Letter of Recs

[timmah2k]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey all,

I have a few questions about letters of recs.

I've decided to bypass the committee letter. DO schools require a number of recommendations. Would adcoms get annoyed if they request 2 letters, but I send 3 or 4? For example KCOM asks for only a DO and a science faculty. Would it be okay to send a DO, 1 or 2 science faculty, and a PA letter? Or should I stick to the number they want?

Also, I wanted to get an additional letter of rec from my Microbiology teacher since some schools want 2 professors. He said

"Most recommendations that I would write for my students would be rather short, and I would be able to cite little more than a student's exam scores as evidence of their professional potential."

Would it be wise to get a letter from him? I ranked 4th highest out of 111 students in his class, but I'm afraid that's all he's going to write really. I don't really have any other teachers to ask either. Should I just get one from him anyways?

Thank you all.

 

[n0chi]

Hey all,

I have a few questions about letters of recs.

I've decided to bypass the committee letter. DO schools require a number of recommendations. Would adcoms get annoyed if they request 2 letters, but I send 3 or 4? For example KCOM asks for only a DO and a science faculty. Would it be okay to send a DO, 1 or 2 science faculty, and a PA letter? Or should I stick to the number they want?

Also, I wanted to get an additional letter of rec from my Microbiology teacher since some schools want 2 professors. He said

"Most recommendations that I would write for my students would be rather short, and I would be able to cite little more than a student's exam scores as evidence of their professional potential."

Would it be wise to get a letter from him? I ranked 4th highest out of 111 students in his class, but I'm afraid that's all he's going to write really. I don't really have any other teachers to ask either. Should I just get one from him anyways?

Thank you all.

i dont think sending 3-4 to a school that needs 2 is that bad. sending 8-10 would be bad

also i would get a diff prof, if thats all this one is going to do.

 

[scpod]

Would adcoms get annoyed if they request 2 letters, but I send 3 or 4? For example KCOM asks for only a DO and a science faculty. Would it be okay to send a DO, 1 or 2 science faculty, and a PA letter? Or should I stick to the number they want?

You should read each school's policy. There are some they say NOT to send any more than the requirement, and they are very specific as to what type of LORs they request. The requirements are spelled out in their secondaries.

 

[timmah2k]

You should read each school's policy. There are some they say NOT to send any more than the requirement, and they are very specific as to what type of LORs they request. The requirements are spelled out in their secondaries.

From their websites, most didn't specifically state no more than they ask. I guess the best option is to wait for the secondaries and then even call them.

What I'm most concerned about is whether to get that LOR from the prof who probably won't write much except that I did well in his class. I don't have any other professors to go to, so should I just ask him anyways and hope for the best?

 

[scpod]

What I'm most concerned about is whether to get that LOR from the prof who probably won't write much except that I did well in his class. I don't have any other professors to go to, so should I just ask him anyways and hope for the best?

Many schools have their own form that they would prefer you get filled out instead of a letter. I don't know of any school, however, that won't take a letter in place of the form. The secondaries from some schools are very specific. For instance, some of them require that the LOR must contain what class the professor taught you and answer other specific questions as well. Some ask for 2 science and one non-science. Others ask for 3 science. Still others ask for one from someone who can verify your clinical experience and 2 science. All this is rarely noted on the website, but there are some schools who have their secondaries available on the website. You can look at those now. It's usually much easier if your school has a committee letter because you don't have to worry about a lot of this crap.

 

[timmah2k]

Many schools have their own form that they would prefer you get filled out instead of a letter. I don't know of any school, however, that won't take a letter in place of the form. The secondaries from some schools are very specific. For instance, some of them require that the LOR must contain what class the professor taught you and answer other specific questions as well. Some ask for 2 science and one non-science. Others ask for 3 science. Still others ask for one from someone who can verify your clinical experience and 2 science. All this is rarely noted on the website, but there are some schools who have their secondaries available on the website. You can look at those now. It's usually much easier if your school has a committee letter because you don't have to worry about a lot of this crap.

Almost every school's website has what letters they want for the secondaries when replacing a committee. Here's what I got from their websites under the secondary section, but NOT from any specific secondary form.

LECOM PA DO and 2 Science
LECOM FL DO and 2 Science
PCSOM DO(AOA), Science
VCOM DO and Science
DMU DO and 2 Science
UMDNJ COM 2 Science
KCOM DO and Science
AZCOM DO and Science
CCOM DO and Science
WVSOM DO and Science
UNECOM DO, 2 Science, 1 other professional
MSUCOM ??????
KCUMB COM DO, science, advisory
PCOM DO, Advisor letter
TUCOM DO and 2 Science
COMP DO, 2 Science, 1 Liberal
NYCOM DO, 2 Science, 1 Liberal
NSUCOM DO, 2 Science, 1 Liberal
OSUCOM DO, 2 Science, 1 Liberal
OUCOM DO and 2 Science


Would the actual secondary ask for different LORs than what it lists on the website? I'm using interfolio b/c I'm a nontraditional applicant and would only send letters, no forms. Hope this is ok.

