Does the Professor's Title Carry Weight with LOR?

[GrayArea]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello,

I will be applying to schools in the 2017 cycle. I already have individuals who have agreed to write me LOR.
However, I was wondering if the the title of the professor carries any weight in the admissions committee's eyes. For example, is a letter from a professor or department chair "better" than one from an assistant professor?

From academic personal, I will have one department chair, retired professor (retired as soon as I graduated), and an assistant professor. I can get a letter from a full professor in the same field as the assistant, however, I feel like the assistant professor "sees" me better and cares more about the success of my applications. What do you guys think? Am I looking to much into it?

Also, just as a side note, I will be receiving a letter from a physician that knows me very well as well as a wholistic shamanic healer who I have worked with.

Thanks

 

[Goro]

No. This is a common pre-med delusion

Hello,

I will be applying to schools in the 2017 cycle. I already have individuals who have agreed to write me LOR.
However, I was wondering if the the title of the professor carries any weight in the admissions committee's eyes. For example, is a letter from a professor or department chair "better" than one from an assistant professor?

From academic personal, I will have one department chair, retired professor (retired as soon as I graduated), and an assistant professor. I can get a letter from a full professor in the same field as the assistant, however, I feel like the assistant professor "sees" me better and cares more about the success of my applications. What do you guys think? Am I looking to much into it?

Also, just as a side note, I will be receiving a letter from a physician that knows me very well as well as a wholistic shamanic healer who I have worked with.

Thanks

 

[ATPsynthase123]

Hello,

I will be applying to schools in the 2017 cycle. I already have individuals who have agreed to write me LOR.
However, I was wondering if the the title of the professor carries any weight in the admissions committee's eyes. For example, is a letter from a professor or department chair "better" than one from an assistant professor?

From academic personal, I will have one department chair, retired professor (retired as soon as I graduated), and an assistant professor. I can get a letter from a full professor in the same field as the assistant, however, I feel like the assistant professor "sees" me better and cares more about the success of my applications. What do you guys think? Am I looking to much into it?

Also, just as a side note, I will be receiving a letter from a physician that knows me very well as well as a wholistic shamanic healer who I have worked with.

Thanks

I'd be more worried about the quack shamanic healer. Hopefully you don't believe that BS.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[deleted480308]

Hello,

I will be applying to schools in the 2017 cycle. I already have individuals who have agreed to write me LOR.
However, I was wondering if the the title of the professor carries any weight in the admissions committee's eyes. For example, is a letter from a professor or department chair "better" than one from an assistant professor?

From academic personal, I will have one department chair, retired professor (retired as soon as I graduated), and an assistant professor. I can get a letter from a full professor in the same field as the assistant, however, I feel like the assistant professor "sees" me better and cares more about the success of my applications. What do you guys think? Am I looking to much into it?

Also, just as a side note, I will be receiving a letter from a physician that knows me very well as well as a wholistic shamanic healer who I have worked with.

Thanks

haha, you should wipe your butt with the application fees if you include a letter from a shamanic healer

and no, a bunch of med school professors are not impressed by undergrad titles

 

[GrayArea]

You guys really think a letter from him would be frowned upon? I thought that in our current cohort people are want to be treated as whole, medicinally and energetically. Honestly, you all are probably right, and if his letter would hurt my chances, I probably won't include it. However, it is unfortunate if the medical field is would toss an application because the individual tried to help people with different believes about healing. Wouldn't that be a part of being culturally competent? Some people sincerely believe that they can be healed with wholistic practices, and shouldn't there beliefs be considered? What about the placebo effect? That has shown that if people genuinely believe in something, some pretty amazing physiological stuff can happen.

Anyhow, I learned to be inclusive of everyone's beliefs working with this guy. Which I think is worth something. But then again, I do not want to hurt my chances getting into medical school since that is my dream at the end of the day.

 

[Pusheen]

 

[Pusheen]

wholistic

Holistic 😉

 

[Pencilvester]

Medical Definition of allopathy
plural
allopathies

1. 1: a system of medical practice that aims to combat disease by use of remedies (as drugs or surgery) producing effects different from or incompatible with those produced by the disease being treated—compare homeopathy
   
   
2. 2: a system of medical practice making use of all measures that have proved of value in treatment of disease

http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/allopathy

 

[Petrichor1]

In my humble opinion, unless a school specifies only 2-3 letters, I would say the letter you are referring to could act as a character letter. An example of a school that details only 2 letters, you should probably be very considerate of how the specific letter writer aids your image as a competent and caring future allopathic/osteopathic physician. In the sea of applicants that basically seem the same to adcom I will certainly say that provided the shaman healer, you might seem pretty unique. A lot of ppl may be dismissive of cultural beliefs with no proven scientific basis but sometimes it is good to know a physician who respects and understands these practices for the sake of the patient. I would, however, not use this letter if you run over the letter limits of a school.

