Verification for shadowing/EC's??

[PRmed]

I was wondering if we need to get any sort of verification for whatever Extra Curriculars/volunteering/shadowing we do?

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[LizzyM]

A letter of recommendation from the person in whose lab you work as a researcher is key. If you work for several years at a particular EC and have climbed the ladder there (leadership, etc) then a LOR from the director or your supervisor is good. I sometimes see a LOR from a person whom the applicant has shadowed for a significant length of time but these tend to be a waste of paper (on time, well groomed, asked good questions, ... alert and oriented times three, well developed, well nourished, stable on room air )

Mostly you are taken at your word. As in medicine, you are as good as your word.

 

[PRmed]

A letter of recommendation from the person in whose lab you work as a researcher is key. If you work for several years at a particular EC and have climbed the ladder there (leadership, etc) then a LOR from the director or your supervisor is good. I sometimes see a LOR from a person whom the applicant has shadowed for a significant length of time but these tend to be a waste of paper (on time, well groomed, asked good questions, ... alert and oriented times three, well developed, well nourished, stable on room air )

Mostly you are taken at your word. As in medicine, you are as good as your word.

Thanks!

 

[ally1]

A letter of recommendation from the person in whose lab you work as a researcher is key. If you work for several years at a particular EC and have climbed the ladder there (leadership, etc) then a LOR from the director or your supervisor is good. I sometimes see a LOR from a person whom the applicant has shadowed for a significant length of time but these tend to be a waste of paper (on time, well groomed, asked good questions, ... alert and oriented times three, well developed, well nourished, stable on room air )

Mostly you are taken at your word. As in medicine, you are as good as your word.

so if you shadowed a lot is it not worth the time getting a letter? why would a letter from a researcher be more valid than from a hospital administrator or doctor at where you volunteered, Thanks!!!

 

[45408]

so if you shadowed a lot is it not worth the time getting a letter? why would a letter from a researcher be more valid than from a hospital administrator or doctor at where you volunteered, Thanks!!!

A doctor that you've shadowed isn't going to know a whole lot about your work ethic or things like that. I think the letter from my PI was probably the best one in my packet, because he knows me well, and everyone in the lab also knows each other a more casual/personal level. On the other hand, the doctor I've shadowed the most (and occasionally see in my line of work) can speak a bit about my general character, he doesn't know me in too much detail.

Now, if you volunteered somewhere for a while, then that letter might be more insightful. Basically, consider how well that person knows you and how informative their letter could be.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I plan on submitting a letter from my boss at the funeral home. He has told me that he has been in the business 30 years and that I am one of the best assistants in regards to my ability to deal with families he has ever had. I think that he will be my best source of an honest recommendation.

Honestly I would prefer to submit one from the fire department since I have leadership and medical experience through it, but my chief is a very poor writer- in fact I am normally tasked to write LOR's and grant proposals for him.

 

[madonna]

I plan on submitting a letter from my boss at the funeral home. He has told me that he has been in the business 30 years and that I am one of the best assistants in regards to my ability to deal with families he has ever had. I think that he will be my best source of an honest recommendation.

Honestly I would prefer to submit one from the fire department since I have leadership and medical experience through it, but my chief is a very poor writer- in fact I am normally tasked to write LOR's and grant proposals for him.

u can always write it for him and make it real good

 

[robotsonic]

I was wondering if we need to get any sort of verification for whatever Extra Curriculars/volunteering/shadowing we do?

On an application, you never need proof for an activity that you are involved in. Theoretically, you could lie and claim to do tons of activities that you know nothing about. But this is a very bad idea, because if you are caught in a lie like that you can forget about getting accepted. The way they can catch you is by asking you to talk about the experience at the interview - it's pretty hard to lie about what you have learned from an experience, and the interviewer will probably pick up on that.

So no, you don't need proof, but be honest on the application.

 

[Law2Doc]

On an application, you never need proof for an activity that you are involved in. Theoretically, you could lie and claim to do tons of activities that you know nothing about. But this is a very bad idea, because if you are caught in a lie like that you can forget about getting accepted. The way they can catch you is by asking you to talk about the experience at the interview - it's pretty hard to lie about what you have learned from an experience, and the interviewer will probably pick up on that.

So no, you don't need proof, but be honest on the application.

Also bear in mind that the medical community is sometimes a small one, and if you claim to have shadowed a certain doctor or group, it is always conceivable that someone on the adcom will know the doctor or someone in the group, and might pick up a phone. It has been known to happen, although is atypical.

 

[45408]

Also bear in mind that the medical community is sometimes a small one, and if you claim to have shadowed a certain doctor or group, it is always conceivable that someone on the adcom will know the doctor or someone in the group, and might pick up a phone. It has been known to happen, although is atypical.

I don't know that he phoned to verify that I had shadowed them, but one of my interviewers was the attending when two of the surgeons I shadowed were still residents (both of whom are at least 45-50 now!). This retired surgeon had been around the block at least a few times.