Confusion Regarding LORs

[Toxstxr]

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I'm a biomedical engineering student and I've built some really good relationships with multiple BME faculty, including my PI and other professors. My PI taught me thermodynamics, but it's classified as a BME course on my transcript (although it's literally science). I'm wondering if it would count towards the "two science one non-science" requirement I see being thrown around.

I'm also wondering if the majority of schools follow this rule or not anymore (I've heard schools have become more lenient when it comes to this).

Finally, I just need someone to review my LOR list and inform me whether it satisfies the LOR requirement for most MDs. I've looked at a handful of schools now and from what I can tell, most schools don't strictly require "two science one non-science" and I don't want to compromise the quality of my letters to satisfy an arbitrary requirement.

List:
1 PI + Thermodynamics professor
1 Engineering Professor
1 Biology professor
1 Volunteering coordinator
1 Physician in urgent care

Thank you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Previously

T

Thread 'WAMC/School list 3.93 cGPA/ 3.93 sGPA'

Jul 6, 2025

GPA: 3.93 biomedical engineering
MCAT: 514 (128/129/129/128)
FAP recipient, not an URM (Arab male immigrant with citizenship), live in Illinois
Medical Assistant: 400 hours urgent care clinic
Clinical volunteering: 250 (urgent care clinic + hospital)
Research: 700 (1 co-author) focused on Alzheimers Disease, Cerebral Endothelial Cells, etc.
Shadowing: 60-70 (Gen. surgery and blood transfusion pathologist)
non-clinical volunteering: 200 (150 food pantry, 50 mosque)
Teaching/mentorship: 150 (worked as a TA for Calculus I/Calculus II)
Creative: 400 hours since high school as a lead 3D...

• Toxstxr
• Replies: 4
• Forum: What Are My Chances? WAMC Medical

I think your PI is an engineering/science professor so you would have 3 STEM references to me. If you apply to the engineering and research-oriented schools (that may not be sticklers for the non-science requirement), you should be fine... just check with them. An oversight would be a waste of $100 from your wallet (depending on AMCAS+secondary charge).

 

[Toxstxr]

Previously

T

Thread 'WAMC/School list 3.93 cGPA/ 3.93 sGPA'

Jul 6, 2025

GPA: 3.93 biomedical engineering
MCAT: 514 (128/129/129/128)
FAP recipient, not an URM (Arab male immigrant with citizenship), live in Illinois
Medical Assistant: 400 hours urgent care clinic
Clinical volunteering: 250 (urgent care clinic + hospital)
Research: 700 (1 co-author) focused on Alzheimers Disease, Cerebral Endothelial Cells, etc.
Shadowing: 60-70 (Gen. surgery and blood transfusion pathologist)
non-clinical volunteering: 200 (150 food pantry, 50 mosque)
Teaching/mentorship: 150 (worked as a TA for Calculus I/Calculus II)
Creative: 400 hours since high school as a lead 3D...

• Toxstxr
• Replies: 4
• Forum: What Are My Chances? WAMC Medical

I think your PI is an engineering/science professor so you would have 3 STEM references to me. If you apply to the engineering and research-oriented schools (that may not be sticklers for the non-science requirement), you should be fine... just check with them. An oversight would be a waste of $100 from your wallet (depending on AMCAS+secondary charge).

Thanks for the reply. I was more so asking about the “two science” requirement because I wasn’t sure whether my engineering courses satisfy that requirement or not. I was always under the impression that “one non science” wasn’t strictly a professor, but I guess I was wrong…

 

[eigen]

Honestly, you need to check the individual requirements for each school rather than relying on general rules of thumb.

I'm not sure your volunteer coordinator or physician are going to be strong letters, and would consider replacing one or both.