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Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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The new MSAR has an LOE Preferences report that I think confirms this. Strongly recommend.

EDIT: Removed direct link since the thumbnail warns about intended use and audience for advisors. Search for "MSAR reports" if you can. If you have MSAR access, see if the link appears in the upper right corner.
 
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faatssic said:
Hi all, I have gotten some questions from friends about not having a non-science LOR or having a generic non-science LOR and being hesitant to submit it.

Only 15 schools require a non-science LOR, which are:

Harvard, JHU, UW, Maryland, Indiana, Vermont, Rutgers, Tennesse, UCF, EVU, Penn State, Loyola, Creighton, Carle, NYMC, Rush

I know in the past that a non-science LOR was required, but that is no longer the case. The vast majority of schools no longer seem to care where the LOR comes from as long as it is strong, or they require 1-2 STEM professors (which should not be difficult).

Hopefully this helps someone!
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I have also noticed that several of the schools you mentioned above don't actually require the non-science LOR but recommend it. Always better to follow the recommend, but I wonder if having 2 outstanding letters of support from physician supervisors would be looked at favorably enough for the school to not be strict on the non-science letter. I feel those letters will show more than a non-science professor that barely knows me.

Does anyone know if the STEM professor can be a PI that taught research focused courses for a year (3 credits both semesters) or does it have to be an instructor of one of the medical school prerequisite courses?
 
DustofNightandDay said:
I wonder if having 2 outstanding letters of support from physician supervisors would be looked at favorably
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"Physician" letters are usually unhelpful (except for the few MD schools that want a "clinician" letter).
DO schools love a DO letter, though.
 
gyngyn said:
"Physician" letters are usually unhelpful (except for the few MD schools that want a "clinician" letter).
DO schools love a DO letter, though.
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Oh good to know. I would have thought a physician that has worked with me personally in the clinic over 1-2 years would be better than a professor in a class of 300 students for 1 semester that hardly knows me. I'm going to have to figure out how to prioritize my letters then.

Do you happen to know if a PI that taught a research class counts as a science course recommend? I have 1 science letter from my O-chem professor but for the 2nd science I was thinking of my microbiology research class teacher. I can do that or use a generic letter from my physics professor that hardly knew me, but he did write a letter. I just feel like my micro research professor got to know me much better in class and also working on projects and presenting posters.
 
DustofNightandDay said:
Oh good to know. I would have thought a physician that has worked with me personally in the clinic over 1-2 years would be better than a professor in a class of 300 students for 1 semester that hardly knows me. I'm going to have to figure out how to prioritize my letters then.

Do you happen to know if a PI that taught a research class counts as a science course recommend? I have 1 science letter from my O-chem professor but for the 2nd science I was thinking of my microbiology research class teacher. I can do that or use a generic letter from my physics professor that hardly knew me, but he did write a letter. I just feel like my micro research professor got to know me much better in class and also working on projects and presenting posters.
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If the physician was your employer or supervisor for a sustained period of time, that can be useful. In order to avoid the usual "physician letter,"
be sure to send them this link: https://www.aamc.org/system/files?file=2019-09/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf
This will serve as an letter from an employer.

A strong letter from a research supervisor would be better than a generic letter from a physics professor, in my opinion.
 
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