<p>How many do med schools typically ask for? And from what kinds of sources?</p>
<p>ew double post</p>
<p>Usually between 3-5 (if you don't have a committee letter). 2 from science instructors and 1 from a non-science instructor will suffice for practically all med schools. If you want additional letters, potential sources include MD's you've shadowed or research mentors or employment supervisors.</p>
<p>They generally defer to your undergraduate school if you have a committee. If you don't, their requirements vary a ton and you will have to scramble. One of the major advantages of attending a private university.</p>
<p>Didn't someone previously state that LORs from physicians whom you shadowed was a bad idea? Also if your school doesn't have a pre-med committee, is that applicant at a disadvantage when applying? Will that person need to do more paperwork or something? I mean just b/c there is no committee does not mean that the person applying is a non-viable applicant, right? Please go in depth on the diadvantages in the admissions process.</p>
<p>1.) Yes, that was me, and I stand by it.</p>
<p>2.) Yes.</p>
<p>3.) Yes.</p>
<p>4.) No, not non-viable.</p>
<p>5.) The first major disadvantage is the ridiculous amounts of extra legwork that must be done. Second, however, medical schools find that advisor letter very, very valuable. So valuable that you must turn one in if your school has such an office. So trying to apply without one means that your application is missing a lot of information -- through no fault of your own, but a lot of information nonetheless. There's no way to put your accomplishments or weaknesses in perspective.</p>
<p>I know for a fact that my school has a pre-professional advisory office. I do not know if that counts as a pre-med committee. I will attend Stony Brook University. So I assume, I should find this out ASAP. If my school has a committee, do you suggest I become friendly w/ the ppl there so that they can write a more personalized recommendation for me, if they do write such stuff.</p>
<p>They'll have a means of getting to know you which they're accustomed to. They'll fill you in on the details.</p>
<p>Thanks. I just checked my school does have a committee. So, hopefully when I apply in 3 yrs. it will be easier than without a committee.</p>
<p>What exactly does a pre-med committee do for you?
Why does a person going to a school without one need to do more paperwork and extra legwork?
What do you mean by paperwork and extra legwork?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Second, however, medical schools find that advisor letter very, very valuable. So valuable that you must turn one in if your school has such an office. So trying to apply without one means that your application is missing a lot of information -- through no fault of your own, but a lot of information nonetheless. There's no way to put your accomplishments or weaknesses in perspective.
[/quote]
My school has one advisor for each department, but I'm not sure if it has a premed committee. By an advisor letter, are you referring to one from a predmed committee or one from a department?</p>
<p>"Why does a person going to a school without one need to do more paperwork and extra legwork?
What do you mean by paperwork and extra legwork?"
Read post #4. The extra paperwork is getting tons of LOR's from people.</p>
<p>I have a question: do you always get to see the LOR somebody writes for you or not? What about the premed committee's letter?</p>
<p>
[quote]
I have a question: do you always get to see the LOR somebody writes for you or not? What about the premed committee's letter?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have never once seen a single LOR written on my behalf, during high school or college. At my undergrad, you didn't get to see your committee letter, either.</p>
<p>How does a predmed committee prevent you from getting tons of LOR's from people?</p>
<p>They write a letter so others don't have to. It's really that simple.</p>
<p>Most premed committees require letters as well in order to write THEIR letter. However, it's easier to satisfy the LOR requirements of one committee rather than trying to satisfy the individual requirements of 20 medical schools.</p>
<p>Sorry, but I still don't get it. Even if your school has a premed committee, don't you still need to get tons of LORs from people? What exactly does a pre-med committee do for you?</p>
<p>Okay, let's spell this out as clearly as we can.</p>
<p>Our hypothetical private-school student, we'll call him Mike, goes to Duke. Duke has a premed advising committee which will write him a letter. His advisor, Dean Singer, tells Mike: I need two science professors, one non-science professor, and one research mentor. Assemble those four letters and give them to me. Mike assembles four letters and gives them to Dean Singer. Dean Singer writes her own letter and sends the five of them off to medical schools, which accept them and use them.</p>
<p>Our hypothetical public school student, we'll call him George, doesn't have an advising committee. He applies to twenty medical schools, just like Mike did. School number 1 wants a letter from his major and three science professors. School number 2 wants a lab professor, an English professor, and two biology professors. School number 3 wants two research mentors and an English professor. School number 4 wants three sciences and two non-sciences. School number 5 wants two from George's major, two sciences, and one research mentor. School number 6 wants two from George's major, one from anything he got a minor in, a science, and a research mentor. School number 7 wants two non-science and two science. It goes on like this for twenty schools.</p>
<p>Because Mike has a premedical advisor, medical schools defer to whatever she gives them. Because George does not have one, he has to meet any school's individual requirements -- meaning that he probably has to assemble something like nine or ten letters instead of Mike's four. And George's package will still be inferior, because he does not have an advisor letter.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Mike's advisor uses an electronic system to submit Mike's letters of recommendations. (In fact, Mike's real-life advisor, who really is Dean Singer, invented this system, which is now in place across the country.) George, on the other hand, must supply every professor with self-addressed, stamped envelopes, and he must make sure not to get any of them mixed up.</p>
<p>This is not purely a thought exercise. I was applying to medical school at the same time as one of my UCB friends, and he needed many letters of recommendation. Add to that that a school's requirements are often not available until they actually request the letters, and you can see that there is a major scramble and very serious delays associated with not having a committee.</p>
<p>bluedevilmike: Your post is really great. Now I clearly see how people going to schools without one can be at a great disadvantage. I just checked if my school has a premed committee; unfortunately, it doesn't. :mad: Are there any ways of making up for an absence of such a system?</p>
<p>I wouldn't say that the picture BDM has painted is entirely accurate.</p>
<p>First of all, Interfolio will do the job of collating and distributing the LOR's. No need for stamps or envelopes or to make your letter writers mail letters to 25 schools. All they need to do is upload their letter to interfolio.com and Interfolio will take care of the rest.</p>
<p>Secondly, while LOR requirements do vary, most schools either require 1 science/1 nonscience, 2 science, or any permutations of those. If you can get 2 science letters and 1 nonscience letters, you will be fine.</p>
<p>Thirdly, some premed committee's LOR requirements are much more stringent than any medical schools' LOR requirements. I've heard of committees requiring SEVEN letters.</p>
<p>Fourthly, some committees send out their letters fairly late (August or later). This can potentially delay your app.</p>
<p>Overall, a committee is more convenience than advantage.</p>
<p>norcalguy: Thanks for supplemental explanations. Your saying, "Overall, a committee is more convenience than advantage," is especially comforting to know.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And George's package will still be inferior, because he does not have an advisor letter.
[/quote]
bluedevilmike: Can't a LOR from your major department's advisor equally suffice as the one from a premed advisor in a premed committee?</p>