Please critique my letter request

[geh926]

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I'm sending a informal note/letter to a D.O. I shadowed last summer to request a LOR. (First doctor may have backed out on me due to little time to finish the letter). Anyways, he was a really chill guy in his young 30's so we had a pretty informal/laid back relationship. So I don't want to seem to formal, yet want to politely request the letter as well. Planning on dropping this off to his office in an unsealed envelope this week. How does this sound:

Dr. xxxx
.How are you? I’m currently in the process of finalizing my applications for medical schools and wanted to check if you would still be willing to help me out with a letter of recommendation. I know we briefly introduced this during my shadowing last summer, but I haven’t needed the letter until this point. Please give me a call or shoot me an e-mail when you have a free minute and we can discuss the possibility..

..
. .
Thanks A Lot!
My name
Number

E-mail

 

[kkw002]

Uhh the doc should not be the one calling/emailing you to discuss with you. YOU should be the one providing the doc with all the necessary information (CV, GPA, personal statement, etc..) included in this email. If the doc can write you the letter, great! If not, thank him/her and move on. You should specify all the necessary information (deadline you need the letter by, possibly remind the doc when you shadowed him, etc...) just to prevent emailing back and forth and save the doc's time. Maybe ur doctor is a super nice person, but in general you want to be precise and get to the point in one email. Good luck!

I'm sending a informal note/letter to a D.O. I shadowed last summer to request a LOR. (First doctor may have backed out on me due to little time to finish the letter). Anyways, he was a really chill guy in his young 30's so we had a pretty informal/laid back relationship. So I don't want to seem to formal, yet want to politely request the letter as well. Planning on dropping this off to his office in an unsealed envelope this week. How does this sound:

Dr. xxxx
.How are you? I’m currently in the process of finalizing my applications for medical schools and wanted to check if you would still be willing to help me out with a letter of recommendation. I know we briefly introduced this during my shadowing last summer, but I haven’t needed the letter until this point. Please give me a call or shoot me an e-mail when you have a free minute and we can discuss the possibility..

..
. .
Thanks A Lot!
My name
Number

E-mail

 

[HalfListic]

I'm sending a informal note/letter to a D.O. I shadowed last summer to request a LOR. (First doctor may have backed out on me due to little time to finish the letter). Anyways, he was a really chill guy in his young 30's so we had a pretty informal/laid back relationship. So I don't want to seem to formal, yet want to politely request the letter as well. Planning on dropping this off to his office in an unsealed envelope this week. How does this sound:

Dr. xxxx
.How are you? I’m currently in the process of finalizing my applications for medical schools and wanted to check if you would still be willing to help me out with a letter of recommendation. I know we briefly introduced this during my shadowing last summer, but I haven’t needed the letter until this point. Please give me a call or shoot me an e-mail when you have a free minute and we can discuss the possibility..

..
. .
Thanks A Lot!
My name
Number

E-mail

This is more what I would write. Also, realize that this is later in the game to be asking for a letter and that it can take a month or two for some dr's to write a letter, depending. So, Id suggest being prepared for that and remember not to be a pest while waiting...bake some brownies and drop them off as a treat to eat while writing, but nothing more than that...good luck



Dr. xxxx

As you know, I am currently in the process of applying to medical school. One of the requirements of the application is to obtain a letter of recommendation from a physician whom I have shadowed. While I have shadowed other physicians, I have especially enjoyed the time I have spent in your practice. I love how you _______ and ________, and hope to be able to incorporate those things into my future practice. I hope you have been able to see my passion for this wonderful profession, and perhaps even observed some characteristics of mine that will help me to become a successful physician. If so, and you feel comfortable in writing me a strong letter of recommendation, I would greatly appreciate it.

I can imagine that you are very busy, but if you are able to write a letter for me, I have included a copy of my personal statement and my CV to assist you in the process. Also, please feel free to contact me any time for any additional details you would like, or if I could make the process any easier.

Thank you again for the chance to shadow you, and for your consideration to recommend me for medical school.

Sincerely,

Name
email
phone

 

[geh926]

Thanks for the response

I did ask him last summer and he responded that of course he'd be willing. We had a really laid back relationship so I just wanted to write this note to make sure he was still on board. I understand that I need to provide everything for him to write the letter (which I have done with my professor lor's), I just didn't want to bombard him with a PS, CV, transcript, and guide to writing letters on the first contact I've had with him in a while. Ya know? I have no doubt that he'd likely call or e-mail by the end of the week and still be willing and then I would likely meet with him or e-mail him all the necessary materials.
This is more of a greeting to make sure he was still interested.

Edit: PS I would consider sending one letter with everything and requesting the letter at that time. I just thought it would be more respectful to confirm his interests again and then go forward?

 

[nicolemsm]

Thanks for the response

I did ask him last summer and he responded that of course he'd be willing. We had a really laid back relationship so I just wanted to write this note to make sure he was still on board. I understand that I need to provide everything for him to write the letter (which I have done with my professor lor's), I just didn't want to bombard him with a PS, CV, transcript, and guide to writing letters on the first contact I've had with him in a while. Ya know? I have no doubt that he'd likely call or e-mail by the end of the week and still be willing and then I would likely meet with him or e-mail him all the necessary materials.
This is more of a greeting to make sure he was still interested.

Edit: PS I would consider sending one letter with everything and requesting the letter at that time. I just thought it would be more respectful to confirm his interests again and then go forward?

Call him up set an appt to meet with him (like you normally would do to shadow). Then drop by his office when your appointment is, bring your CV, personal statement in hand and any other supporting documents.

Take some time to catch up with him and then present your request for him to write you the letter.

E-mail requests can get lost easily, being in person will make the request more personal imo.

