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- Feb 13, 2008
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Alright, so this particular problem is a bit complicated, so I'll state my question outright and allow people to read on...
Does anybody have any advice for dealing with non-science LOR authors that may not know anything about med school, or haven't known that you're pre-med? Are there any areas/topics their letters should focus on aside from what science LOR's usually go over?
Context:
Over the past three years I've managed to get to know a prof in a social science department, and last time we spoke of my career goals I had indicated to him that I wasn't still considering med school (stretching the truth a bit, I'd just been second-guessing my decision recently)
I ultimately decided that it was right for me after all, went and gained clinical experience/shadowed, did some serious GPA repair, and pulled off an MCAT in the mid 30's.
Now I find myself in the position of having to ask him for an LOR (He knows me best, I've known him for the longest, and he's my only decent non-science prospect). How do I tell him not only that I've decided on med school after all, but that I now need a recomendation endorsing my entry into a field he knows nothing about?
I'm primarily concerned that I'll seem capricious/insincere. Also, I'm not really sure he'll know what type of info to include to make the letter really shine like I know it can (he writes awesome pre-law LOR's apparently, and he supervised my 3 month internship overseas..)
...So again, how does one go about getting a strong letter out of a (potentially) inexperienced non-science writer?
Does anybody have any advice for dealing with non-science LOR authors that may not know anything about med school, or haven't known that you're pre-med? Are there any areas/topics their letters should focus on aside from what science LOR's usually go over?
Context:
Over the past three years I've managed to get to know a prof in a social science department, and last time we spoke of my career goals I had indicated to him that I wasn't still considering med school (stretching the truth a bit, I'd just been second-guessing my decision recently)
I ultimately decided that it was right for me after all, went and gained clinical experience/shadowed, did some serious GPA repair, and pulled off an MCAT in the mid 30's.
Now I find myself in the position of having to ask him for an LOR (He knows me best, I've known him for the longest, and he's my only decent non-science prospect). How do I tell him not only that I've decided on med school after all, but that I now need a recomendation endorsing my entry into a field he knows nothing about?
I'm primarily concerned that I'll seem capricious/insincere. Also, I'm not really sure he'll know what type of info to include to make the letter really shine like I know it can (he writes awesome pre-law LOR's apparently, and he supervised my 3 month internship overseas..)
...So again, how does one go about getting a strong letter out of a (potentially) inexperienced non-science writer?