PAadri Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Re-applicant here! I need advice on who to ask for a LOR. All programs I am applying to require at least one letter from a MD or PA, and I have a few options to fulfill this requirement, but I'm not super confident in them and would like to hear your thoughts. Option 1) I shadowed a family medicine PA for over 100 hours last summer. She was very kind and very helpful when it came to explaining her processes. She was very busy between work, caring for a daughter with disabilities, and being involved in multiple non-profits outside of work. I didn't ask her for a LOR last cycle because of her busy schedule and because I already had the maximum number of letters submitted to CASPA by the time I started shadowing her. It's now been almost a year since I've shadowed with her and I'm not sure how it would look reaching out to her after so much time. Option 2) I shadowed a pediatric MD around this time last year. She wrote my letter of recommendation last cycle and while programs couldn't disclose any specific details, I was told her letter was very strong. I haven't been able to shadow her again since last year because I was in another city at school, and since I've returned home, I've been unable to shadow because her clinic is not allowing students due to COVID. Would it be appropriate to reach out and ask for her to resubmit her letter? How would this look to programs? Option 3) I am currently shadowing a PA within the hospital where I work. I just started shadowing last week, and so far, things are working out well. I am planning to shadow her at least for the rest of the month. I'm not sure what will happen in the time, so while she seems like a good candidate to ask for a LOR, I don't want to assume she will say yes. Option 4) There is a doctor at the hospital where I work who I am interested in shadowing, and I plan to reach out soon to see if she is willing to let me shadow her. While I do not know this doctor, my mother has worked with her professionally, and says this doctor is very kind, laid back, and helpful. In my shadow request, should I mention that I am also interested in a LOR from her if everything works out? Please give me any opinions you may have on this situation! While I have worked in the medical field for 3 years, I have NOT worked directly with any doctors or PAs. My work experiences have been with PharmDs, PhDs, PTs and OTs, and while these are great candidates for LORs, they do not fulfill the MD/PA requirement most schools have. My only option for this requirement is a LOR from a PA or MD I have shadowed. I'd love to know what you guys think would be the best option in this situation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukkulisur Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Personally, I would reach out to one or both of the first two options. It's only been around a year since you shadowed each one, so I'm sure they'll remember you, and given the amount of hours you completed with them, they would seem best positioned to speak about your strengths in a LOR. You've only been shadowing option 3 for a week; that seems like far too little time for her to get to know you well enough to write a LOR, unless you plan on holding off on requesting the letter until you've completed additional shadowing hours. As for option 4, I would refrain from bringing up a LOR given that you don't even know if she'll accept your shadowing request yet. That would be jumping the gun for me, and it might give the impression that you're only shadowing to get a LOR, rather than to learn. But that's just my two cents Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAadri Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 6 minutes ago, dukkulisur said: Personally, I would reach out to one or both of the first two options. It's only been around a year since you shadowed each one, so I'm sure they'll remember you, and given the amount of hours you completed with them, they would seem best positioned to speak about your strengths in a LOR. You've only been shadowing option 3 for a week; that seems like far too little time for her to get to know you well enough to write a LOR, unless you plan on holding off on requesting the letter until you've completed additional shadowing hours. As for option 4, I would refrain from bringing up a LOR given that you don't even know if she'll accept your shadowing request yet. That would be jumping the gun for me, and it might give the impression that you're only shadowing to get a LOR, rather than to learn. But that's just my two cents Good luck! Thank you so much for your feedback! I do plan on requesting a letter from the PA I'm currently shadowing after I've got some more hours in. What would you say is an appropriate amount of time to wait before asking? Would you say a month of shadowing will allow her to get to know me well enough to write a strong letter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukkulisur Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 @PAadri Hmm... hard to say. Probably depends on how many hours you're completing per week and how good your relationship is with the PA in question. If you agreed to shadow for a specific number of hours, e.g. 100, you might wait until closer to the end of that commitment before requesting the letter, as it would be a good way to reflect upon and bring the shadowing process to a close. This is my opinion as someone who has served as preceptor for interns in the past; it's not a LOR, but I typically complete an intern evaluation at the end of the agreed upon internship period, and it's a nice way to summarize the experience and discuss strengths and areas for further development/learning. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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