LOR from construction experience

[futureMD435]

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I'm going to be getting a LOR from a previous boss that I worked for in construction. This is going to my undergrad school for the committee letter. I'm trying to find the best route to take. He has agreed to write the letter and even though he said I could just write it and he would sign it. I want him to give his input and don't want to bs my own LOR. I don't agree with that. What I'm going to do, is give him sort of an outline of what to talk about. They won't be specific things to say, rather questions or things for him to comment on.

So, my problem...How should I go about connecting this experience to committee and me becoming a doctor. Should I just focus on work ethic and critical thinking skills in the job? I worked outside framing in zero degree weather through winter in harsh conditions full time. Do i promote only the type of characteristics I possess and give a general recommendation that i will succeed in whatever is placed before me...or try to connect it more on the type of doctor i would make etc...????

 

[sleepy425]

just a couple of comments:

1. that's sooo effing awesome that you did construction work. I wish I had the opportunity to do construction work. idk why I find it so cool, but yeah, anyway...

2. I see no reason why having this sort of recommendation would hurt. If anything, it would emphasize the work you did and, idk, I think it's pretty cool (see comment #1). So yeah, by all means get the letter.

3. If he asked you to write a letter for yourself and then he'd just sign it, I would strongly suggest doing what he says. I'm not sure why you don't want to do this, but if you're concerned about it being unethical, it is absolutely ethical and very common in professional settings. If you're concerned about your ability to write the letter, ask someone to proofread it before you give it to him. Remember, he doesn't have to sign it if he doesn't agree with it. If he has any problems with it, he'll tell you to change it or he'll change it himself. Once he signs it, it becomes his work.

 

[futureMD435]

Thanks for you help. I loved construction and there are not too many things more rewarding than seeing a completed house I built. But anyway. Part of the reason I don't want to write the lor myself is because i hate to praise/boast about myself. This is one fear i have when interview time rolls around. I have this perception of applicants being judged on you can sell your previous achievements and less on the kind of person you are.
I know the guy writing the LOR really good, so what I might do is give him an outline like i mentioned and let him write it. Then, i'll see if i could read it before its sent into the school to see if there is anything to add.

 

[J ROD]

I think it will be a strong LOR and it is good work experience.

Personally, I would write the letter so I know he says what I want him to get across.

 

[icalz]

I would also agree with writing the lor yourself and having him sign and mail it....you want to guarantee that it says what you want it to say. One letter from an employer is an excellent source for an lor. I used one and have received a handful of interviews...as long as it wasn't too long ago.

 

[rosebud1]

I think this is awesome. It will really set you apart from other applicants.

 

[futureMD435]

Well, it is already done. I let him know yesterday afternoon and he wrote it that night. He did an excellent job and remembered things I had forgotten about. He sent me an email of it, I looked it over and was impressed so he sent it off this morning. I'm actually really glad I had him do it and not write it myself. The one thing I would have forgot to mention was the last day on the job. One of our workers accidentally shot himself in the chest with a 3" framing nail while standing on a wall with a 40 foot drop on the other side. He explained how I handled the situation and mentioned specifically what I did. Now I just have to hope the committee letter includes some of it into the letter that the medical schools will read.

 

[sleepy425]

Well, it is already done. I let him know yesterday afternoon and he wrote it that night. He did an excellent job and remembered things I had forgotten about. He sent me an email of it, I looked it over and was impressed so he sent it off this morning. I'm actually really glad I had him do it and not write it myself. The one thing I would have forgot to mention was the last day on the job. One of our workers accidentally shot himself in the chest with a 3" framing nail while standing on a wall with a 40 foot drop on the other side. He explained how I handled the situation and mentioned specifically what I did. Now I just have to hope the committee letter includes some of it into the letter that the medical schools will read.

at my school all of our individual letters were included in packet sent my the committee, with the committee letter just being a short cover letter that was specifically meant for our state schools (the committee basically gives students a score and uses certain buzzwords based on that score that our state med schools know about). I know there's some variability in the way schools do committee letters, but the letter might actually be included with the committee letter.

 

[vickpick]

i respect u a lot now that I know tht u had an actual "labor" job... man thats awesome!! but yea, the LOR won't hurt at all..

