PI reaching out on your behalf?

[gekyumewrld]

So, my PI at my full time job was kind enough to offer that he reach out to the program director of my top choice medical school and put in a good word for me after my interview.

He used to be on the admissions committee at a T5 med school and is very big in the research world. He has done this in the past for others and those students were accepted after. Would this benefit my application at all or even potentially hurt me? Thanks!

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[Mr.Smile12]

How many IIs do you have? Have you interviewed with your top choice school? Certainly you are a strong candidate, and perhaps this outreach is going to help you. But be mindful that correlation does not imply causation. In fact, most adcoms have policies about this type of outreach.

TL/DR: It probably won't hurt, but don't discount the fact you are a strong candidate anyway.

 

[gekyumewrld]

Thank you for your advice! I have been fortunate to receive 17 IIs so far, and I had just interviewed at my top choice school yesterday. This school does however actively discourage LOIs, so that is what makes me unsure. They also requested that we submit significant updates within two weeks of interviewing, so if my PI does reach out, is it best to do it in this time frame?

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

I guess it will help if admission committee members are aware of his reputation and/of personally know him.

 

[LizzyM]

It is not likely to help nor to hurt. It just wastes everyone's time, essentially. You could demure and say that you'd prefer to get in on your own merits. With 17 interviews it sounds like you have an exceptionally strong application on paper.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Thank you for your advice! I have been fortunate to receive 17 IIs so far, and I had just interviewed at my top choice school yesterday. This school does however actively discourage LOIs, so that is what makes me unsure. They also requested that we submit significant updates within two weeks of interviewing, so if my PI does reach out, is it best to do it in this time frame?

How many did you apply?

 

[gekyumewrld]

It is not likely to help nor to hurt. It just wastes everyone's time, essentially. You could demure and say that you'd prefer to get in on your own merits. With 17 interviews it sounds like you have an exceptionally strong application on paper.

Great, thank you for your input and kind words! I know it is still very early in the cycle, but this school is definitely my top choice and my PI would say so in his communication to them. Do you think this looks too eager on my end or would my certainty help?

How many did you apply?

I applied to a total of 42 MD programs and finished all secondaries by early August.

 

[LizzyM]

If the school discourages LOIs, then getting it from another source, who, we presume, got it from you, is the same thing but with a middleman.

 

[gekyumewrld]

If the school discourages LOIs, then getting it from another source, who, we presume, got it from you, is the same thing but with a middleman.

Thank you! Appreciate your help