LOR predicament

[Qwerty2013]

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I need a science LOR for my apps and I know that my bio prof had written a great one for me for a summer research program 3 years ago. Now...the thing is that he has since retired and I am not sure if I can get in touch with him.
But I know it is on file with the summer program I had applied to.

Since I am getting a committee letter, would it be okay asking the summer research coordinator if they can send it to my school even though the letter wasnt exactly geared toward med school?

What should I do?? 🙁

 

[quicheduty]

I wouldn't use it since it likely speaks to your summer program, and probably wouldn't be as strong as a current LOR. Are there other science profs you can ask? Research PIs?

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

You'd probably be better off getting a new LOR rather than one that is 3 years old and doesn't mention your suitability for a career in medicine.

 

[KungFuPanda123]

Medical schools typically ask LOR from either

A) 2 science faculty and 1 non science faculty
OR
B) 2 science instructors and 1 non-science you took classes with

1) Even if your summer research program was for credit, it really isnt a course in the way that medical schools want an evaluation about academically. So for some schools, the letter does not fulfill the requirement
2) The letter is three years old and loses value over time to the adcom
3) You are trying to use the letter in a manner that the original writer has not given his/her permission to do so. This borders on unethical use

You're not wrong, but OP was asking about using that letter of rec for his committee letter. The committee letter overrides any LOR requirements from any school (that I've seen), and it would be a fresh/recent letter, so the age of his old letter would be a non-factor.

The only issue is that the committee would think that OP's letter is wonky/old/not-relevant and wouldn't give it much thought or even accept it for creating their committee letter.

OP: Go track down that professor; in this day and age, it shouldn't be impossible. Get in contact with some of your old/current professors who worked in the department as him/her. Maybe they know what he's up to now/his contact information. Do whatever you can to get a letter from him/her. If that's not possible, you definitely need to get a new letter from SOMEONE; do not use your summer program letter of rec as a med school letter of rec.

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

I guess it depends on how your school does committee letters. At mine, any letters that we submitted to the committee were also sent to medical schools as part of a letter packet. In that case, I wouldn't use an old letter because schools will see it.

Fwiw, I still think it's better to get a new letter either way but that's just my .02.

 

[starspells]

This might not be a good idea since the letter will probably say something along the lines of "I strongly recommend so and so for X summer research program." I mean it's probably not a deal breaker but you should try to get a new LOR for medical school.