Also, dont forget to set a deadline -- if you expect your letter in a month see if he can meet that requirement b/c you dont want to be bothering his office receptionist or him each week looking for letter updates.

 

[kkw002]

Ya i understand you want to be respectful and all, but you dont have to worry about "bombarding" you doc because he will simply not open the attachments if he doesn't have time (or just straight out tell you he can't make whatever deadline you may have if thats the case). My whole idea is just that this will save time for both you and your doc (not having to go back and forth) as it can often take days for the doc to check/read the email and all that good stuff... They are busy people and you will be reducing their work if you include all the necessary information in the first email. Just kindly ask for the letter and let him know that you are now ready to apply for medical school along with your materials. He already agreed to write you the letter last time. He might turn you down this time if he really is busy with work, but not because you included a bunch of information that he needs to write the letter. But every doctor is different and only you know how your doc prefers things so go with what you think is best. And yes i agree going in person is always the best approach (although thats not always a possible option if you already moved out of the area).

Thanks for the response

I did ask him last summer and he responded that of course he'd be willing. We had a really laid back relationship so I just wanted to write this note to make sure he was still on board. I understand that I need to provide everything for him to write the letter (which I have done with my professor lor's), I just didn't want to bombard him with a PS, CV, transcript, and guide to writing letters on the first contact I've had with him in a while. Ya know? I have no doubt that he'd likely call or e-mail by the end of the week and still be willing and then I would likely meet with him or e-mail him all the necessary materials.
This is more of a greeting to make sure he was still interested.

Edit: PS I would consider sending one letter with everything and requesting the letter at that time. I just thought it would be more respectful to confirm his interests again and then go forward?

 

[geh926]

Hmmm..debating between these two alternatives you've all offered. I should note that I am dropping this off to his secretary as an unsealed letter, so it will see his desk vs. an e-mail (to which I'm not sure how frequently he checks).

 

[geh926]

So I ended up sending him a letter just to see if he was interested. I didn't hear for a week or so until his nurse called me today and said that he had completed the letter and I could pick it up 🙂
I was a little shocked since I hadn't given him any materials to work with, so he must have just focused on my shadowing experience which is completely fine with me. I told his nurse that I would come by tomorrow with some instructions on how to handle it. Do I just print out the Interfolio document request form and give it to him then? Is it alright if he didn't write in on letter head? (Not sure if he did). I just want to get this right on the first time and not bother him to do more work than he already has.

Thanks!

 

[MedPR]

So I ended up sending him a letter just to see if he was interested. I didn't hear for a week or so until his nurse called me today and said that he had completed the letter and I could pick it up 🙂
I was a little shocked since I hadn't given him any materials to work with, so he must have just focused on my shadowing experience which is completely fine with me. I told his nurse that I would come by tomorrow with some instructions on how to handle it. Do I just print out the Interfolio document request form and give it to him then? Is it alright if he didn't write in on letter head? (Not sure if he did). I just want to get this right on the first time and not bother him to do more work than he already has.

Thanks!

You really didn't do any research about requesting and having LORs submitted did you?

You should have sent him the interfolio document request with the request. It is not acceptable if it isn't on letterhead and/or if it isn't signed. You should have told him that he has the option to submit it electronically or via snail mail as the instructions state on the Interfolio form.

You should call the nurse and ask how the physician would like to submit it.

 

[DrWily]

You really didn't do any research about requesting and having LORs submitted did you?

You should have sent him the interfolio document request with the request. It is not acceptable if it isn't on letterhead and/or if it isn't signed. You should have told him that he has the option to submit it electronically or via snail mail as the instructions state on the Interfolio form.

You should call the nurse and ask how the physician would like to submit it.

I guess not everyone is a Rockstar Pre-med

 

[geh926]

You really didn't do any research about requesting and having LORs submitted did you?

You should have sent him the interfolio document request with the request. It is not acceptable if it isn't on letterhead and/or if it isn't signed. You should have told him that he has the option to submit it electronically or via snail mail as the instructions state on the Interfolio form.

You should call the nurse and ask how the physician would like to submit it.

Well, the interfolio printed document request says:

Upload an Electronic Document to interfolio.com

1. Create a free Interfolio account at www.interfolio.com. (If you already have an account, please login.)
2. On the Write Recommendations page, enter the document id:
3. Browse for your document and upload it.

Mail a Paper Copy of Your Letter to Interfolio

1. Print and sign your letter document
2. Print this form
3. Place the document and this form, without staples or paper clips, in an envelope addressed to Interfolio:

So when I drop this form off to him tomorrow, shouldn't he be able to decide for himself? I will also attach a reminder that it needs to be on official letterhead and signed. Like I said, I didn't even know he was for sure going to write it until I got the call that he was already done

 

[MedPR]

Well, the interfolio printed document request says:


Upload an Electronic Document to interfolio.com

1. Create a free Interfolio account at www.interfolio.com. (If you already have an account, please login.)
2. On the Write Recommendations page, enter the document id:
3. Browse for your document and upload it.

Mail a Paper Copy of Your Letter to Interfolio

1. Print and sign your letter document
2. Print this form
3. Place the document and this form, without staples or paper clips, in an envelope addressed to Interfolio:

So when I drop this form off to him tomorrow, shouldn't he be able to decide for himself? I will also attach a reminder that it needs to be on official letterhead and signed. Like I said, I didn't even know he was for sure going to write it until I got the call that he was already done

Yes, but letting him know ahead of time is just a matter of courtesy. You said the nurse told you that you could come by and pick it up, correct? To me that indicates that the physician thinks his work is done.. that he doesn't need to submit it himself. You should consider dropping off an adressed and stamped envelope as well.