<p>I asked a person I researched with over the summer in a lab to write me a recommendation letter and he basically said I can write some of it myself!</p>
<p>What exactly do you write about yourself??? How far do you go? I have heard of other people being put in similar situations, but now that it happened to me I just find writing something about yourself such a difficult task to do. </p>
<p>I want it to be a really good rec and at the same time don't want the person who will be signing it and adding in some of his own words to think I think so highly of myself.</p>
<p>I know a girl who shadowed a doctor and then received a LOR written entirely by herself! She said that when she asked the doctor to write her a LOR, he just told her that if she writes her own letter and then give it to him, then he'll just sign it. So she wrote a "stunning" LOR about herself and the doctor just signed it without reading it. I wonder what med schools would think if they found out that some LOR's were written by applicants themselves.</p>
<p>Yes, a physician shadowing experience is generally a poor situation from which to request an LOR. You're right. That doesn't mean people don't ask for it.</p>
<p>LOR's from physician shadowing are generally worthless. This was confirmed by an adcom member that posts on SDN. I don't know why people feel someone they followed around for 2 days is qualified to write them a letter.</p>
<p>Med schools value letters from instructors most of all, followed by letters from research advisors, volunteer directors, etc.</p>