? on pre-med committees & recommendations

[Mdude]

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I'm doing a post-bacc at a mediocre state school. I'm halfway done with the coursework and plan to apply in the summer of '08. I have 2 quick questions, both concerning recommendations:

1. I've seen pre-med committee letters (don't remember the exact term) mentioned here on SDN. What are they? Are they required? Are they in addition or in place of a specific faculty LOR?

2. I did my undergrad and am doing a master's at a good state school, and therefore should have access to their recommendation bank. Do you guys recommend that I have my post-bacc professors (from the other state school) file their recommendations at the recommendation bank, or should I use interfolio? Also, should I ask them to write the recommendations now, or is that premature? My Gen Chem II prof already told me he'd be happy to write a recommendation for me, but I haven't yet decided about the second prof.

Many thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

1) Some schools have a pre-med committee and others do not. Find out if your school has one. A pre-med advisor would know. If so, they have their own rules about what letters to provide to them and when to submit them. A small school I know of doesn't require that you solicit any letters, they generate each letter at a meeting where they discuss the applicants, because everyone knows all the students. A committee letter would take the place of individual letters.

Medical schools have varying requirements for LOR. Many seem to prefer a committee letter, perhaps because it is a composite of many opinions and requires less reading. If your school does not have such a committee, there should be alternate requirements listed on the secondary application. This may be 3-5 letters from science, and non-science faculty, advisor, research mentor, volunteer coordinator, doctor you shadowed, peer, etc, in various combinations.

2) If you do not have a pre-med committee, letters should be filed with your University's recommendation bank, or with Interfolio, etc. The pre-med advisor can tell you what the school is most used to using. There is no reason not to start collecting recommendation letters soon, as they'd be, at worst, about a year old at the time you apply. (Many on this forum feel letters should be no more than a year old.) Considering you are now at a different school, you are at the mercy of the fates considering that previous professors may disappear into retirement, sick leave, sabaticals, or relocations. It is reasonable to get those letters ASAP and have them "in the bag", especially from that professor who is so happy to write about you.

 

[st0w]

It is reasonable to get those letters ASAP and have them "in the bag", especially from that professor who is so happy to write about you.

*sigh* Truer words were never spoken. About a year ago, I spoke to a former prof from my first undergrad institution and she said she would be more than happy to write a supplemental letter on my behalf. And it would be a phenomenal letter. Since I wasn't applying last year, I figured time wasn't quite as much an issue. Fast forward to now, and I haven't been able to reach her in weeks. My undergrad institution requires all LORs to be in by June 1st to be represented in the committee composite letter/packet.

I should have taken the letter one year ago when it was offered, as I'm now worried about finding her in time and might wind up without what would have been a very strong letter. 🙁 So if you have the offer, take it now! You can always ask people to update their letter at a later date.. You can be sure if I get in touch with her after June 1st that I will beg and plead to my pre-health committee. And if they adamantly refuse, I will send her letter as a supplemental via Interfolio.