Just saw one of my LORs

it's intended to be a good thing. if you are really concerned then address it with your secondary. otherwise, i'm sure you can prove yourself in interviews. no big deal.

 

don't worry - this is standard 'recommendation letter-ese' ie it is usually suggested that when writing a letter for someone you do not write absolutely everything positive or the letter does not come across as an honest assessment. Instead writers are urged to put in one "negative" aspect of a persons character and then comment on how in the long run this will probably be an assett - its the same thing recommended to answer interview questions such as "what is your greatest weakness"

Your letter writer has obviously had experience writing such letters and has written it in this standard manner....they have probably made it a stronger/more honest seeming letter by doing this

 

Just don't be a pie-in-the-sky, wide-eyed idealist in your interviews and you'll be fine.

 

Geez, you're right. I guess if your recommender had to pick a weakness I don't know he would have picked on idealism when he evidently could have commented on your inability to take any criticism, even of the positive variety, an obsession with worrying about the wrong things, or the ability to see the bad side of when he is trying to help you. Sux, eh? Maybe you should confront him about it. Then he could choose between controlling and anal too....

seriously, I understand your concern, but this is standard letter writing technique. He did it to help you not harm you. Focus on the good....

 

i would love for someone to say that in a letter of recomendation for me

 

i understand that adcoms like to read LOR's like this - I don't know that an adcom be anything but impressed with your idealism, Tweetie. PS - how're the MCAT kiddie's treating you?

 

actaully - i would go ahead and throw a sentance in your secondaries to this issue - i think some old weather-beaten codgers on adcoms might view this is undue naivite. its not a bad thing as long as you can show that you are grounded in the real world issues of medicine. as i've said in other posts, i'm a fan of idealists, but idealism tempered with realism is an even more powerful combo.

-jot

 

Tweetie,

Another thing that you can do is talk about the reality of medicine in your secondary application essays. For example, if you've had clinical EC's in a free clinic or serving the underserveds, it would be great if you can talk about that. That way the adcoms can see that you have seen the reality from your experiences, and that you're balanced in your judgment because of that. So your idealism would actually be a great thing that will keep you going.