How to get a Dr.'s LOR.

[Mr.Patel]

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Hi guys! Sorry if this question has been mentioned before. I am currently shadowing two physicians at a local hospital. One (call her Dr. X) I met through the DO mentor program. I started shadowing her; and then I started following her colleague (Call him Dr. Y). Dr. X already told me she will give me a LOR. However I follow Dr. Y more and I feel like he knows me more. Do you think I should a get LOR from both? or just one?

And my second question how do I ask them for a LOR? lol sorrry for the bad question. What do I give the Dr? a Resume? Transcript? Envelope? After they write it do they give it to me? Do i see it? I have no idea about these things and hopefully asking them isn't a problem. Thanks for all your help 🙂.

 

[Jolt21]

Dr. X already told me she will give me a LOR. However I follow Dr. Y more and I feel like he knows me more. Do you think I should a get LOR from both? or just one?

get both, never hurts to pile up as many as possible

how do I ask them for a LOR? lol sorrry for the bad question.

up to you. i'd have a sit down meeting with them, discuss your aspirations, and ask them if they feel comfortable writing you a letter

What do I give the Dr? a Resume? Transcript? Envelope?

does your school have a letter filing service? If so, tell them to give it to the school to file it away. it sounds like you aren't applying this year, so what you'd want to do is keep it on file and then have the doctors update the letters (inform them what you have been doing in the meantime) when you are about to apply.

After they write it do they give it to me? Do i see it?

they probably shouldn't give it to you. again, find out if your pre-med committee or career services office in your school holds onto the letters. or use something like interfolio or virtualevals (i think they do the same thing...never used them, dont know)

hope that clears things up. best piece of advice is to not lose contact with them. even if you are done shadowing them, keep them updated on what you're, keep asking them how they are doing. the more personal the letter, the better.

 

[johndoe3344]

get both, never hurts to pile up as many as possible

I respectfully disagree. Some may argue over the necessity of having two LOR's from doctors that you've merely shadowed. Seriously, what can they say about you? That you're very inquisitive. That you seem very interested. Moreover, you're talking about getting one from a doctor that you're not that close with. Then imagine what that LOR would say... "He shadowed me for 3 months, and he followed me in clinic and surgery." Won't do a whole lot. Rather get a strong letter from the other doctor, and instead get a strong letter from someone you did clinical volunteer with, or something like that.

What do I give the Dr? a Resume? Transcript? Envelope?

After you sit down and ask the doctor for a LOR, ask him what he would like. Often times, they'll ask for a resume, and that should be sufficient. But it never hurts to ask if they would like your personal statement (assuming you have it written), and/or a transcript if it's a doctor closely affiliated with your undergrad university.

And no, you won't get to see your letter. In general, schools place little to no emphasis on letters that you are allowed to see (that you haven't signed a waiver saying you won't see it), under the assumption that the writers are more truthful when you don't see their letter.

 

[fried rice]

Would it be at all worthwhile to get a LOR from a doctor you work for?

 

[Jolt21]

I respectfully disagree. Some may argue over the necessity of having two LOR's from doctors that you've merely shadowed. Seriously, what can they say about you? That you're very inquisitive. That you seem very interested. Moreover, you're talking about getting one from a doctor that you're not that close with. Then imagine what that LOR would say... "He shadowed me for 3 months, and he followed me in clinic and surgery." Won't do a whole lot. Rather get a strong letter from the other doctor, and instead get a strong letter from someone you did clinical volunteer with, or something like that.

This is fair, but when I think of shadowing, i think of constant back-and-forth communication. i walked around with a notepad, jotted down questions, and was asking/chatting about procedures, management, etc. all night. hopefully the OP did more than just literally watch the doc.

at the same time, i would still say get it because it becomes a numbers game. i.e. my school requires 6 LORs before giving it to my composite writer. a lot of kids have trouble getting 6, so if the OP has any shadow of a doubt that profs can write better, then get the letter from both docs.

anyways, as i mentioned before, constant contact is crucial. make them know you as personal as possible.