Recommendations from work?

[mefistofel]

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I was wondering if I will need any recommendations from my last employment. What if I went to school full-time after working for several years? Will they still want to have any letters from work? What kind of recommendations they are interested? Thank you for you help, guys!

Mef!

 

[Winged Scapula]

Presumably you're speaking of LORs for medical school.

Most programs prefer letters from your academic professors as they are in a better position to judge your academic capabilities/potential to be a future physician. If your former career is medically relevant, then a letter from your supervisor would not be ill-placed but in general, letters from academics are preferred.

On that note, moving to Pre-Allo forum...

 

[coredump]

I'm in a similar situation. I've worked for a few years after graduating and am now applying to medical school. I was unable to find enough academic letters, so I called the schools that I was applying to and asked if letters from my employer would suffice. None of them seemed to have a problem with it.

I don't see how academic letters would better gauge your potential to become a physician. In fact, I figured a former employer would stand a better chance at vouching for that. An employer (manager) can just as easily attest to your intelligence, attitude, and overall character from observing your work history. Many people are excellent students, but horrible colleagues.

You should call the schools to make sure. But, if an employer can give a solid LOR for you, I'd choose that over a so-so academic letter.

(just my .02)

Good luck!

 

[duncanfj]

coredump---

Would you mind listing the schools you talked with. I've talked with some, and it seems it depends on who you talk with as to the answer you get. OSU was okay with letters from employers, Vermont and UIC were fairly nasty about it and said no.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Originally posted by coredump
I don't see how academic letters would better gauge your potential to become a physician. In fact, I figured a former employer would stand a better chance at vouching for that. An employer (manager) can just as easily attest to your intelligence, attitude, and overall character from observing your work history. Many people are excellent students, but horrible colleagues.

You should call the schools to make sure. But, if an employer can give a solid LOR for you, I'd choose that over a so-so academic letter.

(just my .02)

Good luck!

I agree - most schools will accept an LOR from an employer but honestly, even though it doesn't make much sense, conventional wisdom is that your academic professors have a better idea about how well you'll fair in medical school (despite the fact that most of them have never been to medical school).

I would be careful about these letters, if only because some schools specify LORS from science/non-science professors. Check and make sure before including them in your file.

 

[bigdan]

me & core-
I also agree that calling the schools that you're interested in may be the best route. First, it seems that there IS some variation is what is desired. Second, why not just get it from the horse's mouth?
My pre-medical advisor and SUNY Syracuse AdCom both inferred that they were interested in letters from my current employer. Your current employer can vouch for "real world" characteristics that an academic author might not be able to shed light on. I'm gonna ask my CEO to submit a letter for me.
Good luck!

dc

 

[ma-bas]

I'm like you all. I've been out of school a few years too. I ended up getting one undergrad letter, one graduate letter and one employment letter. I contacted a bunch of schools and they all said it was fine. Some were nicer than others. You may want to email them, save their responses and then you have proof if you need it.

 

[coredump]

Originally posted by duncanfj
coredump---

Would you mind listing the schools you talked with. I've talked with some, and it seems it depends on who you talk with as to the answer you get. OSU was okay with letters from employers, Vermont and UIC were fairly nasty about it and said no.

I'm interested only in IL schools, so I spoke with UIC, Rush, and Loyola. Although, I think ma-bas had a good idea: I'll probably email them and save the responses. The further I go in the process, the more confidence I lose in it. Hopefully, they don't change their story in writing!

 

[duncanfj]

coredump--

From what I've experienced, just e-mail them again and hopefully get someone else who gives you the answer you want. The woman at UIC said my app was on hold because I didn't have enough academic letters. I think I'll try the e-mail route as well.