sending a moderate letter?

[akimhaneul]

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I am applying to a medical school known for the most active cancer research program and heavily funded by National Cancer Institute. During my gap years, I worked with a renowned physician scientist in NCI and had several co-author papers with him. But the lab had high expectations and produced two Nobel Laureates. and my PI told me that my letter will be "moderate." Should I send his letter to this medical school? I currently work in another lab in MD Anderson and work with another famous PI who sent me a strong letter. Should I just go with this strong letter from MD Anderson and do not send a moderate letter from National Cancer Institute to a medical school that has a heavy emphasis on cancer research?

What do you think? @Goro

 

[Goro]

Do not send this LOR, unless his definition of "moderate " is "great" by other people's standards.

 

[Engrailed]

I am applying to a medical school known for the most active cancer research program and heavily funded by National Cancer Institute. During my gap years, I worked with a renowned physician scientist in NCI and had several co-author papers with him. But the lab had high expectations and produced two Nobel Laureates. and my PI told me that my letter will be "moderate." Should I send his letter to this medical school? I currently work in another lab in MD Anderson and work with another famous PI who sent me a strong letter. Should I just go with this strong letter from MD Anderson and do not send a moderate letter from National Cancer Institute to a medical school that has a heavy emphasis on cancer research?

What do you think? @Goro

What @Goro said.
But also, what is a “moderate” letter? Yikes! Strange PIs out there lol...

 

[LizzyM]

Some people will say that "this applicant is in the top 2% of the undergraduates I've had in my lab in the past 45 years" or some variation on that (top 5%, top 10%, etc). Others will say, with kindness, that you were a hard worker, collaborative, a team player, you baked the best cupcakes for lab celebrations, and it is clear that you are making the right choice to pursue medicine rather than a PhD" That could be seen as a moderate letter for someone who did their best in lab but who is not superlative. Those kind of "moderate letters" are not dream crushers.

 

[Lawpy]

Personally i'd rather not use PI letters that aren't strong

 

[LizzyM]

To work with someone for an entire gap year and not have a letter is almost worse than having a moderate letter. Not having a letter after that length of time and commitment is sometimes interpreted as the alternative to a weak letter. Damned if you do but more damned if you don't.