chris Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 hello! for nontrads who have applied to medical school, i was wondering who you used as references. i have 2 references in mind who have been my work employers (who are healthcare professionals) but none of them are "academic" professors. does this look bad if all of my references are sort of work/community-related? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 Pick whoever knows you best...a reference from a prof is not helpful if he or she barely knows you. I had 2 profs (one science, one non-science) and a friend/former boss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sv3 Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 hey fellow non trad here. I was lucky enough to have a Master's prof remember me well so i got a letter out of him. However, I was ready to go without a Prof's letter. I think if you can try to get one (a good one), then its defintely worth your while as you are applying to enter a school. But I've got to think adcoms realize your situation is different if you've been out of academics for a while. Just try to get your referees to comment on intellectual horsepower and ability to pick up things quickly in the settings that they know you (so kind of like subbing in for what you would want a prof to say) that's just what i would do...........but ain't no pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaveSense Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 I don't think it matters who writes your letter. However, if you do NOT have an academic prof writing it, make sure that your other references at least talk about your academic ability. Usually, if you do get a prof to write it, s/he will automatically focus on your academic suitability for med school. I was the opposite, I had 6 references from academic people and had to ask them to write a bit more about my non-academic qualities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 thanks for the comments guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__sally__ Posted August 2, 2009 Report Share Posted August 2, 2009 some people say that having a doctor write a reference can be helpful, any thoughts on that? i'm applying this year but already keeping in mind i may not get in i'm trying to bolster my application for next year already. so i've asked a doctor at the hospital i volunteer at if i could do something.. either help him out or shadow him... not sure if this is a good plan. i already have 3 pretty good references i think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Sally, isn't there a limit to the number of LORs we can hand in? Volunteering, helping him out, shadowing is all good for experience and the sketch. Pick your best referees and go with them. I have hundreds of hours as EMS first responder and so, one of my references will be a doctor only b/c he is responsible for my activities and is aware of my activities. I don't think it is necessary to have a doctor as referee. What is required is a "strong" LOR from someone in authority over us, who knows us and can credibly support us. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__sally__ Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 ya, i think it's 3 right? that's why i'm reluctant to get a doctor to write one and replace one of my other ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 go with the 3 that will be the best...if you don't get in this year, perhaps the doc later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenna-m Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I am having the opposite problem right now (not sure if I should start a new thread?... I am new at this!). I am in the final year of my masters and applying to Mac and U of T, and had 3 references in mind - grad school professors who know me well and who I've spent quite a bit of time with, and so I thought that they'd be able to comment on my character etc. as well as academics. BUT U of T wants additional letters from graduate professors, commenting specifically on graduate productivity. When I called to ask about it, the person on the phone seemed appalled that I would have only professors as my OMSAS referees. SO do I swap a couple of the OMSAS referees that I THOUGHT would be good for someone else who might not be as strong a reference, NOTING that these *less compelling* letters are the only ones Mac will get? If I didn't swap them, I could still get additional letters for U of T from other graduate professors (I am in a small, course-based professional masters program with really supportive faculty). But then does this look sketchy? Like I did absolutely nothing before grad school? I was nothing special in undergrad when I first applied- lukewarm GPA of 3.7ish, didn't know any of my profs really well, no research... I don't think a letter from an undergrad prof would really be worth it. SOOOOOO CONFUSED!!!! I feel like Mac and U of T want different things from me, yet I have to submit the same 3 OMSAS letters to them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 jenna-m, don't let some random lows level person on the phone influence you. Go with your strongest referees, no question about it, so long as they touch upon your academic and non-academic qualities that will make you a great doc, you are on your way. Good luck and follow your gut! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laika Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Agreed. You can have 3 profs as your OMSAS refs, and you don't need to supply any additional reference letters for the U of T grad package if they already commented on your grad productivity in the OMSAS letter(s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenna-m Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Thank you so much future-doc and Laika... I met with my first referee (he's actually been a med school prof for a long time, and he taught us a couple of graduate courses) and he told me the same thing. First thing tomorrow morning I'm going to suck it up and ask my two other profs for letters (it will feel so good to get this part done!!). Thanks again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Thank you so much future-doc and Laika... I met with my first referee (he's actually been a med school prof for a long time, and he taught us a couple of graduate courses) and he told me the same thing. First thing tomorrow morning I'm going to suck it up and ask my two other profs for letters (it will feel so good to get this part done!!). Thanks again!! I know it takes guts:p and its your future not theirs. Better to get a rejection b/c they balk at a 'strong' letter than get a wishy washy letter which is worthless. Also, if they don't really know you all that well, bring your CV, bring a transcript if they don't know your academics in other subjectsd they didn't teach you..and you could even offer toi do a draft for their consideration to change as they wish..you have deadlines. Good for you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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