First off, I apologize for the typos in the Subject line, I accidentally submitted my post before I was finished editing it... oops
Let me start by giving a brief background about myself:
* graduated from a top-20 college (2004), double major
* worked for 5 years as an IT analyst after college but then decided to pursue medicine
* 400+ hours volunteering in the ER (2010)
* Surgical Externship/Rotation in the OR (2010)
* Got my EMT-B certification and state license (2010)
* Brief MD shadowing experience
Right now I am applying to career-changer Post Bacc's but I am having a hard time trying to find a suitable referee/recommender to write my academic/faculty LOR, mostly because I've been out of the classroom for so long. (I am already securing my other/non-academic LOR from one of the MD's at the hospital where I volunteered.)
PLAN A:
I believe the best option for my academic/faculty LOR would be my EMT instructor, since this was the last time I was in the classroom (2010). I graduated #2 in her class with a straight A average. Her policies were rigorous: she kicks out any student who receives more than one C on any DAILY exam (high stress). Consequently, only 25% of those who enroll actually are able to graduate her class. Since I worked my butt off for her, I was hoping she would vouch for my academic potential. So I emailed her to ask for a letter of recommendation. But she never returns her email and is virtually unreachable by phone. As a favor, I volunteered to help proctor her EMT-B final exam tomorrow. Hopefully, I will be able to finally connect with her in person after the students finish their exam. But the fact that she never returned my email when I asked for the LOR gives me a very shady vibe. To top it off, she is an irritable, moody person in general (abrupt with all students) - this could be a red flag. But she has been nice to me on other occasions and has commiserated with me at times. She has recommended me in the past when I was applying to a ER tech position, so I don't know where I stand with her. On some days, I really didn't know if I'm one of the students who is on her good side or her bad side (it depends on the weather with her). She could write me a home-run LOR or foul ball. I really can't gauge.
PLAN B:
Since I was getting a shady vibe from my EMT instructor, I decided to hedge my bets and ask other people to serve as my academic LOR. I had been reluctant to ask a professor from my undergrad for an LOR, because I graduated 7 long years ago. I am certain none of my professors even remember me, especially because I never bothered to get close to any of them when I was a naive college student. Nevertheless, having felt like I have no other choice, I decided to bite the bullet: I emailed my computer science professor (who is now the dept chair) at my undergrad to explain my situation, the coursework that I took with him (first class: A-, second class: A), a little history about myself and my decision for medicine, and then to ask if he'd feel comfortable writing an LOR. He just replied that: "he could write the letter but it will likely only be based on your 2 CS courses with me. I think it would be better to get recs from someone who knows you a lot better. If you still want a letter, let me know (I hope it won't be for several weeks because things are very busy now). In any case, I wish you the very best in your endeavors."What does this mean? Is this an implicit warning from him that if I choose him to be my recommender, he won't write a strong letter?
PLAN C:
I tried to reach out to one of the PGY-4 surgical residents who mentored me during my surgical externship/rotation, but I can't locate her email address. I tried to friend her on Facebook (just so I can send her a message), but she didn't accept my friend request. I felt like I had a great rapport with her, and that she really understood my commitment to learning about medicine. But I can't even reach her...
PLAN D and E:
Another MD (who no longer works at the hospital) offered to write me a letter of recommendation one time (he just offered outright, I never even asked him)! But he left the hospital a year ago and hasn't really had much contact with me. Also, a PA (who is only 24 years old; I am 29) offered to write me a letter too (we were friendly outside work), but she too has since moved on to another hospital a while ago. It might look awkward to have someone so young to write a letter for me, so I'm not sure...
PLAN F:
The MD who I shadowed offered to write me a stellar letter of recommendation. The catch is that he is a very close family friend, so it would be dicey when it comes time to explain his relationship to me in his letter. I don't want an eyebrow raised by a post-bacc adcom on suspicion of nepotism.
I am following all courses of action trying to get an LOR, but because of my uniquely strange situation of being out of school for sometime, I am stuck. Which plan above would you suggest I follow to secure my LOR? At this point, I feel desperate and am just trying to play the best hand with the cards I am currently dealt. But I am running out of options...and more importantly, time. I am almost at the point where I might accept a very vague/generalized/lukewarm letter from my old professor because it is better than having no LOR at all.
