LOR from PI for whom I've only worked a short while?

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premedM

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This is a weird situation for me. I previously volunteered for 1.5 years (1200 hours) in a basic research lab where I had independent projects and a poster presentation. I loved the work but the environment and PI were toxic, and based on information from other people in the lab, and this PI's letter-writing history, it seemed like a bad idea to ask them for a letter of rec. I cut my losses and moved on.

Now I am working as a paid lab tech in another lab. This lab environment is wonderful, and the PI has already offered twice to write me a letter of rec since she knows I'm going through the application process. I'm sure it will be a good letter if she does write it. However, at this point I have only worked for 2 months in the lab, and as a technician don't have any independent projects. If I am eventually attached to a paper it won't be for a long time.

Would it look suspicious to have a letter from a PI who's only known me for a short while, when my most meaningful lab experience lacks a letter? Is it good to have a PI letter no matter the context?

And finally, I would like to include my first lab experience in my "most meaningful 3" for AMCAS, is this a bad idea since I don't have a letter from that PI?

Thanks for your help!

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I say don't submit a letter now, don't use the other lab as a significant experience. Try to get your current PI to submit an "update letter" for you post interview?
How is the rest of your app?
 
Also consider the quality of the letter. If your current PI would write you a killer letter even though you've only been there a short while, it may be okay. I don't think I would list your prior research as "most meaningful" unless you also get a letter, but thats just me - and I'm biased because I have a letter from bosses in each of my most meaningful experiences.
Maybe try to get letters from both - most schools take up to 5 or 6 letters total
 
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I say don't submit a letter now, don't use the other lab as a significant experience. Try to get your current PI to submit an "update letter" for you post interview?
How is the rest of your app?
A lot of schools won't accept more letters as updates.
@premedM I'd suggest you take the letter from your current PI. As far as using the other lab experience as a "most meaningful" experience without a PI LOR, I think it would be okay, though not ideal. If you have something else you can easily substitute in, do that.
 
Thanks guys. To update: I decided not to get a research letter from my new PI, and not to include research in my top 3 experiences.
 
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I don't really know the answers, but I partially disagree with both decisions. If it WAS the most meaningful experience to you, then I think you should be truthful and mark it as such. It is was truly meaningful, it should hopefully come across in your description. And I don't know why a positive letter of rec from your PI would be a bad thing in any circumstance
 
There's no reason not to take the letter if he is offering it. You have 2 research experiences now and you won't have a letter for either of them. It'll help your case if you get a letter for one of your experiences. Being there for 2 months isn't some form of deal breaker; many summer programs are 2 months and people on here get letters of rec from those PIs all the time. Take the letter; what bad can come from it.
 
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