Uncle MD wants to write me an LOR

[Gavanshir]

Hello, My uncle (aunt's husband) is an MD and the division director at a big hospital, he contacted me recently and wants to write a letter of recommendation for me to the deans of a few of the schools that I am applying to. He would be giving them his candid opinion of me.

I already have all of my required LORs from profs and research supervisors. what does everyone think about this? I think a letter from him would be helpful but I dont know to what extent if any adcoms would look down on this. And we don't share the same last name.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MilkmanAl]

If they don't know he's related to you, how could it hurt?

 

[Catalystik]

If the letter is primarily a character reference, I doubt it will help much. Has your uncle ever had occasion to observe you in a clinical situation? Commentary on this would be more useful. If he's offered to write such a letter, I can see where you'd feel that it might hurt his feelings if you refuse. If you do accept the letter, that doesn't mean you'd actually have to send it out, if it's nothing more than an accolade about what a nice person you are.

 

[link2swim06]

Does he personally know the dean or do the deans know him? If so this would probably help, but if they don't know who he is I don't see how it can be much better than a normal LOR.

 

[LossForWords]

I agree with what the other posters have said. If it won't be anything more than a character reference, then you might not want to bother. Don't want to bog down the adcom with extraneous letters. On the other hand, if it will be a glowing, clinically-relevant LOR, then those can never hurt either.

 

[Gavanshir]

If they don't know he's related to you, how could it hurt?

Well I imagine he would have to explain his relationship to me in the letter, unless he wants to make something up (he doesn't).

 

[Gavanshir]

Thank you for your replies, he doesn't personally know those deans although he does have quite a good reputation in the area. I guess it can't hurt. Thanks.