Do Programs Contact your Research PI or Supervisor?

[toastee]

Hi everyone. On the ERAS app, listing your supervisor is required and I wanted to know how likely it is that a program would contact that person?

I have a summer research experience project that I finished and had a lot of fun in. However, I had a small falling out with my PI at the time and we haven't talked since.

Would it be wise to include this experience? (I only have 2 research experiences total). I'd hate for them to contact her and have her say something suspect.

Thanks a lot

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[okokok]

I have no basis for this, but I think it's safe to include, unless the falling out was due to something bad that you did (eg falsifying data or something). I very much doubt they would contact the PI.

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[gutonc]

List it. Nobody will care or contact him/her.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Hi everyone. On the ERAS app, listing your supervisor is required and I wanted to know how likely it is that a program would contact that person?

I have a summer research experience project that I finished and had a lot of fun in. However, I had a small falling out with my PI at the time and we haven't talked since.

Would it be wise to include this experience? (I only have 2 research experiences total). I'd hate for them to contact her and have her say something suspect.

Thanks a lot

Only situation I see someone contacting a previous PI is if you are applying to an alternative-track residency with dedicated research time, even then it's a stretch unless you are joining a specific lab or something right away.

We get literally over 1000 applications per year, we don't have the resources nor the (to be honest) interest to track down what every PI has to say about his or her trainee. You should absolutely list all research activities, but the way for your PI to talk about your work ethic and skills is through the LOR. This follows that if you don't think you will get a reasonable letter from this person, then consider not using it or don't even ask.

 

[toastee]

Great, thanks a lot everyone for the replies. The falling out wasn't in regards to my integrity or research related and I'm not getting a LOR from her. I'm going to list it!