Letters of Recommendation

[skocica]

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I saw a couple of similar threads already posted but didn't find the answers I was looking for so I am submitting this one....

I am not sure if I will take any courses prior to applying for med school so I won't have any recent faculty to write a letter for me. I graduated from college in 1996 and all of my science professors have actually retired. My grad school mentor will definitely write one for me (he knows that this is something I have been talking about for a while). I shadowed a physician in 2005, is this too far back to ask for a letter? Once I start volunteering again, can I ask them for a letter? Any suggestions?

The statement about taking courses before applying will depend on what I hear back from deans of admissions from a few schools (I already wrote to one of them).

Thanks!!!!!

 

[bradt9881]

A doctor who you have shadowed should be included....

 

[student1799]

I graduated from college in 1996 and all of my science professors have actually retired. My grad school mentor will definitely write one for me (he knows that this is something I have been talking about for a while). I shadowed a physician in 2005, is this too far back to ask for a letter? Once I start volunteering again, can I ask them for a letter? Any suggestions?

The statement about taking courses before applying will depend on what I hear back from deans of admissions from a few schools (I already wrote to one of them).

Thanks!!!!!

I think if your undergrad grades are already 12 years old (which means your PhD grades are probably 6-7 years old), you might have to take a couple of classes. Plus, this would be a good way to get some LORs, which you need.

You can--and probably should--ask the shadow doc for an LOR, but I frankly don't think these carry tremendous weight in the app process. The best thing by far would be to get a hospital or other health care volunteer job (not just shadowing) and get an MD LOR through that. That would be a really high-quality letter which would bolster your application. The volunteer work will be seen as a very important sign of your commitment to medicine, so don't stint in this area, and try to get the meatiest job you can. (Sometimes all you need to do is start out as a nobody and keep your eyes peeled--this is what I did. I volunteered in an ER as a general dogsbody, and while there found out about a fantastic clinical research program where I ended up spending 4 semesters and getting a great LOR from the program director, an MD.)

 

[Lacheln]

Letters from doctors you've shadowed are meaningless (according to LizzyM and other adcom members). I agree with student that you need to take a class or two, a) to show recent coursework, b) to get recent letters. I also agree with student that you need to get a volunteer job and get another letter from there. Clinical volunteering is pretty much a requirement these days, and shadowing doesn't qualify (although some would argue that shadowing is another unspoken requirement).