LOR advice for an uncommon situation

[sdguy2008]

Hey guys need some advice.

I shadowed an MD extensively a couple years ago and became good friends with him. He wrote me a LOR for a post-bacc program. I didn't read it, but apparently he said some very nice things about me. I really want to send a LOR from him for my upcoming application, but unfortunately he is not well. I don't want to burden him right now for a letter, so I was wondering what your thoughts are about me just sending the letter he wrote me a while back for post-bacc to the med schools i'm applying to (along with my other letters, of course).

Any insight into this situation would be awesome. Thanks.

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[student1799]

Hey guys need some advice.

I shadowed an MD extensively a couple years ago and became good friends with him. He wrote me a LOR for a post-bacc program. I didn't read it, but apparently he said some very nice things about me. I really want to send a LOR from him for my upcoming application, but unfortunately he is not well. I don't want to burden him right now for a letter, so I was wondering what your thoughts are about me just sending the letter he wrote me a while back for post-bacc to the med schools i'm applying to (along with my other letters, of course).

Any insight into this situation would be awesome. Thanks.

That is not going to fly unless you get his permission, and maybe not even then. Med schools want to see an LOR that is recent, so something a couple of years old wouldn't fit that requirement. More importantly, the LOR must be written specifically for MED SCHOOL, not anything else.

If you think this doc would agree, he could revise the letter to read "I am writing in support of sdguy2008's application to med school," instead of postbacc, but the concern about it being outdated would still apply. I think you'd be better off getting one from a current contact, such as a faculty member who taught you in postbacc.

 

[PremedIowa]

Hey guys need some advice.

I shadowed an MD extensively a couple years ago and became good friends with him. He wrote me a LOR for a post-bacc program. I didn't read it, but apparently he said some very nice things about me. I really want to send a LOR from him for my upcoming application, but unfortunately he is not well. I don't want to burden him right now for a letter, so I was wondering what your thoughts are about me just sending the letter he wrote me a while back for post-bacc to the med schools i'm applying to (along with my other letters, of course).

Any insight into this situation would be awesome. Thanks.

If he is your friend, I am sure he would want you to succeed in your application to medical school. I would try to work up the courage to ask him; if nothing else, you will get a chance to speak with him and offer your best wishes on his sickness.

Good luck!

 

[sdguy2008]

If he is your friend, I am sure he would want you to succeed in your application to medical school. I would try to work up the courage to ask him; if nothing else, you will get a chance to speak with him and offer your best wishes on his sickness.

Good luck!

Yeah, normally I would do this, but he suffered a stroke a while back and is not his normal self, and to be honest he is very sick. That's why I don't want to bring it up (he barely even remembers me sometimes).

Thanks for the advice. I'll probably go with some other letters.

 

[sdguy2008]

That is not going to fly unless you get his permission, and maybe not even then. Med schools want to see an LOR that is recent, so something a couple of years old wouldn't fit that requirement. More importantly, the LOR must be written specifically for MED SCHOOL, not anything else.

If you think this doc would agree, he could revise the letter to read "I am writing in support of sdguy2008's application to med school," instead of postbacc, but the concern about it being outdated would still apply. I think you'd be better off getting one from a current contact, such as a faculty member who taught you in postbacc.

Yeah I agree with you. I'm going to just forget about this and go with some other letters. Thanks for the input.

 

[iwant2doctor]

Yeah, normally I would do this, but he suffered a stroke a while back and is not his normal self, and to be honest he is very sick. That's why I don't want to bring it up (he barely even remembers me sometimes).

Thanks for the advice. I'll probably go with some other letters.

I'm not sure about this, someone could correct me, but don't your ref letter writers sometimes get contacted?