Anyone have any advice for me? :/
Let me start by giving a brief background about myself:
* graduated from a top-20 college (2004), double major
* worked for 5 years as an IT analyst after college but then decided to pursue medicine
* 400+ hours volunteering in the ER (2010)
* Surgical Externship/Rotation in the OR (2010)
* Got my EMT-B certification and state license (2010)
* Brief MD shadowing experience
Right now I am applying to career-changer Post Bacc's but I am having a hard time trying to find a suitable referee/recommender to write my academic/faculty LOR, mostly because I've been out of the classroom for so long. (I am already securing my other/non-academic LOR from one of the MD's at the hospital where I volunteered.)
PLAN A:
I believe the best option for my academic/faculty LOR would be my EMT instructor, since this was the last time I was in the classroom (2010). I graduated #2 in her class with a straight A average. Her policies were rigorous: she kicks out any student who receives more than one C on any DAILY exam (high stress). Consequently, only 25% of those who enroll actually are able to graduate her class. Since I worked my butt off for her, I was hoping she would vouch for my academic potential. So I emailed her to ask for a letter of recommendation. But she never returns her email and is virtually unreachable by phone. As a favor, I volunteered to help proctor her EMT-B final exam tomorrow. Hopefully, I will be able to finally connect with her in person after the students finish their exam. But the fact that she never returned my email when I asked for the LOR gives me a very shady vibe. To top it off, she is an irritable, moody person in general (abrupt with all students) - this could be a red flag. But she has been nice to me on other occasions and has commiserated with me at times. She has recommended me in the past when I was applying to a ER tech position, so I don't know where I stand with her. On some days, I really didn't know if I'm one of the students who is on her good side or her bad side (it depends on the weather with her). She could write me a home-run LOR or foul ball. I really can't gauge.
PLAN B:
Since I was getting a shady vibe from my EMT instructor, I decided to hedge my bets and ask other people to serve as my academic LOR. I had been reluctant to ask a professor from my undergrad for an LOR, because I graduated 7 long years ago. I am certain none of my professors even remember me, especially because I never bothered to get close to any of them when I was a naive college student. Nevertheless, having felt like I have no other choice, I decided to bite the bullet: I emailed my computer science professor (who is now the dept chair) at my undergrad to explain my situation, the coursework that I took with him (first class: A-, second class: A), a little history about myself and my decision for medicine, and then to ask if he'd feel comfortable writing an LOR. He just replied that: "he could write the letter but it will likely only be based on your 2 CS courses with me. I think it would be better to get recs from someone who knows you a lot better. If you still want a letter, let me know (I hope it won't be for several weeks because things are very busy now). In any case, I wish you the very best in your endeavors."What does this mean? Is this an implicit warning from him that if I choose him to be my recommender, he won't write a strong letter?
PLAN C:
I tried to reach out to one of the PGY-4 surgical residents who mentored me during my surgical externship/rotation, but I can't locate her email address. I tried to friend her on Facebook (just so I can send her a message), but she didn't accept my friend request. I felt like I had a great rapport with her, and that she really understood my commitment to learning about medicine. But I can't even reach her...
PLAN D and E:
Another MD (who no longer works at the hospital) offered to write me a letter of recommendation one time (he just offered outright, I never even asked him)! But he left the hospital a year ago and hasn't really had much contact with me. Also, a PA (who is only 24 years old; I am 29) offered to write me a letter too (we were friendly outside work), but she too has since moved on to another hospital a while ago. It might look awkward to have someone so young to write a letter for me, so I'm not sure...
PLAN F:
The MD who I shadowed offered to write me a stellar letter of recommendation. The catch is that he is a very close family friend, so it would be dicey when it comes time to explain his relationship to me in his letter. I don't want an eyebrow raised by a post-bacc adcom on suspicion of nepotism.
I am following all courses of action trying to get an LOR, but because of my uniquely strange situation of being out of school for sometime, I am stuck. Which plan above would you suggest I follow to secure my LOR? At this point, I feel desperate and am just trying to play the best hand with the cards I am currently dealt. But I am running out of options...and more importantly, time. I am almost at the point where I might accept a very vague/generalized/lukewarm letter from my old professor because it is better than having no LOR at all.
Anyone have any advice for me? :/
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