Minimum level of LoR author? Peer, Janitor, Front Desk Manager, etc.?

[Gauss44]

Can a respectable LoR literally come from anyone in your opinion? Or is there some limit based on the author's level in your company, level relative your level, or anything else?

(By "level" I mean the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder. Someone in your same position is said to be on your same, "level.")

An example of what I mean would be if a peer, janitor, or front desk manager, not managed by you, that happens to be educated enough to write good-sounding letter, can make a decent argument about why they think you should be a doctor, and knows you well. I would argue that a lower level person writing an LoR might be impressive in the sense that it shows a willingness to build relationships not only with higher-ups or people who can promote you, but also with those ranked lower than yourself. Somehow I doubt adcoms share this logic. I thought I'd ask anyway rather than assume. Certainly doctors provide service to all sorts of people, not just the most prestigious. A more gray area would be an former employee of yours who can speak to your leadership style.

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[osprey099]

Still not sure what you mean by level but one of my letters was from an elementary school teacher who supervises a volunteer program that I lead. Another was from my clinical volunteering supervisor who is only like 2 years older than me.. Both were outstanding according to my premed advisor and contributed greatly to my success so far this cycle.

 

[Gauss44]

Still not sure what you mean by level but one of my letters was from an elementary school teacher who supervises a volunteer program that I lead. Another was from my clinical volunteering supervisor who is only like 2 years older than me.. Both were outstanding according to my premed advisor and contributed greatly to my success so far this cycle.

I would say if someone's supervising you, they're above your level in the organization. Both probably good choices because a supervisor's in a great position to know about your work.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Academic LORs should come from professors who taught you. Non-academic LORs should come from bosses or supervisors. Research LORs should come from the PI of the lab. Under no circumstances should you use an LOR from a friend, family member, priest (unless he supervised you in an EC), or coworker. Basically, an LOR author should be in a position to objectively evaluate you.

 

[osprey099]

I would say if someone's supervising you, they're above your level in the organization. Both probably good choices because a supervisor's in a great position to know about your work.

I wouldn't have a fellow student write you a letter though, even if he or she supervises you.

 

[Gauss44]

Academic LORs should come from professors who taught you. Non-academic LORs should come from bosses or supervisors. Research LORs should come from the PI of the lab. Under no circumstances should you use an LOR from a friend, family member, priest (unless he supervised you in an EC), or coworker. Basically, an LOR author should be in a position to objectively evaluate you.

Thanks, that's the impression I was under, but didn't know for sure.

I don't mean to be complicated, but if you're self-employed or running your own small company and volunteering at the hospital to help all the nurses in ED without a supervisor, what would be your best bet? I assume the answer would be to find an additional position where you are supervised and take a class so you can ask for LoRs from your new professor and boss (and ask a nurse for an LoR).

 

[487806]

Can a respectable LoR literally come from anyone in your opinion? Or is there some limit based on the author's level in your company, level relative your level, or anything else?

(By "level" I mean the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder. Someone in your same position is said to be on your same, "level.")

An example of what I mean would be if a peer, janitor, or front desk manager, not managed by you, that happens to be educated enough to write good-sounding letter, can make a decent argument about why they think you should be a doctor, and knows you well. I would argue that a lower level person writing an LoR might be impressive in the sense that it shows a willingness to build relationships not only with higher-ups or people who can promote you, but also with those ranked lower than yourself. Somehow I doubt adcoms share this logic. I thought I'd ask anyway rather than assume. Certainly doctors provide service to all sorts of people, not just the most prestigious. A more gray area would be an former employee of yours who can speak to your leadership style.

Refer to mimelim's link on my signature.

 

[xffan624]

Can a respectable LoR literally come from anyone in your opinion? Or is there some limit based on the author's level in your company, level relative your level, or anything else?

(By "level" I mean the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder. Someone in your same position is said to be on your same, "level.")

An example of what I mean would be if a peer, janitor, or front desk manager, not managed by you, that happens to be educated enough to write good-sounding letter, can make a decent argument about why they think you should be a doctor, and knows you well. I would argue that a lower level person writing an LoR might be impressive in the sense that it shows a willingness to build relationships not only with higher-ups or people who can promote you, but also with those ranked lower than yourself. Somehow I doubt adcoms share this logic. I thought I'd ask anyway rather than assume. Certainly doctors provide service to all sorts of people, not just the most prestigious. A more gray area would be an former employee of yours who can speak to your leadership style.

Beside the couple schools that require a peer letter for non-trads (couple Florida ones do), none should come from a peer. Supervisor or professor or MD you have worked with are all good sources. I would look on the individual schools websites for specifics. Some require committee, some don't for non-trads and then specify from there what they require in lieu of.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Thanks, that's the impression I was under, but didn't know for sure.

I don't mean to be complicated, but if you're self-employed or running your own small company and volunteering at the hospital to help all the nurses in ED without a supervisor, what would be your best bet? I assume the answer would be to find an additional position where you are supervised and take a class so you can ask for LoRs from your new professor and boss (and ask a nurse for an LoR).

In the case of self-employment I've heard it can be acceptable to get an LOR from a client, although I would try to do some ECs where you can get a letter from a supervisor. With the ED volunteering maybe you could get an LOR from one of the nurses? I assume you're working under them if you're helping them out and aren't a nurse yourself.

It's worth noting that most schools only ask for letters from professors who have taught you though, so as long as you have at least three LORs from professors (ideally 2 science/1 non-sci) I woudn't lose too much sleep over this.

