Does an LOR Have to be from a PhD?

[Falconclaw]

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I was wondering if I could get a graduate student who taught Gen Chem, or one who TA'd Physics 2, to write an LOR, or if med schools only want recs from actual professors.

Also, I'm very close with two professors at the college I went to before I transferred here. One taught me First Amendment Law and the other taught Environmental Science. Would a recommendation from either of them be appropriate? They're both full profs.

 

[5lippy]

No.

 

[olecranon4]

No, but I think the general rule is they should have been the ones to have decided your grade in some class.

 

[Long Way to Go]

I was wondering if I could get a graduate student who taught Gen Chem, or one who TA'd Physics 2, to write an LOR, or if med schools only want recs from actual professors.

Also, I'm very close with two professors at the college I went to before I transferred here. One taught me First Amendment Law and the other taught Environmental Science. Would a recommendation from either of them be appropriate? They're both full profs.

If you got the first co-signed by the instructor of record, that would be fine (assuming that the instructor has a doctoral degree or is a professor). You can definitely get recommendations from the two full professors.

 

[Falconclaw]

If you got the first co-signed by the instructor of record, that would be fine (assuming that the instructor has a doctoral degree or is a professor). You can definitely get recommendations from the two full professors.

Okay awesome. Is it important to get a rec from someone who taught you one of the core required classes, or is any science class, or really any class, okay?

 

[Served]

I've seen many students who ask for LOR's from their TA's. The problem I see with this is you have to remember that they're also students. The only thing that separate a TA from you is a BS degree, and he/she may not be experienced enough to know how to write a good LOR.

I think it would be fine if you get a LOR from a TA as an additional letter, but I would personally never use a LOR from a TA as one of my primary LOR's.

 

[mvenus929]

Okay awesome. Is it important to get a rec from someone who taught you one of the core required classes, or is any science class, or really any class, okay?

Any science class is fine.

And agree with the above. It's like getting residents to write letters for you for residency--they may know you better and work with you more, but the professor's name is the one that needs to be on the LOR.

 

[brianphu53]

What if the professors only have masters degrees?

 

[gettheleadout]

What if the professors only have masters degrees?

Still fine.