 

[GrayArea]

In my humble opinion, unless a school specifies only 2-3 letters, I would say the letter you are referring to could act as a character letter. An example of a school that details only 2 letters, you should probably be very considerate of how the specific letter writer aids your image as a competent and caring future allopathic/osteopathic physician. In the sea of applicants that basically seem the same to adcom I will certainly say that provided the shaman healer, you might seem pretty unique. A lot of ppl may be dismissive of cultural beliefs with no proven scientific basis but sometimes it is good to know a physician who respects and understands these practices for the sake of the patient. I would, however, not use this letter if you run over the letter limits of a school.

Perfectly put. That was my thought on it. There are also some schools that have an emphasis on cultural competency. Of course, if the schools only wants 2-3 letters, I would not add it.

Either way, I am still hesitant to add this letter because of the way it my be perceived by a group of allopathic doctor. But what stumps me is that recently medical schools have been emphasizing cultural competency, so they shouldn't technically think of certain people's medicinal beliefs as "quack medicine", right? The US continues to become more progressive and diverse and that requires doctors that have an awareness/respect for patients whose beliefs might not be supported by scientific evidence. These people might become more open to being treated with western medicine by a doctor that acknowledges their whole spectrum of beliefs vs a physician that does not or quickly dismisses them.

Sorry for the rant, I just believe that I truly learned something from working with this individual that has some merit in the medical field. Obviously, since I am applying to allopathic schools, I do not plan on receiving my MD and then prescribing herbs and cleansings. But I do plan on working with a patient's individual belief spectrum to construct a treatment plan that not only treats, but makes them feel comfortable and attended to.

 

[RogueBanana]

If you apply to allopathic schools with an LOR from a Shaman, you're gonna have a bad time.


:troll::troll::troll::troll:

 

[Petrichor1]

If you apply to allopathic schools with an LOR from a Shaman, you're gonna have a bad time.


:troll::troll::troll::troll:

OK I personally want to put out there that allopathic or whatever, as a physician you have an obligation to accept every single patient, you can't just filter them unless your organization does so. I also feel that part of the reason why many patients don't like the hospital is because it is dreary, monotonous, and nothing resembling of where they come from at times. In this manner, a shaman, priest, and the like creates that comfort for the patient. Going by the holistic nature of what allopathic and osteopathy proclaim, I'd expect that they also mean a more culturally educated doctor. I will ask the op though to make sure your recommender writes only a character lor and understands what allopathic is so they don't write something extreme that could be seen as a negative though I really t don't know how that can be possible.

 

[RogueBanana]

OK I personally want to put out there that allopathic or whatever, as a physician you have an obligation to accept every single patient, you can't just filter them unless your organization does so. I also feel that part of the reason why many patients don't like the hospital is because it is dreary, monotonous, and nothing resembling of where they come from at times. In this manner, a shaman, priest, and the like creates that comfort for the patient. Going by the holistic nature of what allopathic and osteopathy proclaim, I'd expect that they also mean a more culturally educated doctor. I will ask the op though to make sure your recommender writes only a character lor and understands what allopathic is so they don't write something extreme that could be seen as a negative though I really t don't know how that can be possible.

When did I say I would not accept patients based on their beliefs?

 

[Petrichor1]

When did I say I would not accept patients based on their beliefs?

I mean that these things are going to come up when you are a physician. Not every physician will understand but it'll be good to know that some may hold a knowledgeable perspective. Half the times when I see patient deliriums, I can't help but wonder if it's because they are missing home. Home can take a lot of meaning in various forms for various life states.

 

[GrayArea]

OK I personally want to put out there that allopathic or whatever, as a physician you have an obligation to accept every single patient, you can't just filter them unless your organization does so. I also feel that part of the reason why many patients don't like the hospital is because it is dreary, monotonous, and nothing resembling of where they come from at times. In this manner, a shaman, priest, and the like creates that comfort for the patient. Going by the holistic nature of what allopathic and osteopathy proclaim, I'd expect that they also mean a more culturally educated doctor. I will ask the op though to make sure your recommender writes only a character lor and understands what allopathic is so they don't write something extreme that could be seen as a negative though I really t don't know how that can be possible.

Yes, the person I speak about is not oblivious to what allopathic schools look for. He is a very intelligent individual who is well known and is also an author. He actually works with allopathic doctors in treating psychiatric disorders such as PTSD and is quite successful with it. I feel like there are negative stereotypes about shamans. He actually does not like that word. Shaman was constructed by conventional scientists to categorize those people that healed others using alternative methods. My point is that while he is not a physician according to our standards, he is a healer of sorts. By involving myself with him and asking him for a letter, I believed that would make me unique in the eyes of ADCOM. He would write it with the intention of emphasizing why I would be a good physician. Obviously he wouldn't try to be selling anything to them.

