Examples of shadowing LOE?

[howTOLOE]

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Hello! I recently asked a physician that I shadowed for a letter of recommendation for medical school (I know I'm a little late in asking, but better late than never!). He is a very busy physician and asked for an example of a shadowing letter so that he could have a better of idea of how/what to write more quickly. Are there are any example shadowing LOEs that anyone can point me to or any other resources that I can give him? Thanks!

 

[starspells]

Shadowing letters aren't very helpful. Are you applying to the few schools that require a clinical letter?

 

[gyngyn]

Please don't send a shadowing letter.
For your substantive LOE's, you can send this link: https://www.aamc.org/download/332578/data/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf

 

[yaka]

There's a guideline on the AAMC website for letter writers which should give him a better idea of what to write. Other than that, you might be able to Google some examples.

But as others have mentioned, shadowing letters aren't very helpful because usually you don't do anything critical during shadowing.

 

[starspells]

Please don't send a shadowing letter.

How do you feel about sending a shadowing letter to AZ, UT and RFU? I know many applicants don't have a better alternative.

 

[gyngyn]

How do you feel about sending a shadowing letter to AZ, UT and RFU? I know many applicants don't have a better alternative.

They asked for it...

 

[howTOLOE]

Oh I was not aware that they don't like to see shadowing letters. I thought that since the physician got to know me and interact with me she would be able to write about qualities that could apply to medicine or something along those lines. As stated, I didn't really do anything substantial while shadowing, but was able to see physician/patient interaction that got me interested in medicine. Would getting a letter from someone else I interacted with in a clinical setting (such as a volunteer coordinator or something along those lines) be a valuable letter to have? Or are schools generally more interested in mostly letters from professors?

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Oh I was not aware that they don't like to see shadowing letters. I thought that since the physician got to know me and interact with me she would be able to write about qualities that could apply to medicine or something along those lines. As stated, I didn't really do anything substantial while shadowing, but was able to see physician/patient interaction that got me interested in medicine. Would getting a letter from someone else I interacted with in a clinical setting (such as a volunteer coordinator or something along those lines) be a valuable letter to have? Or are schools generally more interested in mostly letters from professors?

It's best if they can speak to your abilities, so you would have had to work with/for them in a job/class/internship/lab/etc.

 

[howTOLOE]

The physician I was shadowing also had medical students rotating through his clinic. I would often be able to do simple things (height, weight, BMI, vision, looking at the eyes, ears, preparing vaccinations, etc.) under his supervision and with the medical students, so it was a really great learning experience with a lot of interaction with the physician. Based on this interaction, I think the physician can gauge some abilities, interpersonal skills, and competencies listed on the guidelines and write a strong letter. With all that being said, would the letter be worthwhile since technically it was a shadowing experience still?

 

[gyngyn]

The physician I was shadowing also had medical students rotating through his clinic. I would often be able to do simple things (height, weight, BMI, vision, looking at the eyes, ears, preparing vaccinations, etc.) under his supervision and with the medical students, so it was a really great learning experience with a lot of interaction with the physician. Based on this interaction, I think the physician can gauge some abilities, interpersonal skills, and competencies listed on the guidelines and write a strong letter. With all that being said, would the letter be worthwhile since technically it was a shadowing experience still?

This kind of letter is fluff.