Letter of rec from a PA?

[reaver2323]

Hi everyone!

I'm a reapplicant for the 2016-2017 cycle and wanted to know what you good people thought about getting a letter of rec from a PA. I've worked with two PAs for the last year and a half who know me well and have volunteered to write the letters if I asked. I know the letters would be great, I just don't know how an admissions committee would look at them. If anything, I figure the letters would show my ability to work well with a team - right?

Right now I currently have letters from 2 doctors and a packet from my undergraduate pre-Med committee/professors.

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[iforget2]

Letters from physicians already don't carry much weight, I'm sure letters from a PA would be worth even less.

EDIT: I stand corrected. Got rekt by @mimelim

 

[candbgirl]

It is common belief that letters from doctors are not very useful, unless requested/required by the school. I would imagine PA letters would fall under that category too.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile app

 

[mimelim]

Letters from physicians already don't carry much weight, I'm sure letters from a PA would be worth even less.

It is common belief that letters from doctors are not very useful, unless requested/required by the school. I would imagine PA letters would fall under that category too.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile app

Can you point to a reference that says that a letter from a physician doesn't carry much weight? I have never once heard or seen that from anyone on our admissions committee or from anyone authoritative on SDN.

What you are likely confusing is that physician SHADOWING letters are considered worthless. Just because the letter writer is an MD or DO does not mean that admissions committees don't care what they have to say. The reality is that few applicants have substantive interactions that should generate a LOR with physicians. Thus, there are few worthwhile letters coming from physicians. But, that does NOT mean that if you have done research with a physician, volunteered with a physician, or worked with a physician that their letter will be any less valuable than a PhD or professor's letter.

Regarding PA letter. They are no different than any other letter. The same qualifications still apply. #1 Have they had adequate exposure to you to attest to your positive qualities? #2 Have you done something with or around them that is worth talking about? #3 Are they senior enough that their words have meaning? If they fulfill those 3 things, they will be a strong letter. Is it a replacement for a letter from a science professor or someone you did research with? Absolutely not. But, it can still be a huge positive on an application if it is strong.

One of the strongest letters I have ever read was from a mid-level manager in custodial services at a hospital. Their recommendation was the highlight of a good, but otherwise relatively bland application. It brought authenticity and an additional dimension to the applicant that ultimately was accepted at a top 10 school. If the person in charge of the janitors and housekeepers can write an impactful letter, a PA certainly can as well.

 

[Goro]

Calling @gyngyn!!!!

Can you point to a reference that says that a letter from a physician doesn't carry much weight? I have never once heard or seen that from anyone on our admissions committee or from anyone authoritative on SDN.

What you are likely confusing is that physician SHADOWING letters are considered worthless. Just because the letter writer is an MD or DO does not mean that admissions committees don't care what they have to say. The reality is that few applicants have substantive interactions that should generate a LOR with physicians. Thus, there are few worthwhile letters coming from physicians. But, that does NOT mean that if you have done research with a physician, volunteered with a physician, or worked with a physician that their letter will be any less valuable than a PhD or professor's letter.

Regarding PA letter. They are no different than any other letter. The same qualifications still apply. #1 Have they had adequate exposure to you to attest to your positive qualities? #2 Have you done something with or around them that is worth talking about? #3 Are they senior enough that their words have meaning? If they fulfill those 3 things, they will be a strong letter. Is it a replacement for a letter from a science professor or someone you did research with? Absolutely not. But, it can still be a huge positive on an application if it is strong.

One of the strongest letters I have ever read was from a mid-level manager in custodial services at a hospital. Their recommendation was the highlight of a good, but otherwise relatively bland application. It brought authenticity and an additional dimension to the applicant that ultimately was accepted at a top 10 school. If the person in charge of the janitors and housekeepers can write an impactful letter, a PA certainly can as well.

 

[gyngyn]

Can you point to a reference that says that a letter from a physician doesn't carry much weight? I have never once heard or seen that from anyone on our admissions committee or from anyone authoritative on SDN.

What you are likely confusing is that physician SHADOWING letters are considered worthless. Just because the letter writer is an MD or DO does not mean that admissions committees don't care what they have to say. The reality is that few applicants have substantive interactions that should generate a LOR with physicians. Thus, there are few worthwhile letters coming from physicians. But, that does NOT mean that if you have done research with a physician, volunteered with a physician, or worked with a physician that their letter will be any less valuable than a PhD or professor's letter.

Regarding PA letter. They are no different than any other letter. The same qualifications still apply. #1 Have they had adequate exposure to you to attest to your positive qualities? #2 Have you done something with or around them that is worth talking about? #3 Are they senior enough that their words have meaning? If they fulfill those 3 things, they will be a strong letter. Is it a replacement for a letter from a science professor or someone you did research with? Absolutely not. But, it can still be a huge positive on an application if it is strong.

One of the strongest letters I have ever read was from a mid-level manager in custodial services at a hospital. Their recommendation was the highlight of a good, but otherwise relatively bland application. It brought authenticity and an additional dimension to the applicant that ultimately was accepted at a top 10 school. If the person in charge of the janitors and housekeepers can write an impactful letter, a PA certainly can as well.

Pre-meds are getting their "physician letters" from people they have unobtrusively followed around for a few (or more) days. These shadowing letters are ubiquitous and essentially useless. Nobody asserts that a PI who happens to be a physician or a physician employer letter is useless. They are, however, quite rare.
Another common unhelpful physician letter is from a parent's partner and physician relative letters.

 

[mimelim]

Pre-meds are getting their "physician letters" from people they have unobtrusively followed around for a few days. These shadowing letters are ubiquitous and essentially useless. Nobody denies that a PI who happens to be a physician or a physician employer letter is useless. They are, however, quite rare.
Another common unhelpful physician letter is from a parent's partner and physician relative letters.

In complete and total agreement. I consider shadowing letters to be worthless. My point was simply that physician letter is not the exact same thing as a shadowing letter (as a response to the initial two replies).

 

[reaver2323]

Thanks, everyone, for your input! I really appreciate the discussion. I feel a lot better about where my letters are coming from.