 

[Gauss44]

I assume you're working under them if you're helping them out and aren't a nurse yourself.
.

I'm not working "under" them. I don't have a supervisor. I have chosen to help them and there's over 200 of them. However, they have acknowledged my help and have made positive comments about my work. I guess I would also need to somehow find out what the hospital's policy is about who is allowed to write LoRs. Anyone have experience with that?

Regarding the comment about professors, I've been out of school for 10 years. I plan to take one quarter or half quarter of classes and ask those professors for LoRs (just to meet requirements). Because they will have only known me for a few weeks, I doubt those letters will be all that.

 

[xffan624]

I'm not working "under" them. I don't have a supervisor. I have chosen to help them and there's over 200 of them. However, they have acknowledged my help and have made positive comments about my work. I guess I would also need to somehow find out what the hospital's policy is about who is allowed to write LoRs. Anyone have experience with that?t.

Who do you tell your work schedule to? Who do you report to when you can't make it in a day? Who do you go to when you have a question? These are all folks that can assist you with a letter. Is there an MD that you work with more frequently than others or talked about your path to medical school who has seen you volunteering? All of these folks could qualify. Generally the higher up in the chain of command at the workplace, the better, but if the higher person barely knows you, then go for the lower position.

My experience applying as a non-trad was I got away with most schools with two former supervisors and one science professor at a CC. I pretty much took the class solely for the LOR. The exception was the Florida schools where I had to get two peer/friend letters.

 

[Gauss44]

Who do you tell your work schedule to?

No one, and that's exactly how I like it, except for in this situation. The Volunteer Office set my schedule years ago; however, I only see people from that office about twice a year for a few minutes at most (other than the volunteers I train, and they do give good feedback about me). Oh, and the director of the Volunteer Office contacts me over email regarding training new volunteers frequently so he could speak to my skills as a trainer. He's not an MD though, and again, we almost exclusively communicate through email. There is a time clock I punch in and out on.

(In general, I find that I do my best work unsupervised. Several years ago, I had a manager and supervisor and they eventually trusted me to run my own show. My old supervisor said that she felt I didn't need her advice and that I generally do good work on my own. I believe that's an accurate assessment because I put a lot of effort into doing things right, and I generally don't sign up for a job unless I know I can do it well on my own or with a team of peers/staff.)

Who do you report to when you can't make it in a day?

You update the computer system yourself.

Who do you go to when you have a question?

That depends on the question. I go to the person in charge of the area I have a question about.

Is there an MD that you work with more frequently than others or talked about your path to medical school who has seen you volunteering?

Maybe. The nurses are the ones who've expressed the most appreciation for my work. There is one MD who has but she's sort of in a different area of the ED that I sometimes help, but I don't officially work in her sub-section of the ED. She has her own volunteers. (Maybe the doctors are hiding out because they don't want to write LoRs. I wonder how burdensome those are to write?)

Thanks for the information. I think I'm going to get 2 LoRs from science professors and 1 from a non-science professors that I will have for 1 semester in the spring (semester ends around June 26). Since those letters will probably not be so great (due to my lack of time with the professors), I am hoping for a few additional letters from people who know me. I have no idea if that's a good plan or not. I don't have any experience in this regard and know little about this.

 

[xffan624]

Thanks for the information. I think I'm going to get 2 LoRs from science professors and 1 from a non-science professors that I will have for 1 semester in the spring (semester ends around June 26). Since those letters will probably not be so great (due to my lack of time with the professors), I am hoping for a few additional letters from people who know me. I have no idea if that's a good plan or not. I don't have any experience in this regard and know little about this.

None of us are really experts, but you are someone with a lot of life experience to figure out who would make the best LOR writer. Feel out a couple folks. Just because the MD isn't your direct supervisor they would probably still work. Also consider the writing skills of the people you are asking. Or if someone is super busy you can offer to write it for them and alter it as they see fit.

Lots of options, and it's a balance of finding someone who has a informed opinion on you, but whose opinion will actually matter to the ADCOM's (i.e. is objective enough that they will take it seriously), and lastly meeting whatever school requirement there is for submitting letters.

 

[Gauss44]

None of us are really experts, but you are someone with a lot of life experience to figure out who would make the best LOR writer. Feel out a couple folks. Just because the MD isn't your direct supervisor they would probably still work. Also consider the writing skills of the people you are asking. Or if someone is super busy you can offer to write it for them and alter it as they see fit.

Lots of options, and it's a balance of finding someone who has a informed opinion on you, but whose opinion will actually matter to the ADCOM's (i.e. is objective enough that they will take it seriously), and lastly meeting whatever school requirement there is for submitting letters.

Really?

I could say something like, "I know that you're busy, so if you like, I would be willing to help out in any way you deem appropriate. So, let me know if there's any way I can help, okay?" I suspect that directly offering to write it could get me in trouble. Any thoughts on that? Or I could say it jokingly.

 

[Jumpstartmy5HT]

In my opinion, I think the person you ask should have some authority and can evaluate you with objective standards (versus just being a character witness.) I asked my previous professors, physician co-workers, and my supervisor's supervisor*.

*I'm a non-traditional applicant, and I asked my department chair to write me a letter to fulfill the supervisor requirement. I did not ask my direct supervisor because she is kind of dull and has incredible difficulties forming multiple coherent sentences without making serious grammatical and other errors. Plus, I think people who pen LORs should at least possess a undergraduate degree. All of my letter writers possess doctorates.