Panic! Is not using LOR from an old lab a bad thing?

<p>So, I am having 3 profs write me LORs for biomed PhD programs (2 from my undergrad LAC: one with whom I did research and one who was my thesis advisor, and one from the university where I did my thesis research over the summer). I did research at the same university that I did my thesis research during a previous summer but I already have three good LORs so I am not using that lab to write me a LOR. But, I saw on a harvardocs blog for MD/PhD applications: "If there is a hole in your research (or other) experiences in your application, you need to account for this. For instance, a year of research without a recommendation letter from that lab would raise a flag." Ack! Is this going to raise a red flag that I am not using this old lab for a LOR (I am applying to the university too)? I think it's too late to get a LOR from them (I haven't kept in too good of contact as my research interests are very different from those of this old lab). I am sorta in a panic now.</p>

<p>My daughter is sort of in the same boat: she has three letters, but there’s another prof, at another university, with whom she has worked for two and a half summers, plus breaks. He is willing to write a letter, and he will write an excellent one; however, most universities only want three letters. My D decided that he has to be an optional fourth letter despite all the work she has done with him because the other three are more relevant in their knowledge of her, either because her research with them is more recent or because they also know how she compares academically to her peers. Sometimes you have to make choices.</p>

<p>Because you have LORs from at least two who know your more current research, I wouldn’t worry about it. You could do what my D did and shoot an email off asking for a recommendation from the old lab. If the prof doesn’t answer or says no, then you’ve lost nothing. If he says yes, then try to use it as a fourth. Since your other three will likely be excellent by your estimation, this fourth letter will just be one more voice.</p>

<p>I think you should concentrate on the most recent research.</p>

<p>I didn’t get LoRs from my two summer labs, since I had 3 other professors who knew me better. It turned out fine-- grad schools are much more chill than med schools.</p>

<p>There are definitely certain situations in which not getting an LOR from a supervisor would look exceedingly fishy indeed, but that doesn’t imply that a student must get an LOR from every research supervisor he/she’s ever had.</p>