When to ask for LoR from shadowing physician?

[pre med 2014]

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So I have heard it can take 4 months for a doc to send out a letter. Yet if I have them send it now it would go to this application cycle and would have to be resent in May when the new AMCAS loads up. What do people do? Is email fine for the request or is a phone call better?

 

[kami333]

Interfolio

Go by your experience with the physician, does he do things right away as they come up or at the deadline? I think both calling and emailing are fine, just depends on what you (and they) prefer. My friend shadowed a physician and got their LoR in a few days. I work for a physician and he took 3months of constant reminding, and I know from experience that calling him never works (and email is hit or miss).

 

[mimelim]

Letter from someone you shadowed = weak letter

 

[pre med 2014]

Letter from someone you shadowed = weak letter

Who are you supposed to get it from then?

 

[mimelim]

Who are you supposed to get it from then?

Letters where you got a A in a class and asked for a letter are weak letters.

Letter strength:

1) How well the writers know you.
2) What the letter writer can say about you and talk about the qualities that make you a good bet for a school.
3) Who the writer is.

One out of three is worth it if you are short letters. Two out of three is a good letter. Three out of three is a strong letter. Letters written by professors that your relationship revolves around one class are going to be poor letters.

The same applies to shadowing letters. Someone you shadow doesn't know you well. They can't talk about any qualities or skills that you possess that are attractive to medical schools. Ergo, weak letter.

 

[Larry_David]

The same applies to shadowing letters. Someone you shadow doesn't know you well. They can't talk about any qualities or skills that you possess that are attractive to medical schools. Ergo, weak letter.

definitely agree with this, but I don't really understand how any science professor can write a letter any better than a physician you shadowed, unless you do research with him/her. what have they truly observed about you, besides intelligence and concern for grade? 😕

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

definitely agree with this, but I don't really understand how any science professor can write a letter any better than a physician you shadowed, unless you do research with him/her. what have they truly observed about you, besides intelligence and concern for grade? 😕

A professor can comment on your intellect, writing ability, creativity, work ethic, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, etc.

What's a shadowed doc going to say? "This guy followed me around for a couple months and didn't get in my way so he's cool I guess."?

 

[Aerus]

A professor can comment on your intellect, writing ability, creativity, work ethic, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, etc.

What's a shadowed doc going to say? "This guy followed me around for a couple months and didn't get in my way so he's cool I guess."?

"He came in with a nice shirt/tie and sat very quietly in the corner while I performed surgery, which attests to his professionalism. He was also able to answer 3/9 questions I pimped him on, which not only displays his intellectual curiosity of the medical field, but also highlights the fact that he has a life beyond memorizing random facts.

Plus, I am a doctor and you are a person who is accepting people into schools for doctors, so trust me - I know what I'm saying. "

 

[vanillabear55]

"He came in with a nice shirt/tie and sat very quietly in the corner while I performed surgery, which attests to his professionalism. He was also able to answer 3/9 questions I pimped him on, which not only displays his intellectual curiosity of the medical field, but also highlights the fact that he has a life beyond memorizing random facts.

Plus, I am a doctor and you are a person who is accepting people into schools for doctors, so trust me - I know what I'm saying. "

 

[IslandStyle808]

A professor can comment on your intellect, writing ability, creativity, work ethic, perseverance, intellectual curiosity, etc.

What's a shadowed doc going to say? "This guy followed me around for a couple months and didn't get in my way so he's cool I guess."?

I would prefer below than a professor who "somewhat knows" my motivation to medicine and aced his/her class.

"He came in with a nice shirt/tie and sat very quietly in the corner while I performed surgery, which attests to his professionalism. He was also able to answer 3/9 questions I pimped him on, which not only displays his intellectual curiosity of the medical field, but also highlights the fact that he has a life beyond memorizing random facts.

Plus, I am a doctor and you are a person who is accepting people into schools for doctors, so trust me - I know what I'm saying. "

👍

Main thing is when you shadow be active and ask questions. They can easily see not only your motivation for medicine but also your intellectual curiosity.

 

[deleted480308]

For real, how could you possibly get the required physicians LOR without the shadowing doc? Most schools I've looked at require professor letters and doc letters

 

[kami333]

For real, how could you possibly get the required physicians LOR without the shadowing doc? Most schools I've looked at require professor letters and doc letters

Right, it might be a weak letter but sometimes you need one, ie DO letter for osteopathic schools.

 

[mimelim]

For real, how could you possibly get the required physicians LOR without the shadowing doc? Most schools I've looked at require professor letters and doc letters

This is the allopathic forum. MD schools do not require a physician letter (as far as I am aware)

 

[Bluto385]

The same applies to shadowing letters. Someone you shadow doesn't know you well. They can't talk about any qualities or skills that you possess that are attractive to medical schools. Ergo, weak letter.

I disagree. If someone is passively following you around, then there may be nothing to say. But if you are actively engaged and asking thoughtful questions that can reflect some humanism or a genuine interest in medicine (while not slowing them down tremendously), and then supplementing that experience with your application materials to provide a fuller picture, then there is certainly something substantial that they can write about. This letter may not be as valuable as a research PI, but it can still be worth writing.

 

[kami333]

This is the allopathic forum. MD schools do not require a physician letter (as far as I am aware)

I know of one MD school that does.

 

[mimelim]

I disagree. If someone is passively following you around, then there may be nothing to say. But if you are actively engaged and asking thoughtful questions that can reflect some humanism or a genuine interest in medicine (while not slowing them down tremendously), and then supplementing that experience with your application materials to provide a fuller picture, then there is certainly something substantial that they can write about. This letter may not be as valuable as a research PI, but it can still be worth writing.

Those qualities are a baseline. One should not need to waste a LOR to demonstrate this. IThis perspective has been made abundantly clear by multiple faculty adcoms.