No Reference From A Professor

[science1000]

hi guys, just wondering if anyone has any experience of applying/getting accepted without a reference from a professor, i know the content matters more and i have a phd student who can speak about my academics but kind of worried right now that i should have asked a prof instead, what are your thoughts?

[Bambi]

Go with whomever can give you a strong, credible LOR setting forth why you are an excellent a candidate. If you can only get a wishy-washy LOR from a prof who hardly knows you, it is not worth very much.

 

And see post 8 & Appendix 6 @ http://forums.premed...as/#entry961876

[robclem21]

I don't have experience doing applying without an academic LOR from a prof, but I would definitely reconsider getting a PhD student to write you one. I think as a student they are a little to close to you and might not be considered impartial. Someone in a position of higher authority might be a better choice.

[science1000]

I don't have experience doing applying without an academic LOR from a prof, but I would definitely reconsider getting a PhD student to write you one. I think as a student they are a little to close to you and might not be considered impartial. Someone in a position of higher authority might be a better choice.

Hmm okay thanks, even if they've acted as a supervisor for the lab I was an RA in?

[thestar10]

I don't have experience doing applying without an academic LOR from a prof, but I would definitely reconsider getting a PhD student to write you one. I think as a student they are a little to close to you and might not be considered impartial. Someone in a position of higher authority might be a better choice.

 

I would disagree with this advice. If they know you well and are impartial they can act as a reference. A less personl letter from a prof is not preferable in my opinion. 

 

Doctors know that people don't always get a lot of face time with the big boss. In medicine, medical students are vastly supervised by residents and the staff heavily rely on their opinions when it comes to references.