Third LOR

[jbird]

I was hoping to get some opinions on who I should ask to write my third LOR.  This will be my second time applying and decided to only ask one of my previous writers for another letter.  This is a PA that I have shadowed for a while and who has gotten to know me pretty well during the past two years since I decided to change careers.  

 

I am attempting to comeback from a poor undergrad GPA and will have completed 75 hours at 4.0 to raise my cumulative to 3.2 when I submit my app.  Most of these recent hours were completed at the local community college and last cycle I had two professors (both PhD) from there write letters.  I took Genetics at a four year school this past Fall and the professor agreed to write me a recommendation.  I received the highest grade in the class out of 80 students and am really confident  that he is going to write me an awesome letter addressing my academic capabilities.

 

Most of my HCE has been obtained working part time as an EMT for an ambulance company.  I am thinking of asking my supervisor here to write my last letter.  I have been working there for over a year and half but do not have much interaction with the supervisor.  I would assume that this person would write a good letter but can't decide if this is my best option.  Other ideas where a DO that I have known for a long time or another professor.  Any thoughts?

[AKF]

Here's what I did:

1. LOR from a PA that knows me well and can speak to my potential abilities as a PA and my interactions with patients 

• From adcom perspective "Would my colleague enjoy working with this person, are they capable?"

2. LOR from my current supervisor and can speak to how I interact with patients and my work ethic (I'm currently an RN)

• From adcom perspective "Do they have the drive to succeed and how do they interact with patients?"

3. LOR from a professor that can attest to my academic capabilities

• From adcom perspective "Can they hack it in a very rigorous program, will they succeed?"

 

My advice is to make sure that you cover all major areas that admission boards will be interested in. I don't know that choosing an the DO will really add much to your app. You have a PA LOR, great. You have a professor LOR, great. I think you should go for your supervisor as an EMT as they can attest to how you work with patients. 

 

In any respect, you bring up something important when you say 

 

           " I would assume that this person would write a good letter but can't decide if this is my best option."

 

This is a great opportunity for you to avoid any uncertainty. Write your own LOR for this person and give it to them (electronic form). Tell them that you appreciate that they'd recommend you and you wanted to make it easier for them. Tell them they can make any changes they feel are necessary and send it in. I did this for all three LOR. You make their lives a lot easier. The work is done for them, they just need to send it out. You get to have input into the process and make sure the best parts of you shine through. Everybody wins. Of course you would do this with someone you trust to give you a good letter and would have no reason to make any negative changes, but then again you shouldn't ask any one for LOR if you think it will be negative in any way. Hope this helps. 

[jbird]

Thanks for your response.