Necessary Physician Letter of Recommendation?

[studentofsdn]

3 questions. I'm applying this coming application cycle and thus far I will be able to secure a recommendation from: 1 PhD who was basically a super-lab tech that I worked closely with last year, 1 from my current PI, and another one from a science professor whose class I am currently in.

1) I'm not 100% sure about my ability to get that last one, so would it be worth it to ask a physician I shadowed biweekly for ~6 months for a rec? I've seen on SDN that physician rec's are looked down upon, so I'm confused about that.

2) Will my recs suffice the science requirement since only one is from an actually professor I had a class with?

3) Is it worth it to get a rec from a TA who knows me for a non-science letter? or a spanish prof from a year ago who may or may not remember me?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Physician letters aren't looked down on (that I know of), they are actually required for some schools. People may be referring to the fact that they can sometimes be generally positive or run-of-the-mill, which isn't that helpful. But, you could say the same thing about pretty much any type of letter. If you've shadowed a doc for 6 months I'd ask them if I were you, especially since it sounds like you don't have a ton of options.

Different schools may have different requirements about the specific number of letters you need from science courses, so check into that. You will probably need at least one other science letter. I personally wouldn't ask for a letter from a TA. They may know you well, but their opinion frankly just doesn't hold too much weight stacked against real professors. If you don't have another option, I'm sure people sometimes do it and doesn't really hurt. I was a TA in grad school, and I have no idea how to write a good med school letter.

What about volunteering or another EC? Do you have someone from one of those experiences that knows you well enough to write a letter? It can be helpful to have someone who can speak to your character or other qualities outside pure academics.

In the end, getting the right letters is tough and you have to do the best you can with what you've got when it comes time to apply. Most importantly, try and find people who actually know you, preferably different writers in different contexts.

 

[487806]

3 questions. I'm applying this coming application cycle and thus far I will be able to secure a recommendation from: 1 PhD who was basically a super-lab tech that I worked closely with last year, 1 from my current PI, and another one from a science professor whose class I am currently in.

1) I'm not 100% sure about my ability to get that last one, so would it be worth it to ask a physician I shadowed biweekly for ~6 months for a rec? I've seen on SDN that physician rec's are looked down upon, so I'm confused about that.

2) Will my recs suffice the science requirement since only one is from an actually professor I had a class with?

3) Is it worth it to get a rec from a TA who knows me for a non-science letter? or a spanish prof from a year ago who may or may not remember me?

1. Unless the physician personally knows you rather than simply saying you followed him around (i.e. you worked with him for a clinical project, attended lots of grand rounds etc.), physician letters are useless. DO schools demand them, but for MD, useless.

2. You can't count your research letter as a science letter. From what I understand, you need 2 science prof LORs and 1 non-science prof LOR, so be sure to get them.

3. Spanish prof is a better idea, since a prof has a higher weight than a grad (I hope so..) TA.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Some MD schools do require a physician letter @Agent B

 

[487806]

Some MD schools do require a physician letter @Agent B

... they do? Curious to know what few of them are (if they're not state schools...)

 

[rain4venus]

1. Unless the physician personally knows you rather than simply saying you followed him around (i.e. you worked with him for a clinical project, attended lots of grand rounds etc.), physician letters are useless. DO schools demand them, but for MD, useless.

2. You can't count your research letter as a science letter. From what I understand, you need 2 science prof LORs and 1 non-science prof LOR, so be sure to get them.

3. Spanish prof is a better idea, since a prof has a higher weight than a grad (I hope so..) TA.

Also, weirdly enough, none of my SO's top choice schools (including UNC) have the 2 science/1 nonscience recommendation that everyone is always talking about.

From UNC's website: "For students attending a school without a pre-medical committee, two letters of recommendation are required from professors who know you well and who have taught you in a formal classroom setting. One letter should be from a professor in your most recent major or degree-granting department, and the other may be from any professor of your choice." http://www.med.unc.edu/admit/general-info/admissions-process

 

[487806]

Also, weirdly enough, none of my SO's top choice schools (including UNC) have the 2 science/1 nonscience recommendation that everyone is always talking about.

From UNC's website: "For students attending a school without a pre-medical committee, two letters of recommendation are required from professors who know you well and who have taught you in a formal classroom setting. One letter should be from a professor in your most recent major or degree-granting department, and the other may be from any professor of your choice." http://www.med.unc.edu/admit/general-info/admissions-process

The 2 science/1 nonscience is a general (safest) rule to follow. Everything can be modified in a school-specific manner

 

[studentofsdn]

So update: I found out that my spanish teacher from last year is a PhD student and not actually faculty. So, my only shot at actual faculty would be an Econ teacher I had two years ago with whom I had very little rapport with (but I did ask him for a rec a year ago for something else). Will schools bar my application if the non-science rec isn't explicitly from faculty? NJMS is one of the ones that worries me since they specifically say "faculty" in their requirements.

 

[shaybaybay91]

2. You can't count your research letter as a science letter. From what I understand, you need 2 science prof LORs and 1 non-science prof LOR, so be sure to get them.

My PI was also my biochem professor is it sufficient to use his letter to fulfill the science letter requirement or will I need a third one? I current have one from him, a physics professor, and an english professor.

 

[487806]

My PI was also my biochem professor is it sufficient to use his letter to fulfill the science letter requirement or will I need a third one? I current have one from him, a physics professor, and an english professor.

Then you can't use him as a PI letter.

 

[shaybaybay91]

Then you can't use him as a PI letter.

In other words, pick one or the other? Damn it, I thought I would be killing two birds with one stone. Oh well, luckily there aren't too many schools that require a letter from a PI.

 

[rain4venus]

In other words, pick one or the other? Damn it, I thought I would be killing two birds with one stone. Oh well, luckily there aren't too many schools that require a letter from a PI.

I'd say you should look at the actual requirements for the schools you're applying to. If there are any that require a letter from a PI and 2 letters from science faculty, I'd call those schools up and clarify what their policy is for this, rather than assuming you can figure it out or that those of us on the internet have any better idea than you do.

I haven't heard of any schools requiring more than 3 letters, although it's totally possible that they exist. Also, keep in mind that most schools want a committee letter if available, so if your school offers one, you should talk to those guys too and find out what is required for the committee letter. At my SO's school they require the standard 2 science/1 nonscience even though their med school's requirements are more relaxed.