Now I am worried that the ADCOM wouldn't see it that way simply because of his "title"? Honestly, he probably wouldn't even introduce himself as a "shaman".

 

[Petrichor1]

Yes, the person I speak about is not oblivious to what allopathic schools look for. He is a very intelligent individual who is well known and is also an author. He actually works with allopathic doctors in treating psychiatric disorders such as PTSD and is quite successful with it. I feel like there are negative stereotypes about shamans. He actually does not like that word. Shaman was constructed by conventional scientists to categorize those people that healed others using alternative methods. My point is that while he is not a physician according to our standards, he is a healer of sorts. By involving myself with him and asking him for a letter, I believed that would make me unique in the eyes of ADCOM. He would write it with the intention of emphasizing why I would be a good physician. Obviously he wouldn't try to be selling anything to them.

Now I am worried that the ADCOM wouldn't see it that way simply because of his "title"? Honestly, he probably wouldn't even introduce himself as a "shaman".

Honestly I see no problem if he is working at the hospital. Ppl are acting like this is alien at places like the hospital where I'd think this practice could be very beneficial for the patient's well restedness.

 

[wizzed101]

What if the LOR comes from the chair of a department within a medical school? Or just someone very powerful within the medical community

BTW, is it a big no-no for dean of admission to write you a LOR to their school?

Curious, because I may be going to have too many letters ....

 

[LizzyM]

What if the LOR comes from the chair of a department within a medical school? Or just someone very powerful within the medical community

BTW, is it a big no-no for dean of admission to write you a LOR to their school?

Curious, because I may be going to have too many letters ....

I've been at this for 15+years and I have NEVER seen a LOR from the dean of admissions from our school. NEVER. I cannot fathom a situation where the dean, whether a physician or not, would write a letter on behalf of an applicant. The conflict of interest is too great. I have seen a LOR from the president of the university who knew an applicant from a course the president taught before becoming president but that was an anomaly and didn't carry any more weight that a LOR from any other professor.

A professor letter might carry more weight than an instructor but what it really comes down to is number of years of work experience given that the typical letter has the writer compare the applicant to the pool of students the writer has interacted with. It is always stronger to say, "in my 35 years of teaching and supervising undergraduates, graduate and post-docs, this applicant is in the top 2% of all students..." than to say, "in my 3 years of teaching undergraduates..."

 

[Goro]

To follow up my learned colleague's comments, we've received LORs from Nobel Laureates and US Senators. @gyngyn has received them from governors and congressmen/women. They don't add anything. NOTHING.


6) the title/position of a LOR can be an enhancer to a letter. But what most applicants fail to take into account, like acceleration, that enhancement can be either negative or positive. If the letter is a solid, well written, critical evaluation with evidence of an indepth connection with applicant, then a title/position will add to it. But the flip side if the letter is just ok, or doesnt have evidence of an indepth connection, a title/position can make it seem more negative for two reasons. First, it can look like the applicant simply send the letter because of the name of the writer. [/QUOTE]

 

[DingoPingo]

Hello,

I will be applying to schools in the 2017 cycle. I already have individuals who have agreed to write me LOR.
However, I was wondering if the the title of the professor carries any weight in the admissions committee's eyes. For example, is a letter from a professor or department chair "better" than one from an assistant professor?

From academic personal, I will have one department chair, retired professor (retired as soon as I graduated), and an assistant professor. I can get a letter from a full professor in the same field as the assistant, however, I feel like the assistant professor "sees" me better and cares more about the success of my applications. What do you guys think? Am I looking to much into it?

Also, just as a side note, I will be receiving a letter from a physician that knows me very well as well as a wholistic shamanic healer who I have worked with.

Thanks

Don't worry about comments about the healer. Most likely it won't impact your application, but I doubt it would hurt you unless if someone who reads it is acutely close minded (unfortunately this happens and you don't really want to go somewhere where they have faculty like that). I had comments about alternative medicine in my application and most of my interviewers have been interested in the topic and I haven't had anyone argue with me about it. People who think little of "quack" medicine obviously have not had their faith tested before.

As for letters though, keep it simple. Pick 3-5 letters you think will be very favorable for you. Admissions has to sort through a lot of info to find what's important. Make it easier for them by sending them only what's good about you.

 

[wizzed101]

Thanks for the replies!

Through fortuitous connections, I went from 0 clinical research experience to being flooded with research opportunities from various physicians/professors overnight! I think I will try to do 3 projects simultaneously in 3 different labs! If I am good enough to get good LORs from all of them, I wonder if their letter would carry more weights than the 2 PIs I spent much more time with in college.

