references/LOR question

[sunnex3]

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does anyone know if schools contact people/places listed as an "experience" on the VMCAS, but that place isn't where you got your recommendation from? For example, I worked in 2 different research labs in UG (for work study) but they are not my sources of my LORs. Will they contact these people? My places of employment varied a lot during UG because I couldn't find one that I could be really enthusiastic about (for example, I worked in a derm lab for only a semester after I figured out that research is NOT for me)

Thanks!

 

[twelvetigers]

Some schools will, but most schools won't - that's a lot of places to check for a lot of applicants. Maybe if they have a specific reason to? I just recall LVT2DVM mentioning that some of her experience references were called by UGA, so I know it *does* happen, but I can't imagine it happening a lot.

At any rate, don't worry about it. 🙂

 

[sunnex3]

mainly asking because the main reason i worked in these labs were a)i'm a work study student and needed the $$ and b) i wanted to find out if i'm interested in research (which i'm definitely not).

therefore, my experience in these labs wasn't the greatest, and i never got to know anyone that well. i do not want them to reflect badly upon me in the case that they are contacted...is it OK to omit contact phone #/email on VMCAS/supplementals? My experience wasn't that fulfilling and I'm MUCH more of a hands on person (i.e. my recommendations from the vets i've worked for at a large emergency/specialy hospital will probably be awesome cause i LOVEd working there) Research? not so much, and I think whoever I worked with in the labs probably know that I wasn't all that much enthuastic. Therefore, I'm tinking of either a) putting those xperiences in WORK experience because I don't consider it so much VETERINARY experience... or b) omitting contact info.

opinions?

also, don't misunderstand this for me lacking in dedication, it's just that these were just JOBS to me and not so much EXPERIENCES.

i'm just a little concerned about this one aspect of my application...😱

 

[hunterjumper12]

NCSU told me that they will only call your vet experiences if they have a question (or think you are exaggerating) your hours. I don't think they contact the animal experience or extracurricular at all.

Perhaps you could call or email the lab supervisor and remind them who you are and tell them that you are applying to vet school this fall and ask if it is OK for the adcoms to contact them? I would put the contact information in there, but would make sure that I did not exaggerate my hours or duties. I think that if the adcoms have no reason to, then they won't call.

 

[twelvetigers]

I don't think they'll call, and if they did, I don't think the people would be like, "Oh yeah, her. She sucked." I think you're worrying about it a bit much.

If you think it's vet experience, put it there!

Leaving out the contact information would probably work in the opposite way intended by raising a red flag.

 

[sunnex3]

how worried should i be about the fact that they might have a bad opinion about me because i wasn't the most enthusiastic and this area wasn't really my "niche"? i'm worried that someone might contact them and they'll be like, oh she wasn't really that committed and not that enthusiastic about the job.

am i just freaking myself out?

 

[twelvetigers]

am i just freaking myself out?

I think so.

 

[StartingoverVet]

am i just freaking myself out?

Trust your instincts.
If you are asking yourself this question then you already know the answer is "yes". 😀

 

[sunnex3]

i mean (obviously) i'm not going to lie or exaggerate my hours, but my UG is also where i'm applying for vet school...so SOMEONE looking at my app probably knows who i've worked for. that's really the only aspect i'm worried about.

i'm graduating this year however, and won't be applying this next summer (at the earliest) because i want to take off some time from all the studying and such.

i'm positive my other LORs (two internal medicine vets and one is the medical director at a shelter i did volunteer tech stuff, my gen chem II prof, and my advisor from freshman + sophomore year) will be good, if not excellent.

i just don't want this choice of me doing work study in research positions to negatively affect my application, just because i pretty much HAD to get a job.

thanks everyone, i tend to over analyze things and worry about them way in advance, so it helps to hear everyone's opinion! 😀