 

[teenmachinery1]

I'm going to be getting a LOR from a previous boss that I worked for in construction. This is going to my undergrad school for the committee letter. I'm trying to find the best route to take. He has agreed to write the letter and even though he said I could just write it and he would sign it. I want him to give his input and don't want to bs my own LOR. I don't agree with that. What I'm going to do, is give him sort of an outline of what to talk about. They won't be specific things to say, rather questions or things for him to comment on.

So, my problem...How should I go about connecting this experience to committee and me becoming a doctor. Should I just focus on work ethic and critical thinking skills in the job? I worked outside framing in zero degree weather through winter in harsh conditions full time. Do i promote only the type of characteristics I possess and give a general recommendation that i will succeed in whatever is placed before me...or try to connect it more on the type of doctor i would make etc...????

I don't think this is a letter worth sending. I disagree with all the previous commentors here because I think if you're resorting to your construction job boss for a LOR than you're on the WRONG track.

Valuable letters are from science AND non-science profs, research PI's, physicians you shadowed, and supervisors from to community service and the health profession positions.

I'm not fully understanding how people think this letter is valuable or helpful. 😕

And to pre-empt the charge that I wouldn't know because I haven't worked or something.... I have, and even if it was construction - I would not ask my boss for a letter here.

Oh well, it's just to the college committee and not actual med schools so I guess it's not that bad.

This is just my humble opinion.

 

[searun]

I was a construction worker for two years between college and med school. It was a very worthwhile experience. I actually think that it helped my application. My work involved working on various projects around the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. We would do a project for a couple of months and then move on, living in motels. I talked about this experience in my application and its effect on my development as a person and how it changed my perspective on life.

My roommate was an hispanic guy who ate one meal each day and always slept on the floor, never in a bed. His work ethic was phenomenal. I view him as my role model.

However, the guy that employed me was not a master of the English language so I did not ask him for a letter of recommendation.

 

[Dude Man Bro Man]

I worked as an Iron Worker for a time doing heavy construction on a US Marine base and absolutely included this in my application, though I didn't ask for an LOR from my supervisor. I've gotten several questions about this experience during my interviews, it's definitely a unique aspect to help your application stand out. Though it's not directly related to medicine, construction can show a different kind of responsibility and work ethic that most people can vibe with. I know that in the work I did it was just as easy to kill a man as in medicine, especially when you're directing the crane that's bringing a 600-lb piece of steel down on the heads of the guys that have to weld it in place.

I say use this experience.

 

[futureMD435]

Teenmachinery1:
The reason I'm thinking this will be beneficial now is because I'm going to be turning in LOR from professors directly to medical schools. My grades, MCAT score, and LOR from a professor will do a lot for showing the type of student I am. However, being able to show a different labor demanding task adds another element to my resume. I've been told to try and focus on things that make you unique. Everyone will have great LOR from professors, so being able to include something that you can explain what you learned from to me seems to be just as important. Like you said though, I included this in the committee letter and not to medical school.

But this is a first for me obviously through this process, so I look forward to seeing how they react to in during the committee process.

Sleepy245: I'll have to look into it the committee packet that is sent and see if they think it would be worth including the LOR. I'm pretty sure they won't include them because they like to quote from each recommendation and I think its 2-3 pages long.

 

[ahmcadams]

I don't think this is a letter worth sending. I disagree with all the previous commentors here because I think if you're resorting to your construction job boss for a LOR than you're on the WRONG track.

Valuable letters are from science AND non-science profs, research PI's, physicians you shadowed, and supervisors from to community service and the health profession positions.

I'm not fully understanding how people think this letter is valuable or helpful. 😕

And to pre-empt the charge that I wouldn't know because I haven't worked or something.... I have, and even if it was construction - I would not ask my boss for a letter here.

Oh well, it's just to the college committee and not actual med schools so I guess it's not that bad.

This is just my humble opinion.

This can definitely be a valuable letter. If the OP worked closely with this employer and spent a good amount of his extracurricular time under his supervision, it makes perfect sense to ask for his opinion in assessing whether the OP has many of the traits necessary for success in medicine. The supervisor can comment meaningfully on the OP's sense of responsibility, work ethic, and general character in ways that may not translate as well in a purely academic setting. Mixed in with strong LORs from faculty and research advisors, etc., this letter can be a significant asset.