LOR from brother

[ToGodALLGlory]

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Hi everyone...first post here...total newbie to the "real" world of getting into medical school. I graduated with a horrible Bio/Premed major GPA...just pushed through some personal issues, death of my father, etc...same struggles many have dealt with. I really have no one else to ask this so I am hoping for some opinions from people in the know. If all goes as planned, I will complete my informal post-bacc at comm. college this spring with a 3+ science and overall GPA for DO, near 3 overall for MD. I have volunteered in the ER for a while, am a medical transcriptionist (7 years), and have worked two jobs since soph. year. My brother is a DO who is psyched about helping me and not only wants to write a letter for his alma mater which I've applied to, but also any other DO schools and MD schools I have applied to. While I appreciate his help (and need all the help I can get), I feel I might be seen as a jerk for submitting his LOR, too (to schools other than the school he graduated from). Then again, when AdComs see I have a doc in the family on my app, are they going to expect a letter from him? I'm referring to the ones who actually accept extra letters by the way. I have a letter from a DO and 2 science faculty so far, plus him. I am working on trying to find another science faculty letter for the schools that require 3.

Further, I'm freaked out that once I complete this post-bacc, I had planned on starting an MS in Bio if I didn't get in anywhere, but now I hear that's worth squat, so I don't know what I should do. Seriously, any constructive advice would be appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[silkworm]

I don't think LOR from relatives would be the best, especially since you already have multiple LORs. Adcomm won't expect physicians from families to contribute LORs, in fact, they probably don't want to see one because such person could hardly be objective.

Have you thought about an Special Master's Program? They are designed to boost the application of people who underperformed in undergrad years. They are very expensive, but for low GPA people like you and me, they seem the best bet.

 

[Sundarban1]

Most schools ask that letters not come from family members, even if they are physicians. If he wishes to help you he can write an "unofficaial" letter supporting your application to the dean.

 

[ToGodALLGlory]

Thanks guys. I feel like having him write an unofficial letter to the dean would make me look like more of a punk than my poor GPA though, and I don't mean to sound ungrateful for the idea. I despise nepotism, and want to do the work to earn my spot so I can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my fellow med students. I'm just realizing I have a long way to go to be competitive, but I'm getting there. I think SMP is the way. I guess after completing this informal post-bacc I thought an SMP would just look redundant, but that's because I just found out an SMP and post-bacc aren't the same!! I haven't read every thread yet, but have spent hours....so many details...and I thought I pretty much knew what was going on if you can believe that. My old premed advisor just let me know that I shouldn't emphasize my comm. college informal post-bacc because it, too, is worth diddly. Oh well, just putting one foot in front of the other like you guys, even though most people are way ahead of me right now. I may be graduating med school alongside my now 3-year-old but I'll be there one day nevertheless! Thanks for being an encouragement everyone and thank you for not flaming me!