LORs for MPH

Graduate School
1

<p>So I'm applying for my MPH (in epidemiology) for the Fall 2014 semester. Even though most of the applications aren't due until Jan or Feb, I wanted to at least figure out my LORs and ask them. Most schools need three so I was thinking of asking...</p>

<p>1.) Assistant professor of Epidemiology who I currently work for as a clinical research assistant. She has her PhD from Brown (one of the schools I want to apply to) and I've only known her for a few months but we work pretty closely together.</p>

<p>2.) Professor from school who taught me two public health classes. She has her MPH and is a professor at BUSPH (another place where I'll be applying).</p>

<p>3.) Now here's the tricky part---I want to ask my PI that I did research with in undergrad. I worked with him for a year and he knows me very well. However, the research lab and work was in molecular biology/physiology. Nothing related to public health per say. Do I still ask him? I know he'd write a stellar rec---but he wouldn't really know what to write in terms of public health.</p>

<p>I can't think of anyone else I'd ask for the third recommendation but will it look silly to ask my PI (who has a PhD in molecular biology)?</p>

2

<h1>3 – absolutely. Definitely include a rec from someone who will write glowingly about you (“stellar”).</h1>

<p>All recs don’t have to be about/from PH.</p>

3

<p>Definitely ask your PI for a letter.</p>

<p>I worked in a plant bio lab, which had nothing to do with want I wanted to go to graduate school for, but that was still probably my strongest rec letter (and it didn’t interfere with me getting into grad school). It’d be silly not to ask for a letter from him just because he’s not in your particular field, especially if he’d write a stellar letter and can speak to your research skills, academic prowess, and your readiness for a graduate program.</p>