Shaman writing a letter of rec?!?

[Pinkfluffybunny]

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[deleted1017883]

I wouldn't get a LOR from a shaman but up to you lol

 

[Banco]

Like, is this a university professor you took a class with? If so, should be alright technically speaking if this is someone who knows you and can speak positively to your professional/personal qualities. I probably wouldn't go to a shaman in the community looking for a letter. But then again how is that any different from asking a community leader/priest/imam/rabbi who you've worked with.

If you already have 3 letters tho you don't need another one unless you believe it is going to be unbelievably good.

 

[DNAJB6]

It sounds controversial. I would avoid controversy including controversial letter of recommendation writers when applying.

 

[Pinkfluffybunny]

def not including it now, thanks for the feedback

 

[lanadelgay124]

I think it would be cool to show that I can think outside the box and look at holistic treatment as well but I'm not sure if people would see this as too weird

Your LORs are not the place for experimentation, or pushing the boundaries of alternative or "weird." Please avoid.

 

[Goro]

Hi! I tried to google this but I couldn't find any results. Basically for one of my classes I took a course on nature based healing with a shaman and it has herbal therapies and stuff like that. I think the rest of my app demonstrates that I clearly value and am capable of comprehending western science, but I have a great relationship with the shaman and I was wondering if it would seem weird to get a letter of rec from her!
I think it would be cool to show that I can think outside the box and look at holistic treatment as well but I'm not sure if people would see this as too weird since the one thread I DID find on SDN was a bunch of people sort of bashing shamanism and non western medicine

I also think this would be pretty cool because I learned a lot about meditation + I hope to work with a wide variety of people and in my experience a lot of patients do actually really believe in these traditions.

Should I have it be an extra letter of rec aside from my 2 science and 1 non science professor letters ?

Don't go there.

 

[LizzyM]

Sometimes, you will hear people say that medicine is very "conservative". And some people would interprete that as politically conservative which is not accurate, there are physicians who are politically conservative and those who are politically liberal. But, for the most part, physicians are "conventional" in their thinking and they like medical students who are, for the most part, conventional. That's why showing up in a red plaid suit on interview day is frowned upon. That's why wearing an eyebrow piercing to an interview might not be a good idea. That's why a letter from a shaman.... well, you get the idea.

 

[Taskha]

It really depend on schools. Take an example of mine, I'm from a Siberian nation and my personal statement is all about my Shaman heritage. I let people read it, 50% love it, 50% think it's a big red flag. Now I'm in my state school which is a T10-15 MD. I think the Shaman topic is really like gambling, it either helps you get in or fail your whole cycle.
But for LOR, I encourage you to look for MD and DO. Just put the Shaman experience in your activities.