EUnit Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 I'm having difficulty settling on my personal reference and was hoping to get some feedback. It's between my volunteer coordinator and a family friend. I've known my VC for 3+ years whereas the family friend has known me all my life. Obviously, the family friend know me better, but would it be better to have a reference from a "work" environment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanis Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 This might help. It's from the FAQ for interviewees. "A personal reference is someone who has known you for at least 2 years who is not a family member or a close friend or a current medical student. You should be looking for someone who is able to comment on you as a potential doctor - perhaps a coach, pastor, volunteer supervisor, mentor, etc. Someone who has seen you develop over the years and can comment on your growth as a person." Just my opinion but I'm not sure if family friend would be the greatest call. It seems your VC would be an ideal choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkmunk Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 I don't think it matters, the only three requirements they state on the official interview 08/09 tab are that the person has to know you for two years, they cannot be a family member, and they cannot be a current medical student. Other that, its fair game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wachaa Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Is the "minimum 2 years" is an absolute requirement? Because suppose you have done something for the past 1.5 years and would like to use that person as a referee- would that be acceptable or immediately rejected? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkmunk Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I don't know what UBC would do, but I know that on the form, it asks the referee to indicate the amount of time they've known the applicant. It may be a gamble to hope your referee would round up, and it may be an awkward situation to ask them to lie and say they've known you for longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wachaa Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 How are most people getting their academic reference then? I would imagine people would use their profs from Year 2, 3, etc.. or a summer research supervisor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkmunk Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 I'm not too sure how others are getting their academic references, but mine is coming from a prof I had in first year who I kept in contact with throughout the years. He was a really engaging individual and we had a lot of interests in common, so he'd keep me up to date with current technologies, etc that he thought I'd find interesting. I think the most important thing is that they know you well and can speak to both strengths and weaknesses. The worst would be someone who checks out "don't know" or doesn't even have an anecdote to add at the end that demonstrates some quality. Even a TA would help, since they may have more one on one time with you (just make sure its a TA who remembers you and has known you for at least 2 years). I hope this helps. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premedic Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 I don't think Academic Referee has to know you for at least 2 years. That only applies to the Personal Referee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avenir001 Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 ^^ true dat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juc25 Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 So has everyone sent in all their references? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngdad Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 So has everyone sent in all their references? Nope. We have lots of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'm having difficulty settling on my personal reference and was hoping to get some feedback. It's between my volunteer coordinator and a family friend. I've known my VC for 3+ years whereas the family friend has known me all my life. Obviously, the family friend know me better, but would it be better to have a reference from a "work" environment? My 2 cents is to stay away from a family friend, no matter how well this friend may know you. The one exception is if there is a professional relationship. Friends and family will be discounted. It's like in court, a mother or friend, giving an alibi - it has less credibility than a person who is not so close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liz001 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Does anyone know if workplace supervisors/managers count as community references? Cuz it says "Community referees may be supervisors, managers, peers, or others in your community with whom you have worked. " That's a pretty generic description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'm using a workplace supervisor for my community reference. I think the point is that they don't want an academic reference..so they don't want profs or ta's or research supervisors giving you a reference because it will be more academic? I haven't asked for sure but if you look at the sample reference form they provided...the options for the referee to check are: manager, supervisor, peer..other (I think that's it) It's the personal I'm having trouble with since I don't have a pastor or a mentor:S I think I'm gonna have to go with a friend. I have a friend who is a vet so I was going to ask them to do it....do you think they might trust a personal reference from a doctor more than just one of my random friends? I don't want it to be discounted just b/c it says 'friend'. On the other hand, that IS one of the options on the sample personal ref form so that would be mean of them to discount it when they gave us the option...right??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest soaring_eagle Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 My 2 cents is to stay away from a family friend, no matter how well this friend may know you. The one exception is if there is a professional relationship. Friends and family will be discounted. It's like in court, a mother or friend, giving an alibi - it has less credibility than a person who is not so close. I don't know about this. I think to some degree, for someone to comment on your personal growth over an extended period of time, they have to be friends with you on some level. I mean, I asked one individual (supervisor) who I'd known for 3 years to write me a personal reference, but I'm not friends with this person, etc., and she said she would do it but simply hadn't great depth since we never took the time to get to know each other well. We are acquantiances, but I eventually said no, since I feared she lacked perspective. Message: I beleive a close friend may actually help more than they harm, as long as they are clearly told to maintain objectivity (and I also think its pretty obvious when someone is exaggerating/ lying in a letter of ref) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I agree with you. If you've known someone for two years well enough for them to give you a personal reference, they must be a friend right? If UBC is asking for a personal reference, and if they're offering the choice to have a friend do it, then they're accepting that friends will likely give relatively good references right? I bet in general the personal reference doesn't hold as much weight as the other two though..esp. if it's way more glowing than the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finks Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I don't think one reference is weighted more heavily than the others, becuase then why would they ask for three? I think the personal one for everyone will be more "glowing" simply because that person will know the applicant better and probably over a variety of settings, not just in school or research or in the community. I think the community and academic references will have a more professional tone than the personal one as it will follow the relationship, but those are just my thoughts...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wachaa Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Is there more information on reference letters that is not available online? Is it mandatory to have an academic reference? Thanks so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wachaa Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Is there more information on reference letters that is not available online? Is it mandatory to have an academic reference? Thanks so much. Can anybody help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngdad Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Is there more information on reference letters that is not available online? Is it mandatory to have an academic reference? Thanks so much. I'm not sure what else you need. It all seems pretty straight forward on the website. I doubt they would trash your application if you did not have an academic reference, but I bet it would seriously hurt your chances. I don't know for sure though. Whats the problem around your academic ref? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura_333 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 In addition to academic reference, should you try and have one in each category or would it be fine to have two academic (one is research coordinator who is a professor, other is a professor I've had for 4 classes) , one work supervisor and that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngdad Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 In addition to academic reference, should you try and have one in each category or would it be fine to have two academic (one is research coordinator who is a professor, other is a professor I've had for 4 classes) , one work supervisor and that's it. You are going to want one in each category. Just have the other academic one fill out the personal form, or pick someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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