MD/PhD recommendation

[not respect]

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I worked with a PI for a summer but I think he hates me. I did some decent work I think but we just had some issues. Also I worked with another PI for one fall semester (so not a lot of time there), but I just interacted with his grad student so he doesn't know me as well. So do I need recs from them? And if yes, anyone have any helpful hints 😉

 

[gbwillner]

I worked with a PI for a summer but I think he hates me. I did some decent work I think but we just had some issues. Also I worked with another PI for one fall semester (so not a lot of time there), but I just interacted with his grad student so he doesn't know me as well. So do I need recs from them? And if yes, anyone have any helpful hints 😉

Easy answer to this question. Just go to this guy who you think hates you and ask him "Can you write me a good letter of recommendation?" If he says "no, you sucked" then just write about your time in the lab on your CV but don't get a letter. No letter is better than a bad letter.
Same thing with the other guy. Even if he doesn't know you well he'll ask the grad student about you and give you a canned LOR. Probably not the best letter in the world, but it will be good enough.

 

[LadyLightning20]

Well, can you ask the grad student to give you a letter? I mean, I know it doesn't "count" as much but it would speak much better to your skills, abilities, and personalities than a canned PI letter. I actually am doing that (though it's because the PI hates me, not because he doesn't know me well enough).

I mean, it's not ideal (and I'm totally not an authority on this so if someone who actually knows what they're talking about answers, listen to them) but I would think that a rec from someone who knows you well, regardless of who, would help your app more because it looks like you took the time to build a relationship and they took the time to write about you, instead of having a canned letter.

 

[not respect]

Well I figured out what to do. I am not getting recs at all from them, and just leaving it off my "Significant Research" essay, so hopefully no one asks. I'll still put it on my Work/Activities though.