Does my school actually have a "real" pre-med committee?

[reese07]

I hear a lot about MD schools seeing it as a red flag for an applicant to not use their pre-med committee if they are available at their school. Does this go the same for my DO schools too? I received this email from my pre-med advisor and it went, "There is not a pre-med committee. ----- is the Pre-Med/Pre-Dental advisor and the evaluation letters that you are in the process of getting, make up the committee part of the packet. ----- takes those letters along with the other information you have in your file and writes the composite letter for med school. You should meet with ----- at least one more time prior to having him write your final letter."

Does this qualify as a committee, in which it would be an disadvantage for me to use Interfolio instead?

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[DocHomer]

I hear a lot about MD schools seeing it as a red flag for an applicant to not use their pre-med committee if they are available at their school. Does this go the same for my DO schools too? I received this email from my pre-med advisor and it went, "There is not a pre-med committee. ----- is the Pre-Med/Pre-Dental advisor and the evaluation letters that you are in the process of getting, make up the committee part of the packet. ----- takes those letters along with the other information you have in your file and writes the composite letter for med school. You should meet with ----- at least one more time prior to having him write your final letter."

Does this qualify as a committee, in which it would be an disadvantage for me to use Interfolio instead?

I had the same situation at my school. There wasn't a formal pre-med committee, but I didn't have any problems with it. If the pre-med advisor is writing you a composite letter, then that will qualify as a committee letter.

 

[UpwardTrend]

You will still want to use interfolio with that letter accompanied by your other letters.

 

[DocHomer]

You will still want to use interfolio with that letter accompanied by your other letters.

Why? My pre-med advisor collected all of my letters and submitted it along with his letter through Virtual Eval. See if that option is available.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Why? My pre-med advisor collected all of my letters and submitted it along with his letter through Virtual Eval. See if that option is available.

This is how my school functions as well

 

[SLC]

I'm somewhat confused about this process. Is a member of the pre-medical committee or a premedical advisor supposed to write you a letter of reccomendation as well?

My pre-med advisor(s) don't know me from Adam, I go to a large state school with a med school attached. Everyone here thinks they're pre-med and so it's practically impossible to get to know professors or advisors very well.

Or is the letter from the pre-med commitee something different?

SLC

 

[ShinyDome19]

I may be mistaken, but I think it depends on where you go. I have heard of some students having to meet with advisors on a regular basis (once every semester), who then writes them a letter. At my undergrad/grad school, the pre-med committee takes all of your professors LORs and writes a big summary from it. This is why i chose to avoid using the committee all together...My graduate professors/advisors had known me for 6+ years and wrote very good letters for me...ill be damned if Id let some idiot who met me once pick out which points are worth entry in their summary. Regardless of how they do it, I still say its easier and better to just collect your letters from professors you know who will give you a good letter, send them to interfolio and go from there.

As far as it being a red flag by not having a committee letter...I did not have any problems without one at either allopathic or osteopathic schools. Nor did the two adcom advisors I met with even bring it up when reviewing my application with me.