Self-written letter of recommendation

[Nailey13]

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I should preface this by saying that I will be applying next year for PT school (for entrance in 2013) and have some time to figure this out.

I was just wondering what everyone thought about being asked to write your own letter of recommendation. The PT I observed for 100 hours (outpatient orthopedic and peds) informed me near the end of my stint that he would not be able to write my letter of recommendation himself (time constraints) and would instead like me to write it; he would then look it over and sign off on it (if he approved of the content).

While I realize this is common practice in other settings, my gut says something is just not right here; it feels a little questionable given that PT schools seem to place a great deal of importance on the assessment of the applicant as a potential practitioner of PT by current professionals.

And I would ask for a recommendation from the inpatient/hospital setting that I'm volunteering in, but my rotation has me with a different PT each week and there doesn't seem to be an opportunity to build any type of rapport robust enough to warrant a request for a recommendation letter. Though I also plan to start a volunteering stint at a rehab hospital next spring/summer, I can't be sure that I'll be able to get a PT-written recommendation there either.

Should I be seeking out other physical therapy experiences now in the hopes that I can get recommendation? Thank you in advance for your help.

Nathan

 

[flyhi]

I have found this request to be not uncommon with busy professionals, nor do I see any issue with it. He has told you he is going to review it for content and then sign off on it. This is as good as him writing it, in my opinion. It's his signature.

You have put the time in and he has offered to submit a LOR on your behalf. He would not ask this if he were not going to write you a very good letter himself. So, take advantage of it and make it shine.

The task is actually not that easy to do...knowing that a professional is going to read and critique all of the glowing remarks you are going to write about yourself. It is quite humbling. I think you will find it a good exercise in that you will quickly realize your true strengths and weaknesses. You will also appreciate what goes into someone writing a LOR for you.

Good Luck!

 

[stopitmarcy]

Doesn't PTCAS send the PT a list of questions via email for them to answer? Unless he emails them back to you? Either way I think that is kind of weird in my opinion. It's like writing your own happy anniversary card and asking your boyfriend to sign it (i have the worst analogies) Why don't you volunteer elsewhere and find a reliable PT to write you one? And just have this one write off on your hours. You should find a place that has well known volunteer programs (rehab hospitals, major hospitals) that probably write recommendations all the time.

 

[markelmarcel]

Doesn't PTCAS send the PT a list of questions via email for them to answer?

I agree with stopitmarcy (great username, btw)... There are questions from PTCAS for all LOR. However, you can choose paper LOR and then it could be filled out by hand and turned in, thus I suppose the person could then still do it... But yes, there is a checklist that has to be completed as part of PTCAS requirements. If the applicant is going to apply to Non-PTCAS schools then it doesn't matter much.

 

[thekman]

It's like writing your own happy anniversary card and asking your boyfriend to sign it

I just want to say that this simile is amazing. 👍

 

[Nailey13]

I want to thank you all for your replies (and PMs). I'm inclined to think that even though my experience with this PT was very good and I greatly regret that he won't be writing me a recommendation personally, I will go elsewhere for additional outpatient orthopedic shadowing. And in keeping with what others have been told on this forum, I'll make sure that ask at the beginning of the shadowing experience whether the PT writes her/his own recommendations.