Lor

[sportsfreak]

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is working in a lab for 3 month enough to ask the PI for a rec?

 

[Catalystik]

Three months isn't long enough for your PI to get to know you well enough for a really solid LOR, in most cases. But you have no choice, as there is a general expectation that you'll provide a letter from whomever supervised your research activity. You should probably make a point of chitchatting with this person often, asking good questions, etc. so the PI has the best chance of knowing you as well as can be, gets a sense of how your mind works and your work ethic, and is well aware of your career goals

 

[sportsfreak]

so I was thinking of sending this additional rec to all the schools that i applied to already

I applied to some research intensive schools so I am thinking this rec might make a difference

should I go for it?

 

[ahmcadams]

Sure, a positive letter can only help your application, but almost all letters include a description of your contribution to the research project and how long you've been affiliated with the lab / letter writer. Unless your situation is unique, three months as a part-time RA likely won't produce a particularly striking LOR (if this was a full-time summer research project, on the other hand, it very well might), in which case its influence on your ultimate evaluation will be minimal.

 

[FIREitUP]

i dont see how it can hurt...if u think about it, it is the same length of time as a semester of college. would u object to getting a LOR from a professor you only had for 1 semester? not everyone is able to take a professor for two classes.

 

[sportsfreak]

yeah i should have made it more clear, I graduated from college last august and work there full time

so I actually asked him tonight and he said yes, also he said that he personally knows two of the med school deans that I applied to and is willing to write a personal letter to them if I want to

should i ask him to? might this be looked negatively by some adcoms?

 

[Catalystik]

That is a generous offer. I would take him up on it. It would not be considered negatively unless the school has stated it does not want any supplemental materials submitted.

 

[sportsfreak]

yeah i will probably take him up on it

 

[actoutfit]

How did submitting the letter turn out?

At this point I'm only had one interview and I'm sitting on a bunch of holds/haven't heard yet.

I've been working in a stem cell lab at Hopkins for 7 months and am about to submit a paper for publication (first author). I am going to ask my PI for a letter of rec today, does anyone think it will have any bearing in getting me another interview/haven't heard from the school I interviews yet help in getting accepted?

 

[sportsfreak]

i ended up submitting the additional letter and the schools got it on 12/30/09, a week later I got 1 more interview but not sure if its connected with the letter

 

[Cleveland]

Hopefully it wasn't a fluke. Good call with getting the letter in and best of luck.