 

[scpod]

Would the actual secondary ask for different LORs than what it lists on the website? I'm using interfolio b/c I'm a nontraditional applicant and would only send letters, no forms. Hope this is ok.

That's kind of an oversimplification. The problem is that there are specific things they ask for. For example, DMU will only take science LORs from Chemistry, Biology, and Physics professors. That's all. No math and no social sciences. And, you don't have to have a DO specifically, rather a nurse or volunteer coordinator will do if they can "...describe your exposure to patients and your ability to perform in a medical setting."

You are sent e-mail instructions on where to go for more information on LORs. When you go to the online site to get more information, it gives specific directions for the science LORs:

Please describe if applicable:
Academic performance of the applicant
Level of interest in the subject or in science in general
Ability to use deductive reasoning
Did he/she demonstrate any exceptional initiative in the class?
How does the applicant respond to deadlines and/or stressful academic situations?
Any other relevant information that might give us insight about the applicant.

The "Health Professional" letter directions say:

Please describe a few of the following:
How does he/she interact with patients
How well did the applicant perform in an medical setting
How did he/she respond to stressful situations
What was the level of awareness of patient, diagnosis, or health care issues?
Interpersonal and communication skills
Level of clinical experience
Did he/she demonstrate any exceptional initiative?
How long have you known or had contact with the applicant?
Did they shadow or observe your practice?
Any other relevant information that might give us insight about the applicant.

LECOM has "requirements" for their letters as well, but you can get their secondary online. OUCOM sends you email with an adress to go for secondary materials. They say that you don't have to use their form, but they do state that the science professors must be "classroom" professors. Lab assistants won't suffice even if they have a PhD.

All that aside, you might be able to get by without following the instructions, but why would you want to take the chance?

 

[timmah2k]

That's kind of an oversimplification. The problem is that there are specific things they ask for. For example, DMU will only take science LORs from Chemistry, Biology, and Physics professors. That's all. No math and no social sciences. And, you don't have to have a DO specifically, rather a nurse or volunteer coordinator will do if they can "...describe your exposure to patients and your ability to perform in a medical setting."

You are sent e-mail instructions on where to go for more information on LORs. When you go to the online site to get more information, it gives specific directions for the science LORs:

Please describe if applicable:
Academic performance of the applicant
Level of interest in the subject or in science in general
Ability to use deductive reasoning
Did he/she demonstrate any exceptional initiative in the class?
How does the applicant respond to deadlines and/or stressful academic situations?
Any other relevant information that might give us insight about the applicant.

The "Health Professional" letter directions say:

Please describe a few of the following:
How does he/she interact with patients
How well did the applicant perform in an medical setting
How did he/she respond to stressful situations
What was the level of awareness of patient, diagnosis, or health care issues?
Interpersonal and communication skills
Level of clinical experience
Did he/she demonstrate any exceptional initiative?
How long have you known or had contact with the applicant?
Did they shadow or observe your practice?
Any other relevant information that might give us insight about the applicant.

LECOM has "requirements" for their letters as well, but you can get their secondary online. OUCOM sends you email with an adress to go for secondary materials. They say that you don't have to use their form, but they do state that the science professors must be "classroom" professors. Lab assistants won't suffice even if they have a PhD.

All that aside, you might be able to get by without following the instructions, but why would you want to take the chance?

Hmmmm thank you for your help. Being that most of my letters have been written already they won't be able to follow those directions to the dot. I guess I'll have to take my chances that my writers have includes most of the information the schools ask for. <nervousness setting in....again haha>

 

[scpod]

Hmmmm thank you for your help. Being that most of my letters have been written already they won't be able to follow those directions to the dot. I guess I'll have to take my chances that my writers have includes most of the information the schools ask for. <nervousness setting in....again haha>

I don't think that it would really be that much of a problem, especially if the rest of your application looks good. Oh, I did forget to mention that DMU also says, "Do not send more the the required number of letters of application." Wasn't that why this thread was started in the first place? 😉

 

[timmah2k]

I don't think that it would really be that much of a problem, especially if the rest of your application looks good. Oh, I did forget to mention that DMU also says, "Do not send more the the required number of letters of application." Wasn't that why this thread was started in the first place? 😉

That and my microbio teacher is not being nice. Tangents tangents....

 

[Izan747]

for NSUCOM instead of 1 do , 2 science and 1 liberal cann all letters be from 1 md 3 DO's ( that are alum's )..
thanks

Izan

 

[timmah2k]

for NSUCOM instead of 1 do , 2 science and 1 liberal cann all letters be from 1 md 3 DO's ( that are alum's )..
thanks

Izan

If you're not going through the committee, I believe they want 2 science and 1 liberal faculty to testify to your academic capability. To confirm whether you can have letters from all physicisans, your best bet is calling up the school and ask.