Just emailed a professor from 8 years ago for a LOR, lol....

[aynmar]

Wish me luck! I am really hoping she will remember! I am the spouse of the one wanting to go to med school, but I guess I have more time for these forums then he does since I am a WAHM!

Anyways, I just emailed his professor from 8 years ago asking for a letter of recommendation. We will see how that goes! Jason did receive a scholarship via her personal nomination as well as won a department-wide art competition, so I am hoping she can dust of the braincells and remember him.

Oh and incase I sound like a nutcase, I was a student of hers too, we were in class together, so I figured it was forgiveable to ask on his behalf. Hes just so busy working, school, volunteering....getting in to med school is more than a full time job!

Anyways....have no one else who understands the miles and miles of hoops to jump through to apply to med school except for here, so I was just excited that I may be able to cross one little thing off the hubby's list!

tracy

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[Dianyla]

I can't speak for the professor in question, but I think I'd be much more disturbed by someone requesting the LOR on their spouse's behalf than the fact that it was 8 years ago.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I had the same thought when I read this. Why should I take the time to write the LOR if the person can't even take the time to request it? However, what is done is done. Best of luck OP.

I can't speak for the professor in question, but I think I'd be much more disturbed by someone requesting the LOR on their spouse's behalf than the fact that it was 8 years ago.

 

[mooshika]

I tend to agree... I occasionally get a request from a student from yonder past for some thing or another and if it was from a spouse, especially for med school I would find it odd and wonder if the spouse was going to be taking his classes for him as well, then writing his prescriptions and assessments later on. lol.

He must be a really, really nice guy!

 

[aynmar]

Wow? Really. Guess I was way off base. If it redeems it, my husband and I were students of hers together, even close to friends, we had dinner with her and her husband the night of graduation. Maybe I was out of line but it just seemed okay since i knew her just as well as her did.

I would never, ever send a letter to any of his other professors, she was just a special case.

 

[SabC]

I can't speak for the professor in question, but I think I'd be much more disturbed by someone requesting the LOR on their spouse's behalf than the fact that it was 8 years ago.

This.

I would also be appalled if my spouse did this.

 

[NTF]

Ignoring the "acting as your spouse's proxy" thing for the moment, I'd also worry about getting an LOR from someone who knew him 8 years ago. Good LOR's contain SPECIFICS and with the number of students that professors see in the course of 8 years I'd worry that you'd only get a letter full of bland generalities. Better to get LORs from someone recent - preferably in the last 3 years or less. Plus, many medical schools will weigh standard LORs from >5 years ago less than a recent one.

 

[aynmar]

I appreciate the advice. I realize it is a letter from a professor a long time ago, but I figured that since that was his major of his previous degree (graphic design), and his main teacher, that it would say something about him then, at least study habits, leadership, etc. He was also planning to get one from his old boss from when he was working as a graphic designer for the past 4 years.

And yes...SORRY! I guess my actions are sooo appalling! I support my husband in getting into medical school 150% and we, although he is the one going - not me, I know, it really is a team effort, especially when there is a family involved. Like I said before, I would never email his chemistry professor of something like that, this was a mutual friend/professor, and YES my husband was totally aware of it.

Geesh. I feel like I did something horrible Anyways. Don't worry all other requests will come from him from his current professors as well as the hospice director where he volunteers from.

Ok. Sorry. I really love these forums. He loves me reading them and filling him in, but between work, school, volunteering, studying for the MCAT, being a dad - he is too busy to hang here

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Hmmmm

I wonder if you emailed a notable politician, Bill Clinton maybe, and said you met eight years ago at a fundraiser or something and was told "if you ever need anything just let me know" that a recommendation would be elicited. I wonder if Bubba could get you into med school.

I stopped a state senator a while back and saved him from a little embarassment by not citing him nor running him on the radio so everyone in scanner land wouldn't realize I had pulled him over. He was highly grateful as it would've technicially been reckless driving with a towed vehicle, mandatory court appearance, and hefty fine. He said, upon letting him go, "if you ever need anything, let me know."

 

[montessori2md]

The only reason I would want to read an LOR from someone you hadn't seen for 8 years was if you were in a field hospital with him as a medic saving lives in combat.

No way anything you did in a classroom 8 years ago means jack.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

also don't med schools really want LORs from hard science professors?

 

[jalwa]

Personally, I think you should collect all the LOR you can from all your professor. If you feel the click with your professor from eight years, then I asked why not ? . Nothing top's off great LOR from college professor. I must oppose my post if the letter was from high school professor.

 

[sindadel]

Don't feel too bad. I think for the future he should request his own LOR's but it does sound in this specific instance like you were all quite friendly and it is probably ok.

Also, I had a fantastic LOR from 10 years before I applied to med school. It made me sound like I walk on water.