Getting LOR from your personal physician..?

[DrSal]

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What do you guys think?

If your personal physician is also a family friend who has seen you evolve, can vouch for your character in a way that no other person can, would you get a letter from them...?

 

[uclacrewdude]

i agree with mr. reddly ... unless youve done substantial work with the doc, that LOR is just gonna be another character reference, which the adcoms basically see as ego masturbation. spend your time getting an LOR from a person who has substance in their reasoning for wanting to see you become a doctor (like an RN if you volunteer somewhere).

 

[DrSal]

yea, i see what your saying.

I'm going to base my personal statement on how helping out my family over the years w/ all the medical problems they faced has given me the motivation and passion to pursue medicine as a career. Now, none of my recommenders from school/ECs know about that, and i thought that getting someone else who does know, and can speak with authority would give my PS more weight...

 

[jlee9531]

tho i wouldnt get it from my parents if they were physicians...

but i think with a family physician...it might be ok. i forget the exact wording on what schools wanted for LORs, but i would carefully read what LORs they want and see if your doctor's letter would qualify.

I cant see how checkups with a family doc can lead him to write an LOR talking about your qualifications of being a physician since he prolly hasnt seen you in a clinical setting outside of being a patient. now this all changes if he lets you shadow him. then thatd be nice.

 

[CalBeE]

I remember I asked a professor to write me a letter. He's the colleague of a family friend, but instead of trying to focus on knowing me from that aspect, he said it would make the letter stronger if he writers from the perspectives of a professor whom I took a class with.

I think a similar principle applies here, find someone who can be more "impartial"