<p>I'm completing my work on a clinical research project dealing with creating a neuropsychometric battery to test the cognitive functions of stroke patients in an acute setting. I finish my job Wed. but I will probably come back over winter break. I don't know how much I will see my mentor in the future, but he is a very reputable MD PhD and has really seemed to think that I have done a good job. I thought at the beginning that I would basically just be tagging along with things, but it turns out that I basically did the entire project myself - a very good thing since I learned a lot - he basically gave me the resources, people to talk to, a few lectures, and we'd have meetings about my progress and he'd advise me on what to do. It has been great both for clinical and research experience. The thing is that down the line I don't know if I will do much with my mentor anymore, but I still think I should ask for a letter of recommendation for the future. How should I go about this? Is it normal for a mentor to write one immediately after finishing the project (though keep in mind that I may continue - this will be ongoing for years, though it's cool that I pretty much initiated the entire project) or do I have to wait until I'm applying for him to write one? How do I go about asking for one? I don't know if he writes them often, as I don't know how many times he's worked with an undergraduate, though he's a true scholar and I could tell he enjoyed working with me and the fact that I was able to do this so independently. Suggestions? Thanks!</p>
<p>i worked at the cdc as a high schooler, and my mentor was really supportive and told me that i did so much more than she expected from a high schooler, and i literally asked her to write me a couple of recommendation letters a couple of months afterwards. of course, i know practically nothing abt med school admissions, but to go abt asking the person for one, i just sent my mentor an email telling her my situation and asking her for a rec, and she was really helpful. college admissions is def not the same as med school admissions, but getting a rec is getting rec anyways lol. i learned that alot of the ppl who are in the academic sector r willing to help u out enthusiastic students, just be straight forward and ask. well, just sharing my semi-ill informed opinion...</p>
<p>thanks, yeah, but that's the thing - i dunno if med school recommendations is a whole different process than high school and if i should be giving him any information on it like a specific format from med school admissions, and I'd rather ask in person so that it seems like i care more. i've only spent one summer with him though, and i was quite independent, but i think that the work i've done and progress i've made speaks for itself, and he keeps praising that. plus i plan to stay in touch to see how things are going with it (i basically designed the cognitive battery from scratch - now he will pick up where i left off and begin clinical trials) see if i can help long distance</p>
<p>any other advice?</p>
<p>-waffle how'd work at the cdc? :)</p>