letter of recommendation - athletics

[arsenalrahul]

Hey,

Just wanted to get some feedback on my choices on recommendation letters for MD/PhD applications. I have 3 researchers for the PhD side and 2 professors and my squash coach on the MD side. I have been a member of the varsity squash team at Brown since my freshman year, and I was hoping the head coach would be able to describe some of my positive attributes. However, some people have raised the issue that admissions boards may disregard the letter as they are more interested in academics. Do you think it would be better to get another professor to write for me, or should I stick with my squash coach in the hope that the letter's uniqueness will appeal to the reader?

Thanks!

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[JHopRevisit]

Hmm, I think this going to vary by individual interviewer/reviewer. Although I didn't get a letter from my coach, I mentioned playing waterpolo a lot in my app, it was actually the major topic of conversation at my first interview (I was a little worried about that, but it turned out OK). Other interviewers entirely disregarded it.

Remember, at many places the medical school has a strong say, so being well-rounded is still important. On the other hand, some MD-PhD reviewers will value your athletic experience, some will disregard it. So if your squash coach knows you well, and you've already taken care of your science/academic letters, I would say you should include it.