L. of. Recomm. dillemma - a Harvard Post-doc or a Professor

[DJS508]

Hello there,

I'm Jacob and I am currently preparing for admissions season into the biomedical research programs at medical schools. I just heard about this forum from a friend of mine, who spoke very highly of insightful comments I might get from fellow applicants, or current students, while being an applicant.

My first and foremost question concerns a letter of recommendation; In the past 2 months I have been working at Harvard for a professor, with whom I would like to ideally study as a Ph.D. student next year. The problem is concerned with the fact that his laboratory is huge and we've been interacting on a once-a-week basis, even making jokes and comments about my graduate studies but I am not sure whether he would be inclined to write a very strong recommendation. He always says that my post-doc fellow is my greatest resource.

Having this in mind, would you ask a post-Doc fellow, who thinks of my work very highly, for a recommendation when I leave the lab next month, or would you approach a professor, and imply that he could consider talking about my performance with the post-Doc, who could provide him with details about my work since he hasn't supervised me directly?

I know this question might be a repetition of many other questions but essentially I want to know whether a letter from a very knowledgeable post-Doc could hurt my chances?

[runonsentence]

The person who writes the letter should be the person who knows you best, IMO. Trust me, I know from experience: a letter from a famous person who only sort of knows you isn't going to look great.

If you want them to collaborate in writing the letter, the thing to do would be to have the post-doc write and sign, and ask the professor/PI to co-sign the letter. This is often what some people do who have taken a course where the TA knows them best but need a signature from the professor/doctoral-holding person to hep substantiate it.

Edited July 30, 2011 by runonsentence

[DJS508]

If you want them to collaborate in writing the letter, the thing to do would be to have the post-doc write and sign, and ask the professor/PI to co-sign the letter. This is often what some people do who have taken a course where the TA knows them best but need a signature from the professor/doctoral-holding person to hep substantiate it.

That's a fantastic suggestion! Thank you.

Do you think it would be fine to first approach my post-doc and ask her whether she would be willing to support me in the admissions process by writing a recommendation on my behalf, and explain her my feelings about approaching my P.I. directly? Perhaps she could then ask him for his approval by co-signing it, since they are very friendly with each other. Or do you think it would be more elegant to e-mail my P.I. post-summer with a question on whether he would be willing to either write me a helpful recommendation or simply allow the post-doc to write it for me, and co-sign it, since he trusts her so much.

It's just very confusing since I don't want to exert pressure nor bad impression on either of the two.

Thank you!

[runonsentence]

I'm not in the lab sciences, so someone who is might have a better handle on the etiquette, but I would probably handle it by approaching the post-doc first. Ask her if she'd be abe to write you a strong letter of recommendation*; then perhaps ask her whether she thinks you should also ask PI to co-sign the letter. Then you can approach the PI yourself afterward, or perhaps she'll offer to ask him herself.

*When you approach someone for a letter, don't just ask if they're willing, because most everyone would be. Always ask if they think they'd be able to, or feel comfortable with, writing you a strong letter of recommendation. This gives them an out if they feel they don't know you well enough or have any reservations, and gives you the opportunity to find someone who can write you a better letter.