from every research experience you mention on AMCAS. i'm surprised you went back to that lab after he so obviously put you down. It'd be unlikely for him to really change his mind about you so you'll just end up getting a really weak letter or no letter
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BUST YOUR ASS and WORK VERY VERY HARD. Find out what he wants from you and then do it 100 times better. Don't sit there like an injured little puppy with your head down. Say something like, "Sir I know I haven't lived up to your expectations in the lab as of late but I'd like to know what suggestions you have for me to improve myself." Just giving deference to these college professors will sometimes go a long way since a great many of them have a superiority complex that is never fully satisfied by college kids. It's a sad disease but just use it your advantage.
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I didn't get research letters from "every place I did significant research" and it was fine - believe me, the schools aren't going to look THAT closely at your app. Or at least, they didn't look at mine like that. I got accepted to most of the schools I applied to, so idk...I doubt it made a difference one way or the other on my app.
If you're really concerned, start new research and get a different letter from a new person.
Anyway, just find a LOR from someone who likes you better. Can't please everyone, IMO. I had 3 research experiences listed on my AMCAS app and not a single letter from a single PI.
And life was dandy.
If you're really concerned, start new research and get a different letter from a new person.
Anyway, just find a LOR from someone who likes you better. Can't please everyone, IMO. I had 3 research experiences listed on my AMCAS app and not a single letter from a single PI.
And life was dandy.
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yours does? even after waiving your rights?
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This is easy,
Sounds like he doesn't like you at all.
Don't ask him.
Sounds like he doesn't like you at all.
Don't ask him.
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Have you asked your PI what it is about your work that he is dissatisfied with? This sounds like a communication issue to me. Clearly he is expecting something out of you that you aren't providing. Find out what it is and then make the necessary adjustments.
Of course, if what he is expecting is a 40 hour a week slave, then jump to a new lab ASAP.
Of course, if what he is expecting is a 40 hour a week slave, then jump to a new lab ASAP.
It's a mix of several things. One is that he expects me to go to lab religiously (his actual words) even though I signed up for 2 credits. Another is that I think he is comparing me to students before me (one of which has almost the same first and last name as me) and I haven't been able to get to their level. I've emailed some professors already in another department, but I feel really bummed because I spent so much time in his lab and going to his classes/office hours...
Also, I'd think it'd be rude of me if I asked to see what he wrote, that'll prob tick him off
Also, I'd think it'd be rude of me if I asked to see what he wrote, that'll prob tick him off
If you really want to use him as an LOR, try to ask him to write a positive, strong letter. And make sure when you ask him to emphasize that. If he can't do that, I hope he at least will be able to tell you so. I highly doubt he hates you so much that he would write you a terrible letter.
And I think talking to him about what you are doing wrong might be beneficial. If he addresses weaknesses in your letter and then says how you overcame then, that could be an excellent letter (I'm assuming).
If you don't feel comfortable with this though, just get someone else to do it.
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a LOR that mentions negative traits is going to send up more "red flags" than not having a LOR from your PI
also, you shouldn't be working for anyone who doesn't respect you (or in this case blatantly disrespects you and doesn't appreciate you), especially if you are doing it for free. you should gather up whatever dignity you have left and move on. you can just as easily develop new research interests in some new lab.
also, you shouldn't be working for anyone who doesn't respect you (or in this case blatantly disrespects you and doesn't appreciate you), especially if you are doing it for free. you should gather up whatever dignity you have left and move on. you can just as easily develop new research interests in some new lab.
Alright, so I think I'll be switching. I just got an offer in another lab to assist a grad student, but he told me that I wouldn't be able to develop my own research interests because he's finishing up next year. Is this a no no?
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What do you want out of the experience? An exposure to research and a positive recommendation? If you love getting berated and bullied you might be the perfect fit for medical school, but there's no reason to take that at an undergraduate institution.
Advice to live by:
-Get the hell out of anything in college that makes you feel bad about yourself. Challenging is good, but there are too many asses in academia and you don't have to take it from them.
-Wait until you're matriculated to tell anyone at your school (regardless of how insignificant) how you feel. It's never good to burn bridges... though it feels sooo good.
-Shop Around! I ended up in the same hole as you, and stuck with it. The professor (PI) was unwilling to write a recommendation for me, and even refused to accept a phone call from a potential employer of mine. Get away from people like this; they're poison. You're probably just generating more data for your PI's crappy and psuedoscientific doctorate anyways.
-Always opt for one more over one less.
IF I could stake my first college PI I would. The man was walking-dead.
-C.J.
(I pretty much wrote that for me, not for you. It's good advice though, and it hurts to hear about someone else going through what I went through.)
