Do you guys think it is a good idea to get recommendation letter from a Doctor who you shadowed for 2 weeks during the summer of your Junior year? It was 1 week of ER and 1 week of office - got a tremendous insight unto a medical profession and developed a good relationship with the staff and patients.
But did you develop a great relationship with the doctor?
Did shadowing give him/her the opportunity to really get to know you? To speak with authority on your potential, your drive, your abilities?
I think the answer is yes to both questions.
See what your colleges have to say about unsolicited extra recommendations. Some discourage them. One “work-around” can be to ask the doctor for a recommendation, and then your adviser/college counselor can include the comments in your basic letter of recommendation.
Probably not a good idea. I can’t imagine this person would write a better letter than a teacher or someone you’ve interacted with for more than 2 weeks of your life.
I can’t imagine a physician really getting to know you well in 2 weeks of shadowing. I would think a lot of adcoms would be put off by this.
You watched a man work. What could you have done to impress him enough to write a letter and what could he say of value? Colleges do not care about your postgraduate plans. You are applying to college not medical school.
I think that YOU watching HIM work is going to get you a much blander letter than one from a teacher who watched YOU work.
For college admissions, no.
If this is for med school, this is a much more common type of letter.
I’d say no. You watched the doctor but you didn’t really DO anything. The most the doctor can reasonably say was that in two weeks he/she spent with you you appeared to be pleasant, interested, and maybe that you asked some good questions.
I agree that you should NOT submit this LoR. Why do colleges want LoRs? To see how you interact with other students, your intellectual drive and to flesh you out. What’s the absolute best thing the Doc can say? “Lurdes seems bright and conscientious; asked good questions; I predict a bright future ahead.”
Meh. Just waters down the rest of your application.
A very typical EC padding and a typical shallow LoR expected.
Thank you all for your replies. Common App has up to 3 “Other” Recommendation letters for the schools I apply. That is Other than Teacher/Counselor. I was thinking athletics coach - knows me for 4 years.
advice for you: see what each school asks for . The Common app’s “3 other recs” is a default. This is not school specific – don’t just willy nilly drop 3 LoRs to every school you apply to. That’d be a mistake.
Yes, this sounds like a much better non-teacher LOR than the doctor.
Listen to @T26E4. Most schools will accept 1 supplemental letter. More will have a null or adverse effect. A supplemental letter will be most useful if (1) it’s written by someone who has known you well, preferably over a substantial period of time, and (2) it can add insights or pertinent information above and beyond your basic letters. It’s not particularly useful as padding.
Actually, I don’t think you can assign more LOR than allowed in CommonApp for each school.
Definitely ask your coach who has known your for 4 years . . . don’t ask the physician who knew you for two weeks.
Athletics coach is better. Shadowing is basically watching, but if you have someone who has seen you work and seen your potential it is definitely a good idea! But highlighting your experience while shadowing is very important in your essay.