when to ask for rec letter?

[blobs]

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Hi,

How much time wtih an optometrist do you need (in the capacity of shadowing/working front desk/etc) until it is a good time to ask for a reccomendation letter? It seems as if shadowing (6-8 hours contact time) would be too short for them to write a letter.

I'm planning on shadowing my own optometrist (with whom i've been a patient for 6 years now) in a couple of weeks for a full day (10am-6pm), and i have some experience elsewhere as well. Do you guys think that a full day of shadowing plus the the fact that i've been a longtime patient is enough time for obtaining a rec letter, or is it absolutely essential to have spent time actually working in an optometry office (months) and then get the letter?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Oogilily]

I personally don't think it is necessary to work in an office to get a good letter of recommendation. It may make for a stronger letter, but I don't think it is necessary. Everybody getting into school hasn't worked for 10 years in an OD office. I asked my fairly early on (after about 10 hours of shadowing or so) and he was fine doing it and I'm sure he wrote a good letter. But, I guess the longer you do it and the more you get to know the OD the better the letter is.