What to ask for in a Research Letter of Rec (LOR)?

[manohman]

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I'v worked as research technician for a couple of years now and am ready to ask for a letter of recommendation for medical school. I'v been a few years out from undergrad and have been dealing with some serious spine issues (spinal fusion incoming) so have been out of touch with the process for a while.

What do you usually ask your mentor to write about or emphasize in your Research letter?

 

[gyngyn]

https://www.aamc.org/download/349990/data/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf

 

[aalamruad]

https://www.aamc.org/download/349990/data/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf

@manohman I'm gonna advise against using the guidelines in this brochure. While letters of evaluation are better for adcoms, are more objective, and would be great if all letters were evaluations rather than recommendations, the reality is that you'll be competing against applicants who are exclusively using letters of recommendation. They'll be absolutely glowing, and won't say a single negative thing, so if your letter writers decide to objectively evaluate you rather than advocate for you, you'll be at a disadvantage.

In theory, I'm on board with the switch from LOR --> LOE, but in reality it'll never happen.

 

[manohman]

@manohman I'm gonna advise against using the guidelines in this brochure. While letters of evaluation are better for adcoms, are more objective, and would be great if all letters were evaluations rather than recommendations, the reality is that you'll be competing against applicants who are exclusively using letters of recommendation. They'll be absolutely glowing, and won't say a single negative thing, so if your letter writers decide to objectively evaluate you rather than advocate for you, you'll be at a disadvantage.

In theory, I'm on board with the switch from LOR --> LOE, but in reality it'll never happen.

I see. That makes sense and i had no idea about the change.

My postdoc asked me what types of things he should focus on and so i am a bit unsure. Research project specifics/info and my role are a definite (right?) but besides that are there other aspects of a research experience that adcoms are looking to be emphasized?

 

[gyngyn]

I see. That makes sense and i had no idea about the change.

My postdoc asked me what types of things he should focus on and so i am a bit unsure. Research project specifics/info and my role are a definite (right?) but besides that are there other aspects of a research experience that adcoms are looking to be emphasized?

We are looking for exactly the qualities described by the AAMC in the pdf.
Sadly, most letters are useless.
To the degree that the author reflects on the qualities outlined above, you will benefit.

 

[aalamruad]

I see. That makes sense and i had no idea about the change.

My postdoc asked me what types of things he should focus on and so i am a bit unsure. Research project specifics/info and my role are a definite (right?) but besides that are there other aspects of a research experience that adcoms are looking to be emphasized?

We are looking for exactly the qualities described by the AAMC in the pdf.
Sadly, most letters are useless.
To the degree that the author reflects on the qualities outlined above, you will benefit.

I should clarify; the list of core competencies in the AAMC pdf is fantastic, I was only referring to the part that discussed objective evaluation rather than advocacy.

In addition to discussing those core competencies with my LOR writers, I asked them to focus more attention on areas that I knew my other LOR writers couldn't. For example, since I knew many of my LOR writers would discuss my academic abilities/critical thinking skills/etc., I asked others to focus more on my sense of ethics/interpersonal communication/resilience in personal and family struggles/etc. Basically, if you know your other LOR writers will emphasize certain qualities about you, ask your postdoc to focus more on the factors that the other writers didn't mention.