Is a letter from someone on ADCOM inappropriate?

[baxt1412]

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So I've shadowed this physician before she was on the ADCOM multiple times and continue to do so irregularly now as well (just hard to line up schedules as she is usually done by evening and i work 8-5). I have known her since 2004 (family friend)

She has talked previously about not having any reservations about writing me letters and I'm waiting for her to get back to me, but would that be questionable if I am applying to that school? What about sending her letter to other schools?

 

[claduva94]

Definitely ok for other schools and I believe it would be fine for that school as well. I don't think it could be seen as something done intentionally if you shadowed her under professional conditions.

 

[baxt1412]

That's kind of what I was thinking. I just didn't want other ADCOM members to be like "oh suuuure he got a letter from Dr. X.. suckup" or whatever.

I figure I won't interview with her (not even sure if she does interviews) because of professional/ethical issues, but like I said I just didn't want that to be a potential red flag.

 

[claduva94]

I just think it would not be right to fault you for going through the effort to earn a letter from her. You had a legitimate experience and the goal of it obviously wasn't to suck up to X school.

 

[baxt1412]

that's what i was hoping to hear.. thanks. not only will her letter mean a lot as a member of the ADCOM, but she is a highly awarded/known surgeon as well so i think the letter could be really important.

 

[WorldChanger36]

It also means you have a strong advocate at the school. So make sure you stay in touch with that adcom person and try to see if you can get introduced to other adcom peeps. This gives you a huge advantage and you should play it for all it is worth. I bet your recommended is expecting you to do this as well and may think you lack initiative if you don't. Hey you have the cards play them. Milk that for everything it is worth and be thankful.

 

[LizzyM]

If she is a family friend, this letter has almost no value as it is not seen as unbiased. The very first paragraph of a letter always describes the relationship to the applicant and then the cat's out of the bag.

Also, she might be better able to advocate for you if you keep your relationship private (she might excuse herself from voting but she might not). If she has a letter on your behalf, she might be forced to sit out any discussion given that she's a family friend.

 

[Goro]

I have written LOR for my MS students in our SMP. As the sage LizzyM advises, the fact that she's a family friend negates the commendatory power of a LOR coming from an Adcom member.

So I've shadowed this physician before she was on the ADCOM multiple times and continue to do so irregularly now as well (just hard to line up schedules as she is usually done by evening and i work 8-5). I have known her since 2004 (family friend)

She has talked previously about not having any reservations about writing me letters and I'm waiting for her to get back to me, but would that be questionable if I am applying to that school? What about sending her letter to other schools?

 

[Narmerguy]

This happened to a friend of mine--his letter was from the Dean of admissions. The Dean excused himself from considering my friend's case. If she is on the adcom, I would trust her judgment in knowing whether it's appropriate for her to still write a letter for you.

However, if she's a family friend, I think that's a separate problem. Even if it's fine to get a letter from her despite her professional relationship with you, you may not want her to write a letter for you given her personal relationship with you and the likelihood that they will not value her letter as much as someone with a purely professional relationship.

 

[baxt1412]

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Well when I talk with her I can ask her about the personal side of it. We are further apart now that she has kids now and is really busy w/ their activities. It has actually become kind of weird because we used to be so close and then just started to grow further apart. I'll update with what she says. I'll probably be calling her today.

 

[gyngyn]

At my school this person would be asked to recuse themselves.

 

[allantois]

If she is an adcom member she might be able to help you even more by NOT writing you a letter. Do let her know that you a very interested in attending that medical school though and also keep in touch

 

[baxt1412]

At my school this person would be asked to recuse themselves.

for the letter, interview, or both?

 

[gyngyn]

for the letter, interview, or both?

We expect members of the committee to inform us if they have a close personal/familial relationship with a candidate. We cannot prevent them from writing a LOR, but that letter will not carry weight. If the member did not disclose her relationship in the letter, her professionalism would be questioned. She would not be allowed to interview the candidate and would be asked to recuse herself from the committee's review and discussion of the applicant.

Some members of the committee have even recused themselves from the process for the entire year in which a close family member was applying. As you can see there is a gradient of distance from the process commensurate with the closeness of the relationship.