Letter of Recommendations

Letter of Recommendation Expectations

We are deeply invested in supporting your growth—not only within the lab, but in your broader academic and professional development. A core part of that commitment is being able to advocate for you in meaningful ways, including writing strong, detailed letters of recommendation for future opportunities. The expectations outlined below represent the minimum standards for successful engagement in the lab. They are intentionally designed to help you develop the skills, habits, and level of independence that are necessary to succeed both here and beyond. Meeting these benchmarks consistently allows us to speak confidently about your work ethic, reliability, and ability to follow through on complex, long-term projects.

At the same time, it is important to be transparent: if these minimum expectations are not met, we will not be able to provide a letter of recommendation or support. This is not meant to be punitive, but rather reflects the reality that strong letters require clear evidence of sustained effort, accountability, and follow-through.

Our goal is to set you up for success. If you engage fully with these expectations, you will not only be in a strong position for a letter of recommendation—you will also leave the lab with skills and experiences that meaningfully support your next steps.

1. Adhere to all Lab Guidelines and Policies

2. Treat fellow members of the lab, participants, and other hospital staff with respect, professionalism, and consideration. This includes fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where all individuals are valued and able to contribute.

3. Attend and be an active participant in all of the primary CfSC Lab Meetings

   • We understand that scheduling challenges may occasionally prevent real-time attendance. As lab meetings are the primary source of communication and coordination, agreeing to be a member of the lab means that you will do your best to minimize these conflicts. When absolutely unavoidable, the expectation is that you will communicate your absence ahead of time with your primary mentor, watch the recording of the meeting at your next available time, and communicate any follow up with your primary mentor immediately after.

4. Maintain full responsibility of all assigned data collection shifts and tasks

   • If you cannot personally attend your shift, you must find coverage and communicate the end result to the scheduler.

5. Communicate regularly and proactively with the team, particularly regarding progress, challenges, and timelines. This includes:

   • (1) Checking and responding to Slack and Email at least once a day, (2) Check your Planner Tasks at minimum Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and keep them up to date, and (3) if you have task requests for Tony, Michael, or Shengzi, add it to their Planner

6. Take responsibility for producing a tangible lab product. Be sure to confirm the development of this product with your primary mentor well in advance of your request for a letter of recommendation. Options include but are not limited to:

   • A literature review, annotated bibliography, development of a lab procedure, SOP development, data organization or dataset curation, a Stickgold Journal Club Presentation or comparable presentation, a poster, or a thesis to fill a requirement for an external program.

If you meet these expectations, you can expect our full support and enthusiastic advocacy. We look forward to helping you build a strong foundation for whatever comes next!