Knowing the big wigs of a med school

[cavalier329]

Soooo what if you have letter of recs from the chief of surgery and chair of a specific department of the medical center which you will be applying to for medical school? These letter of recs would be based on a period of 2 years of shadowing and research.

Does it hold any weight...I mean those people are probably known throughout the school, right?

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[Bacchus]

Its not going to save a low MCAT/GPA combination. However if you're on par it will probably help you. More effective means would be donating 100,000+ dollars to the hospital.

 

[bodonid]

Maybe if you are borderline. But I don't see how it could matter more than, say, a relative attending that school. --> not that much.

 

[cavalier329]

i suppose the way I saw it was...if 2 influential members of that school think highly of you and can work with you for that long, its gotta say something about your character from someone the adcom should know. Compared to any other LOR from someone unknown anyway.

I will probably be on par with the stats, won't have low numbers.

 

[LizzyM]

You'll be one of at least a few dozen applicants with similar letters. It won't mean much if you knew the person socially (or your parents knew him) before you began working/shadowing as this is likely to go into the letter and the LOR is then thought to be less objective.

Also keep in mind that while everyone may know the writer, not everyone may think highly of him!

 

[cavalier329]

Thank you for the response! I actually came to meet both after reading some of their literature and then contacting them. Had no idea of their positions until after meeting them...

My only family connection to the medical field didn't want to open doors for me. I kind of thank him for it in hindsight, although I was kindve upset when he initially explained himself. It allowed me to work harder and develop my own interests.