LOR from PI~how important?

[whyx3]

I've worked in a lab for about a year up-to-date. By the time I apply, it will be nearly 2 years. How important is it that I have a letter from my PI? It's a big lab, and I don't think he knows me very well. Also, I'm not confident it would be a very good letter. I've heard it is almost a must if you've worked for an extended period of time (1 yr+) to have a letter. Is this true?

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[sindadel]

Can a post-doc or PhD student who knows you well write the letter and have it co-signed by your PI? That might be good.

 

[whyx3]

I've actually asked before but they're all new immigrants (engineering lab) and the person I work closely with told me straight out he could write me an awesome letter in Chinese but not in English, and advised me to go straight to the PI. I interact very little with the PI and I'm not 100% sure he has a favorable opinion of me as he is more strict than the postdoc I work directly with.

I was hoping on opting out on this letter; however, it is a research lab that I've been working in for a year and a half and a lab I'm getting published from. I don't want to get a red flag for not having a letter. What should I do?

 

[sindadel]

Bottom line is you should only get references from people who can write you really good references.

You could go to the PI and say that you are applying to medical school so you would ideally like a reference letter from your lab experience (give him the time frame). Ask him how you could best support him getting to know you well enough to write a letter. If he's unfriendly or dismissive, never bring up the topic again. Reference letters are a fact of life in academia, so I don't think it would be rude to bring up directly.

 

[Pghboy18]

If you have others who would write you recommendations, then don't worry too much about it. Professors generally tend to be pretty amenable to writing letters, though, considering that it's such a huge part of the academic world.

It certainly doesn't hurt to test the waters. I think most professors will tell you "no" before they'll write you a bad letter to intentionally sabotage your efforts.

 

[virusgirl]

What typically happens in situations like this is the PI will talk to whoever you have been working closely with and use their comments to write a letter. PIs know that people in their labs will go on to other places and that they will need an LOR to do this, so they're usually pretty helpful even if they don't know you particularly well. Just as long as you work with someone who does know you and thinks highly of you (and it seems as if you do), you should be okay. But it is important that your letter NOT come from a grad student or someone without some type of doctoral degree -- this is important.

You mentioned that you weren't sure your PI would have positive things to say -- have you specifically had *negative* interactions with him/her? Because that could definitely pose a problem. No letter is better than a bad letter.

 

[Westernhealer]

I've actually asked before but they're all new immigrants (engineering lab) and the person I work closely with told me straight out he could write me an awesome letter in Chinese but not in English, and advised me to go straight to the PI. I interact very little with the PI and I'm not 100% sure he has a favorable opinion of me as he is more strict than the postdoc I work directly with.

I was hoping on opting out on this letter; however, it is a research lab that I've been working in for a year and a half and a lab I'm getting published from. I don't want to get a red flag for not having a letter. What should I do?

I would ask him to write it in Chinese and see if you can translate it and hand it back for him to sign it. Would that work?

 

[scarletgirl777]

I've worked in a lab for about a year up-to-date. By the time I apply, it will be nearly 2 years. How important is it that I have a letter from my PI? It's a big lab, and I don't think he knows me very well. Also, I'm not confident it would be a very good letter. I've heard it is almost a must if you've worked for an extended period of time (1 yr+) to have a letter. Is this true?

Not having a letter from someone whom you've worked with for so long will be a red flag. On the other hand, a bad letter will also be a red flag. If you have reason to think that he has negative things to say about you, then I guess you have no choice but to not ask, but if you're just nervous because he doesn't know you personally, ask him anyway--he can get the post-doc's input.

 

[MicroMN]

I didn't have a letter from my PI (him and I did not get along) and I worked with him for over a year. I had a pretty successful application cycle nonetheless. I was also invited to interview at Harvard, even though they say that you must have a letter from all of your PIs. In short, I don't think its all THAT important to have a letter from your PI as long as you have good letters overall.