I've always wondered....

[Zumab]

Say you get into a lab and start research there and plan to be there for a while.
What happens if the mentor you have been working with leaves the lab after you've been with them for a year? What happens to your LOR (if you've been there for more than 2 years)? Does it get combined with your new mentor's LOR?

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[Koalafied]

Say you get into a lab and start research there and plan to be there for a while.
What happens if the mentor you have been working with leaves the lab after you've been with them for a year? What happens to your LOR (if you've been there for more than 2 years)? Does it get combined with your new mentor's LOR?

If you have some sort of health professions committee, then I'd suggest you have the LOR sent directly to them. These LOR's will be uploaded into an electronic portfolio (e.g. Interfolio) where it may remain there indefinitely. Or, you can just upload your LOR(s) yourself into such electronic portfolio services.

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/147736/amcas_2010_faqs-17.6.html

 

[Mr Avante]

Say you get into a lab and start research there and plan to be there for a while.
What happens if the mentor you have been working with leaves the lab after you've been with them for a year? What happens to your LOR (if you've been there for more than 2 years)? Does it get combined with your new mentor's LOR?

If you are an undergrad: you ask your former mentor for a LoR, which is still an acceptable recommendation. Plus, you can have another letter from your current mentor.
If you are in grad school: The same just like the above, but, this time you can have the chance of following your mentor.
If you are in for the Phd ride: You follow your mentor no matter what.

 

[Zumab]

If you are an undergrad: you ask your former mentor for a LoR, which is still an acceptable recommendation. Plus, you can have another letter from your current mentor.
If you are in grad school: The same just like the above, but, this time you can have the chance of following your mentor.
If you are in for the Phd ride: You follow your mentor no matter what.

So does that mean that you get a letter from your former mentor (postdoc or whatever) and also a letter from your new mentor (which will probably be combined with your PI's letter)?

PhD ride....hahahaha. No thank you! lol

 

[SN12357]

So does that mean that you get a letter from your former mentor (postdoc or whatever) and also a letter from your new mentor (which will probably be combined with your PI's letter)?

PhD ride....hahahaha. No thank you! lol

You can get as many or as few letters as you like.

In the situation you described you could have three letters (if each person wrote their own), two (if the current junior mentor and PI combined letters) or one (if, for example, you only asked the one--but that would be a bad idea, unless you have bad relationships with some of the people involved).

I got a committee letter and had multiple research mentors and a direct supervisor write letters contributing to it.