Timing LOR from EMT program director

[sapama]

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I'm currently in an EMT program and was thinking about asking the program director/instructor for a LOR. I realize it's not a science faculty letter but I'm doing well and I think he would write me a good letter. What I'm wondering is this: I finish the program in December but will not be applying until next June, should I ask for the letter now? Also wondering if I should ask my chem 1 lab instructor this semester for one. How old is considered too old for letters? I don't want them to forget about me! So far I'm thinking I could ask my former principal where I taught and maybe the fire chiefs where I will be volunteering as a first responder, and hopefully employer wherever I work as an EMT.

Thanks all!

 

[45408]

In my experience, letters written by anyone other than physicians and professors tend to be fairly useless. There are exceptions, yes, but there's no way I would've ever asked my EMT instructor. Likewise, fire chiefs and employers are also not good people to ask for a letter.

If you want an LOR, you should ask during or shortly after a class concludes.

 

[apumic]

In my experience, letters written by anyone other than physicians and professors tend to be fairly useless. There are exceptions, yes, but there's no way I would've ever asked my EMT instructor. Likewise, fire chiefs and employers are also not good people to ask for a letter.

If you want an LOR, you should ask during or shortly after a class concludes.

^My thoughts exactly.

If you have clinical experience under this person and they have a doctoral-level degree of some time, that's one thing, but IME an EMT instructor would be unfit for such a task for 2 reasons: 1) if he has only seen you in class and/or read a few notes from EMT-level preceptors, he doesn't really have much to base his LOR on that any science professor wouldn't have, and 2) while not exactly P.C. (and I hold nothing against them for this, however...), the fact that most EMT instructors lack a BA/BS, much less a masters or doctoral degree (and IME, many can hardly spell -- once again, I don't hold this against them) means their letters are not likely to be particularly helpful to you. Unfortunately, people do judge by things like spelling, expressiveness, etc., and as many EMT instructors lack advanced education, it is likely your letter would be somewhat sloppy by the standards of an adcom and this might work to your detriment (in an unfair world....)

 

[MexicanDr]

My EMT Instructor had a DNP and Ph.D. pretty smart dude.

So LORs are supposed to be asked as soon as you finish the class? I thought most people asked for LORs a few years after they took the courses. So does this mean the LORs do not have to be dated or what?

 

[apumic]

My EMT Instructor had a DNP and Ph.D. pretty smart dude.

So LORs are supposed to be asked as soon as you finish the class? I thought most people asked for LORs a few years after they took the courses. So does this mean the LORs do not have to be dated or what?

That's cool he's well-prepared! Not the norm, but really great! (My experience seems to be at least quite common, though, as it is even mentioned as a significant quality issue in EMS by certain EMS textbook authors.)

At the same time, if he has only seen you in class, I doubt he can add much, esp. since the clinical time (excluding skills labs and such) for an EMT-B is so small (~20 hrs required prior to certification). The feedback your instructor gets from that period of time is going to be pretty limited unless you do an EMT-B "internship" semester or something....

I'd think I'd much prefer an LOR from the ER doc where you worked for a year as an EMT-B-certified ER Tech if I were on an adcom.... If it hasn't been said once, it's been said a few hundred times here: the EMT course itself counts for little, if anything, in med school admissions. It's what you do w/ that certification that matters, so go use it and then get an LOR from your clinical supervisor (preferably an MD/DO).

As far as timing, it is best to get an LOR near the time it will be submitted (as the fresher it is, the better -- a 1 or 2 year old LOR doesn't really say much about you now and one any older than 2 years is probably nearly worthless). At the same time, you still want to be fresh on the LOR writer's mind, so waiting until you apply might lose you that advantage. This is one more reason why long-term relationships are best for LOR writers and one more reason an EMT instructor is probably not a good option. Instructors you have for several semesters and/or have and then do research or TA for are generally much better as they have a wider foundation upon which to write that flattering letter.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

In my experience, letters written by anyone other than physicians and professors tend to be fairly useless. There are exceptions, yes, but there's no way I would've ever asked my EMT instructor. Likewise, fire chiefs and employers are also not good people to ask for a letter.

If you want an LOR, you should ask during or shortly after a class concludes.

Is it even possible to determine which letters have helped you in the process and which haven't? Just curious...

 

[apumic]

Is it even possible to determine which letters have helped you in the process and which haven't? Just curious...

Not unless an interviewer or someone else gives you specific feedback.

Otherwise, you know based on talking w/ people who use LORs in admissions decisions or otherwise.

 

[sapama]

Thanks for all the info so far. My EMT program director does have an advanced degree and is in the Air Force, we have a good relationship (more so than any college professor I've had) and I do believe he would write a good letter for me, however I realize this isn't the norm. As far as other people to ask I guess I was thinking being a nontrad they would like to see something from a former career employer. Especially someone who could speak of my teaching experience (are doctors not often teachers to their patients?). I guess I'll try to cozy up the profs more this next semester and see about getting more academic letters.

So here's a refined question: The LORs, when you ask someone for it do they give directly to you and then you send off to the schools? If so, can it really hurt to get letters from more people than you need, read over and pick the best to send? In the past when I've needed a letter for something they had to have it sealed and sent directly, wondering if it was the same...

Thanks and happy Thanksgiving!

 

[apumic]

Thanks for all the info so far. My EMT program director does have an advanced degree and is in the Air Force, we have a good relationship (more so than any college professor I've had) and I do believe he would write a good letter for me, however I realize this isn't the norm. As far as other people to ask I guess I was thinking being a nontrad they would like to see something from a former career employer. Especially someone who could speak of my teaching experience (are doctors not often teachers to their patients?). I guess I'll try to cozy up the profs more this next semester and see about getting more academic letters.

So here's a refined question: The LORs, when you ask someone for it do they give directly to you and then you send off to the schools? If so, can it really hurt to get letters from more people than you need, read over and pick the best to send? In the past when I've needed a letter for something they had to have it sealed and sent directly, wondering if it was the same...

Thanks and happy Thanksgiving!

It's pretty much all electronic now. You don't get to see the letters, so you have to take their word for it as to whether or not they can (and will) write you a strong letter.

 

[45408]

Is it even possible to determine which letters have helped you in the process and which haven't? Just curious...

As the applicant? No, not really.