Edit: coz I may have to trim down on the LORs... one of which I wrote myself (through request).

 

[QuizzicalApe]

Yes, the person I speak about is not oblivious to what allopathic schools look for. He is a very intelligent individual who is well known and is also an author. He actually works with allopathic doctors in treating psychiatric disorders such as PTSD and is quite successful with it. I feel like there are negative stereotypes about shamans. He actually does not like that word. Shaman was constructed by conventional scientists to categorize those people that healed others using alternative methods. My point is that while he is not a physician according to our standards, he is a healer of sorts. By involving myself with him and asking him for a letter, I believed that would make me unique in the eyes of ADCOM. He would write it with the intention of emphasizing why I would be a good physician. Obviously he wouldn't try to be selling anything to them.

Now I am worried that the ADCOM wouldn't see it that way simply because of his "title"? Honestly, he probably wouldn't even introduce himself as a "shaman".

You're applying for medical school, not Hogwarts.

"Shaman" is not a word constructed by scientists. It is a term for a certain kind of wizard, and in this case one that happens to employ ritualized placebo to "heal".

 

[GrayArea]

You're applying for medical school, not Hogwarts.

"Shaman" is not a word constructed by scientists. It is a term for a certain kind of wizard, and in this case one that happens to employ ritualized placebo to "heal".

I am fully aware I am applying to medical school. Calling a "shaman" a wizard would be very disrespectful to certain cultures, cultures that happen to also inhabit the USA and might need to seek medical care from a physician some time. If people want to combine their traditional healing methods with Western medicine, what is wrong with that? The patient should come first and NO physician should neglect or dismiss their beliefs. Being exposed to alternative medicinal beliefs prepares an individual to know how to approach patients that do not share conventional beliefs with an open mind.

One of the reasons they have changed the MCAT, from what I understand, is to incorporate an individual's psychology and societal beliefs in they healthcare. That is exactly my intention. Isn't interesting that I write the word shaman and others who are also interested in medicine begin to say things like "quack" or "wizard"? I mean absolutely no disrespect to anyone who has replied to my post, I appreciate your insight, I just find it interesting.

 

[CavsFan2016]

If you apply to allopathic schools with an LOR from a Shaman, you're gonna have a bad time.


:troll::troll::troll::troll:

RogueBanana is my spirit animal.

 

[RogueBanana]

RogueBanana is my spirit Fruit .

Fixed that for you 🙂

 

[QuizzicalApe]

I am fully aware I am applying to medical school. Calling a "shaman" a wizard would be very disrespectful to certain cultures, cultures that happen to also inhabit the USA and might need to seek medical care from a physician some time. If people want to combine their traditional healing methods with Western medicine, what is wrong with that? The patient should come first and NO physician should neglect or dismiss their beliefs. Being exposed to alternative medicinal beliefs prepares an individual to know how to approach patients that do not share conventional beliefs with an open mind.

One of the reasons they have changed the MCAT, from what I understand, is to incorporate an individual's psychology and societal beliefs in they healthcare. That is exactly my intention. Isn't interesting that I write the word shaman and others who are also interested in medicine begin to say things like "quack" or "wizard"? I mean absolutely no disrespect to anyone who has replied to my post, I appreciate your insight, I just find it interesting.

I hold the same respect for these practices that I hold for the ancient respectable practices of my own people (selling snake oil, balancing the four humors with bloodletting, etc.): none. You were sharp to pick up on that.

The "wrong" comes in the opportunity for these alternative "healing methods" to act as alternatives to medicine. If ritualized placebo is replacing actual treatments, that is a problem. If it happens off to the side and doesn't hurt anything, then fine whatever. I humor patients that have these beliefs to maintain a good therapeutic relationship, because smiling at nonsense is better for the patient because at least then they might get something for their disease.

Ultimately, though, these treatments should be regarded in the same way that someone would regard a "naturopathic dentist" who promises that as an alternative to good oral hygiene you can just suck on a bead blessed by prayers to the earth mother. Even if the bead promised strong dentin.

 

[HarryPotterLostInNarnia]

Hello,

I will be applying to schools in the 2017 cycle. I already have individuals who have agreed to write me LOR.
However, I was wondering if the the title of the professor carries any weight in the admissions committee's eyes. For example, is a letter from a professor or department chair "better" than one from an assistant professor?

From academic personal, I will have one department chair, retired professor (retired as soon as I graduated), and an assistant professor. I can get a letter from a full professor in the same field as the assistant, however, I feel like the assistant professor "sees" me better and cares more about the success of my applications. What do you guys think? Am I looking to much into it?

Also, just as a side note, I will be receiving a letter from a physician that knows me very well as well as a wholistic shamanic healer who I have worked with.

Thanks

Depends on the strength of your letter.