What's Protocol here?

[donkeykong1]

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So I shadowed a DO about a month ago for a day and asked him for a letter of rec to be sent to my undergrad school for filing after our day was over, and he gladly said sure. I also sent him an email the next day with my resume/accomplishments.

i sent him an email 3 days ago to confirm that he actually sent the letter, and got no response. I plan on applying next cycle, so although i have some time, its kind of hard to find a "shadowable" DO in my area.

What should i do next?

 

[jzrull]

Keep pestering him with e-mails. I know it sounds sort of inappropriate, but I have had to do that with all of my letter writers as well. They won't mind it, and your letter won't suffer the slightest for it.

 

[judasreznor]

Can you see about going by his office again and talking to his staff about the letter? An in-person reminder my help speed things up. Make sure to call before you go, though.

 

[HimeMomo]

I would bring a thank you gift along with that office visit, its always nice, to show that you appreciated his time and writing you that letter.

Thank yous are very important in mentor/student at least in my culture

 

[donkeykong1]

would a thank you card sent to his office by snail mail be appropriate?

 

[BassCaster]

I was in a similar position last cycle... My doc wouldn't return my calls. I just showed up at her clinic, before office hours, w/ a box of fresh oven baked cookies from corner bakery. The nurses, PA, and front desk seemed to appreciate it. Got the letter the following day.
Good luck!

 

[HimeMomo]

if you were her/him would you prefer Thank you card or Thank you chocolate chip cookies? =D

 

[jinobi]

Cookies definitely help. Especially if they're homemade. I'm now trading recipes with my DO's wife, who happens to be a chef. 😛

 

[donkeykong1]

box of fancy shmansy chocolates finally did the trick ~2 months after i shadowed him. i think it was the nougat that bribed him into writing me the letter 🙂

 

[ScarletKnights]

i would try visiting him first before sending many emails. I sent a couple emails to my biochem professor for a letter since I am applying this summer. His last response was "One of the factors I write about in my letters is character, and frankly these emails do not help you." I never asked him for a letter after that lol.

 

[donkeykong1]

will do for future references.

the doc is also sending me a copy of the letter, so i guess i'll find out sooner or later if he was pissed off or not. but then again how can someone be ticked off with a box of chocolate and a cute card....