quick questions

[fudGez14]

hey all,

i just have a few unrelated questions. first, do medical school application committees look at a letter of recommendation from a DO differently than they do with a letter recommendation from a MD? This is if you're applying to a MD school, not DO school. Is there any detriment at all?

Also, when publishing a paper, how big of a difference/impact is there between being the 3rd author or a 5th author of a paper published in like Journal of Neuroscience? Would it still be significant nonetheless? Also, just for knowledge sake, how do they usually determine who is which author? Does it go by seniority in the lab, or by amount of work done? Because besides the grad student who is the first author, I have done more work than the other research assistants/undergrads in the lab but I am currently slated as the fifth author, which I think is the case because I am the youngest (rising junior) as opposed to the graduated seniors and research assistants.


thanks in advance!

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[theseeker4]

hey all,

i just have a few unrelated questions. first, do medical school application committees look at a letter of recommendation from a DO differently than they do with a letter recommendation from a MD? This is if you're applying to a MD school, not DO school. Is there any detriment at all?

Also, when publishing a paper, how big of a difference/impact is there between being the 3rd author or a 5th author of a paper published in like Journal of Neuroscience? Would it still be significant nonetheless? Also, just for knowledge sake, how do they usually determine who is which author? Does it go by seniority in the lab, or by amount of work done? Because besides the grad student who is the first author, I have done more work than the other research assistants/undergrads in the lab but I am currently slated as the fifth author, which I think is the case because I am the youngest (rising junior) as opposed to the graduated seniors and research assistants.


thanks in advance!

A recommendation from a doctor is pretty worthless for your application, whether MD or DO (other than schools that specifically request one of course, usually DO schools).

Any publication will look good, and don't worry about which author you are listed as. Just be able to discuss the project in depth in interviews.

 

[fudGez14]

wait, is it even worthless if it is one of the supplementary/extra letters of recommendation? i understand that my three letters of recommendation usually come from PI's, professors, or people that know me really well. is it worth pursuing and developing a close relationship with a few doctors over the years so they can write a more personal letter of recommendation? would that be of any benefit towards admissions?

oh okay i understand with the publications. thanks!

 

[theseeker4]

wait, is it even worthless if it is one of the supplementary/extra letters of recommendation? i understand that my three letters of recommendation usually come from PI's, professors, or people that know me really well. is it worth pursuing and developing a close relationship with a few doctors over the years so they can write a more personal letter of recommendation? would that be of any benefit towards admissions?

oh okay i understand with the publications. thanks!

Adcoms who have answered this question on here have said that a doctor recommendation is really nothing other than a character reference, which isn't really very valuable. They care about what kind of student you are (hence the professor requirements) and they like the research-related PI LOR's (though those are not a must for regular MD at most schools). Some people think a physician LOR holds weight, but of those who actually have sat on adcoms, I am not aware of anyone saying they have a significant effect. Get one if you want, but it isn't likely to have any real influence.

 

[Revolver1045]

Adcoms who have answered this question on here have said that a doctor recommendation is really nothing other than a character reference, which isn't really very valuable. They care about what kind of student you are (hence the professor requirements) and they like the research-related PI LOR's (though those are not a must for regular MD at most schools). Some people think a physician LOR holds weight, but of those who actually have sat on adcoms, I am not aware of anyone saying they have a significant effect. Get one if you want, but it isn't likely to have any real influence.

Can you post a thread link? I had a friend get rejected by a med school and the school said along with no shadowing experience that he did not have a letter stating that he had qualities becoming of a physician or that could comment on his potential as an md.

Just wondering because i have a stellar letter of Rec from a physician that I have known for years. I know it's great cause I've read it. I also have one from another physician he let me read it too and the letter he wrote was brutal (not using it). "so and so is nice. He works hard. He is personable..." so I have a reference for what's good or bad. I guess I'm just worried I put too much faith in that letter

 

[1289]

Can you post a thread link? I had a friend get rejected by a med school and the school said along with no shadowing experience that he did not have a letter stating that he had qualities becoming of a physician or that could comment on his potential as an md.

Just wondering because i have a stellar letter of Rec from a physician that I have known for years. I know it's great cause I've read it. I also have one from another physician he let me read it too and the letter he wrote was brutal (not using it). "so and so is nice. He works hard. He is personable..." so I have a reference for what's good or bad. I guess I'm just worried I put too much faith in that letter

Well you don't need an MD to write a letter in order for it convey your potential for succeeding in medicine. I'm referring to your friend here btw.

 

[Revolver1045]

Well you don't need an MD to write a letter in order for it convey your potential for succeeding in medicine. I'm referring to your friend here btw.

Yeah that makes sense. But the school, let's just call it carver school of medicine, said that his interview went well, that his grades were up to par and that (my above post) was their main argument for rejection. Keep in mind he was an out of state applicant and the interview was in January (maybe kind of late)

 

[1289]

Well that just means that he had a strong app but weak LORs. For those few coveted OOS spots at the big ten schools the competition is outrageous. There were probably enough qualified OOSers to fill the spots who had everything your friend had, but also had strong LORs

 

[majahops]

First, do medical school application committees look at a letter of recommendation from a DO differently than they do with a letter recommendation from a MD? This is if you're applying to a MD school, not DO school. Is there any detriment at all?

-- Only if you happen to get some random jerk reviewing that DOs letter... a very low probability occurrence. Otherwise, no. Not at all. Most letters of rec come from PhD's, which are much further professionally from MDs then DOs are. So no, this is a NON-ISSUE.

Also, when publishing a paper, how big of a difference/impact is there between being the 3rd author or a 5th author of a paper published in like Journal of Neuroscience? Would it still be significant nonetheless?

--- Still significant. Doesn't matter at all. Even the 1st author isn't necessarily "better." A lot of times senior accomplished researchers put premeds / graduate students / med students on papers as 1st authors to boost the young person's career, even if the young person didn't do much on the paper. Any skeptical reviewer will essentially disregard the order in which your name is listed.

--- If you are AN author on an article in Journal of Neuroscience, then you, my friend, are a big dick playa and you're doing just fine for yourself.