LOR?

[nalid4]

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I have been working at my large, local hospital over the summer as a nurse aid. I work on a unit run by an internist "Dr. X", who also happens to be coworkers with my father, who is another internist. I shadowed Dr. X a couple of times, and would like to use her as a letter of recommendation, as she would know me professionally though shadowing and as a nurse aid. I am just scared because she and my father work in the same department.

Would medical schools look down upon the connection to my father? I do not want to jeopardize my application because of this family connection, even though Dr. X knows me strictly professionally.

 

[LizzyM]

Frankly, a letter from an intern will be of little help. If the intern writes that she first got to know you because she works with your father, the entire letter will be discounted.

Unless a school requires a letter from a physician, a letter from a physician is generally unhelpful. (The exception to the rule is if you are on a physician's payroll or otherwise working for the physician as a full-time employee.)

A letter from your immediate supervisor at the hospital would be more traditional than a letter from an intern. Again, most schools will be asking for a committee letter or two letters from science instructors and one non-science letter.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Dr. X is not your family member. But as long as Dr. X does not think you are a danger to patients, your letter should be fine. I'll agree with @LizzyM that its value will likely be very minimal.

 

[Tenk]

A letter from an intern is not worth… anything?

Also, having been an intern, if someone came and asked me to write a letter during my PGY-1 year, I’m not sure it would have even been legible.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I agree with others, I wouldn't have an intern write an LOR. While they are a doctor, they are not in a position where they should be evaluating your capacity to become one. I'm honestly shocked they let an intern have someone shadow them.

But the tangential connection to your father doesn't matter.

 

[LizzyM]

Two thoughts this morning:

I stand by my statement that if the letter writer mentions knowing the applicant's parent, the letter will be discounted.

Did @nalid4 mean to say "internist" rather than "intern"?

 

[GoSpursGo]

I stand by my statement that if the letter writer mentions knowing the applicant's parent, the letter will be discounted.

And to clarify--I would make clear to this potential letter writer that they should NOT mention the family connection. I just don't think anyone is going to dig around and discover where the OP's dad works unless that information is volunteered.