LOR's!!!

[Jnino]

I am having difficulty with my LOR's and need some expert experiencd advice!
Many DO schools all have different number of LOR and from different sources. One wants a LOR from my dean (who i have never met and i am 3 years out of school), some want 1,2,3 science professors, some want non-science, yada yada yada,
so my question is: If you do not have EXACTLY the right LORs, do you still have a shot at inteview/acceptance? Especially if I have been out of school for a couple of years. I presently have a DO, 2 MD's, a science and a non-science, and a letter from my work (who is a known neurology MD). Any thoughts/experiences/advice???

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[DD214_DOC]

Most schools will not grant interviews until your file is complete. Your file cannot be complete until you meet all of their requirements.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

What school wants a letter from the dean? I haven't come across that one, yet, but it should be easy to get. I imagine most deans have sort of boiler plate letters where they just stated that you graduated in good standing, didn't have academic discretions, etc.

If you have the following mix of letters, you should be fine for most schools --two science from people who taught you, one non-science from someone who taught you, and one d.o. letter. most schools will take an m.d. letter instead of a d.o. letter, but there are a few out there that won't. if you have a premed committee, you can get a letter from them and one d.o. letter, and you're good to go. If you get one more science professor letter, you're good for almost everyone. A few schools (PCOM and KCUMB) wants letters from your premed advisor -- since you don't have that and are nontrad, I'd suggest calling them. I don't have that either, and I'm wondering what to do about it. I might just not apply to those schools.

 

[medhacker]

What school wants a letter from the dean? .

PCOM

 

[Jnino]

What school wants a letter from the dean? I haven't come across that one, yet, but it should be easy to get. I imagine most deans have sort of boiler plate letters where they just stated that you graduated in good standing, didn't have academic discretions, etc.

If you have the following mix of letters, you should be fine for most schools --two science from people who taught you, one non-science from someone who taught you, and one d.o. letter. most schools will take an m.d. letter instead of a d.o. letter, but there are a few out there that won't. if you have a premed committee, you can get a letter from them and one d.o. letter, and you're good to go. If you get one more science professor letter, you're good for almost everyone. A few schools (PCOM and KCUMB) wants letters from your premed advisor -- since you don't have that and are nontrad, I'd suggest calling them. I don't have that either, and I'm wondering what to do about it. I might just not apply to those schools.

That is my problem, i dont have a premed committee from my school, and I technically COULD ask a science professor that taught me, but that was years ago in a large class, wouldnt know me. Even though i would have the requirements, the weak LOR could hurt me. Have you called the schools yet? What schools are you looking at? I am hoping that with my other LOR, one missing science LOR can be overlooked.

 

[truckibear]

I am having difficulty with my LOR's and need some expert experiencd advice!
Many DO schools all have different number of LOR and from different sources. One wants a LOR from my dean (who i have never met and i am 3 years out of school), some want 1,2,3 science professors, some want non-science, yada yada yada,
so my question is: If you do not have EXACTLY the right LORs, do you still have a shot at inteview/acceptance? Especially if I have been out of school for a couple of years. I presently have a DO, 2 MD's, a science and a non-science, and a letter from my work (who is a known neurology MD). Any thoughts/experiences/advice???

Hey, don't worry about it. Get what you can and send it in. It is not true that they are strict on all of these requirements. I didn't not have a non-science professor LOR for one school. They told me to write a letter requesting that two of my other LORs be substituted for this requirement (probably could have been 1, but I had 2 extra anyway from volunteer coordinators) and the admissions committee granted my request easily. Look into it. I'm sure other schools have similar policies. If you have strong numbers, some schools will look past not having a DO/MD LOR too... they will tell you to apply anyway! Most of the time the latter is recommended but not required. Good luck

 

[wook]

I remember that PCOM would not accept my application until I the med school advisor sent a letter of recommendation or the Dean from my college sent a letter of recommendation. The problem was that I had been out of school for 15 years. To fulfill this requirement, I contacted both. Neither would give me a LOR since they did not know me. I offered to meet with them and talk, but neither would agree. The Dean's response was simply that since I graduated from the school, no letter of recommendation was needed.

The really interesting part was that I had done very well in my undergraduate studies. It made me feel better when the Dean got sacked a year or two ago, and charged criminally (don't know the crime).

Needless to say, I am not a real fan of med school committee or Dean LOR. It makes no sense to ask someone to get such a letter 15-20 years after graduating.

Wook