Letter of recommendation question

[AspiringDoc422]

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I’m preparing to apply this year and my university’s pre health committee requires a letter of recommendation from “ someone familiar with my clinical experience “, although I have a few hundred hours of clinical volunteering, it was exceedingly difficult to find someone to shadow recently. I was recently able to find a shadowing opportunity at a hospital. But the doctors there are almost always in the office and the NP does most of the rounding/ seeing patients, so I spend most of my time with the NP. Would it hurt me if I just get the letter from the NP to fulfill my university’s requirement? This letter will be included with the committee letter and sent to all the schools. On amcas I would plan to list that I shadowed both the physician and the np. Thanks

 

[Doctor-S]

I’m preparing to apply this year and my university’s pre health committee requires a letter of recommendation from “ someone familiar with my clinical experience “, although I have a few hundred hours of clinical volunteering, it was exceedingly difficult to find someone to shadow recently. I was recently able to find a shadowing opportunity at a hospital. But the doctors there are almost always in the office and the NP does most of the rounding/ seeing patients, so I spend most of my time with the NP. Would it hurt me if I just get the letter from the NP to fulfill my university’s requirement? This letter will be included with the committee letter and sent to all the schools. On amcas I would plan to list that I shadowed both the physician and the np. Thanks

"Someone" to me sounds like it means "any health care professional" who is familiar with your past and present clinical experience - that is, someone who knows you well enough to write a letter outlining your clinical experience.

However ... it is advisable to ask your university's pre-health committee for clarity: will your school's committee accept a recommendation letter from any health care professional (e.g., NP), and not solely from MD or DO?

When in doubt, ask your school ahead of time. Just saying.

 

[AspiringDoc422]

I only need a clinical letter because my university’s pre health committee requires it, I understand that shadowing letters are not very useful for admission. However they will send all of the letters to the med schools, how much would it hurt me if they see that the clinical letter is from a np and not a md? Thanks

 

[Doctor-S]

I only need a clinical letter because my university’s pre health committee requires it, I understand that shadowing letters are not very useful for admission. However they will send all of the letters to the med schools, how much would it hurt me if they see that the clinical letter is from a np and not a md? Thanks

If you cannot obtain a clinical LOR from a physician, the NP is okay. Your clinical LOR can be prepared by a "health care professional" who has actually witnessed/observed your patient care interactions (including your interactions with family members, staff members, etc.), and who can provide positive comments/examples/descriptions about your experiences/qualifications/interactions with patients in a clinical setting.

 

[KnightDoc]

Just to add, one of the few school that requires a clinical letter, Seton Hall/Hackensack states:

At least one from a health care professional (does not need to be a physician – can be a nurse, social worker, physician’s assistant, occupational therapist, psychologist, etc.).

Any clinician is likely fine for your committtee

No more Seton Hall -- their divorce has been final for almost 2 years now! 🙂

It's now Hackensack Meridian, just like the health system!

 

[deleted1017883]

@gonnif Would a clinical manager at the practice I work at be a feasible LOR? They see my work ethic and personal traits everyday, more so than physicians because I work with over 20 different physicians and its not easy to generate a strong relationship with them.