LOR only from volunteer sources?

[Omyss]

Would this be frowned uopn?

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[Cytotoxic]

I assume so. Most med. schools require at least 2 LORs from faculty who taught you.

 

[jochi1543]

Most schools won't take it - nearly all of them require at least 2 letters from professors, and 3 is the standard.

 

[Omyss]

thats what i thought but on the Ontario med school application website it says that its reccommeded that you get at least one non academic LOR, which makes it seem like non-academic referees are more valuable to them....

 

[nick_carraway]

thats what i thought but on the Ontario med school application website it says that its reccommeded that you get at least one non academic LOR, which makes it seem like non-academic referees are more valuable to them....

I think what their website means to say is that non-academic references are encouraged because they show that you have contacts outside of school and that you did well in your ECs but that does not mean to say you should replace a required faculty recommendation with an optional non-academic reference.

My premed committee advised me to get an LOR from a volunteer experience, for example, but did not tell me to supply one in lieu of one that I already had.

 

[jochi1543]

thats what i thought but on the Ontario med school application website it says that its reccommeded that you get at least one non academic LOR, which makes it seem like non-academic referees are more valuable to them....

Canadian requirements are different from American.

 

[hp540]

thats what i thought but on the Ontario med school application website it says that its reccommeded that you get at least one non academic LOR, which makes it seem like non-academic referees are more valuable to them....

Are you applying to the US or Canada? Because in the US, they have strict requirements that varies between different schools. But usually, 2 science prof who have taught you + 1 non-science prof gets you set for most.

Canada...you can get letters from anyone. I'm not kidding...anyone. As long as they don't say anything negative, you're golden.

 

[Entrainment]

Canada...you can get letters from anyone. I'm not kidding...anyone. As long as they don't say anything negative, you're golden.

Not to highjack the thread, but do you have any experience of this? anecdotal evidence even? I want to apply in both Canada and the United States but it would make it easier to distribute my letter-writing resources so that LORs for American schools were from faculty and LORs for Canadian schools were from volunteer sources.

 

[jochi1543]

Not to highjack the thread, but do you have any experience of this? anecdotal evidence even? I want to apply in both Canada and the United States but it would make it easier to distribute my letter-writing resources so that LORs for American schools were from faculty and LORs for Canadian schools were from volunteer sources.

All Canadian schools state explicitly on their websites that it doesn't matter where the LORs come from as long as they are from someone who knows you well - but not friends or immediate family.

 

[Entrainment]

All Canadian schools state explicitly on their websites that it doesn't matter where the LORs come from as long as they are from someone who knows you well - but not friends or immediate family.

Actually, the McGill website says:

Applicants are required to have forwarded at least three (3) referee reports with recommended letters of reference. Where applicable, a pre-medical advisory committee report may be used as an acceptable substitute.

You should ask three people who are able to give an informed and discriminating opinion concerning your personal qualifications for the study and practice of medicine to provide evaluations. At least one, and preferably two of these sponsors should be faculty members of your current or most recent institution of study. If you are currently engaged in graduate studies, one evaluator should be your supervisor.

So if anyone knows of someone who got into McGill, say, without a letter from faculty, I would be surprised. (But pleased - it would make my life easier).