Does human nutrition count as a science letter?

[bme94]

Hi guys,

I have a bit of a dilemma. I have tried repeatedly to get letters from biology/chemistry/biochemistry professors, but I was either ignored, or told nastily they weren't going to write me one. It was pretty upsetting. I have a letter from a human nutrition professor (with a PhD) who I researched for, for about a year. Will this count as a science letter? Is there a list of schools that accepts nutrition as a science letter?

I had one from a physiology professor, but all he said he could write about me was that I got an A, so I really don't want to end up sending that one...

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[mrspecialist]

Human nutrition does not count as a science.

 

[Doudline]

Human nutrition does not count as a science.

"Nutritional science investigates the metabolic and physiological responses of the body to diet. With advances in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, the study of Human nutrition is increasingly concerned with metabolism and metabolic pathways: the sequences of biochemical steps through which substances in living things change from one form to another."

Sounds pretty scientific to me.

 

[LizzyM]

If this person was your research mentor and, in particular, if this person is the PI in a wet lab, I think that you could count it as a science letter. Some adcoms are particularly interested in letters from research mentors.

 

[Marine to MD]

Even if this one counts, and I really think it will be school dependent, where do you plan on getting the rest of your letters from?

 

[bme94]

"Nutritional science investigates the metabolic and physiological responses of the body to diet. With advances in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, the study of Human nutrition is increasingly concerned with metabolism and metabolic pathways: the sequences of biochemical steps through which substances in living things change from one form to another."

Sounds pretty scientific to me.

Thank you! I hope they see it that way as well.

 

[bme94]

If this person was your research mentor and, in particular, if this person is the PI in a wet lab, I think that you could count it as a science letter. Some adcoms are particularly interested in letters from research mentors.

Yes, she was my research mentor. I'm not totally sure if it could be called a wet lab, though.

 

[bme94]

Even if this one counts, and I really think it will be school dependent, where do you plan on getting the rest of your letters from?

I have letters from a doctor I do clinical research with at a hospital, a music professor, and a committee letter. Not sure if I plan on sending this one, but I have a really good letter from a TA in chemistry, who is a phd candidate.

 

[Marine to MD]

I have letters from a doctor I do clinical research with at a hospital, a music professor, and a committee letter. Not sure if I plan on sending this one, but I have a really good letter from a TA in chemistry, who is a phd candidate.

Ok, jist wanted to make sure you uad your bases covered! If you have a committee letter, that should cover you at most schools. If I remember correctly, most asked for either a committee letter -OR- individual letters, which is when these would come into play.

 

[bme94]

Ok, jist wanted to make sure you uad your bases covered! If you have a committee letter, that should cover you at most schools. If I remember correctly, most asked for either a committee letter -OR- individual letters, which is when these would come into play.

Ok, thanks for your help!

 

[md-2020]

I got AMCAS to approve a surprisingly large number of courses as BCPM. Had to submit a few syllabi, but w/o it I have no idea how bad my sGPA would be.


Nutrition was one of them. I think it's a science.

 

[bme94]

What counts as science for the AMCAS BCPM is not equal to LOR from a science faculty and/or science course. For example, a letter writer who has a PhD in Biochem, is a professor in the nutrition science department, and teaches a class that centers on metabolic pathways, would likely be seen as fulfilling the science letter requirement in most schools. While this generalization is not absolute, it is a reasonable assessment.

Yes, the class definitely covered metabolic pathways. Thanks for your help!

 

[bme94]

I got AMCAS to approve a surprisingly large number of courses as BCPM. Had to submit a few syllabi, but w/o it I have no idea how bad my sGPA would be.


Nutrition was one of them. I think it's a science.

Wow, really? Was it human nutrition?

 

[whitemagic]

For what its worth, I used my nutrition professor as my non-science LOR.

 

[mrspecialist]

Well it's not like your cheating anyone, adcoms do check the classes you put under BCPM.

 

[cantankerous]

I have letters from a doctor I do clinical research with at a hospital, a music professor, and a committee letter. Not sure if I plan on sending this one, but I have a really good letter from a TA in chemistry, who is a phd candidate.

I don't know if it's possible, but you could have the main professor sign off on the TA rec letter.

 

[bme94]

I don't know if it's possible, but you could have the main professor sign off on the TA rec letter.

Tried that. Wouldn't sign it. Said something along the lines of she doesn't know everything that goes in the laboratory

 

[Promethean]

I don't think that nutrition is counted as a science for calculating sGPA, but particularly if this was someone with whom you did research you should give it a try.

Most of my letters came from anesthesiologists and surgeons with whom I worked, rather than from professors. That worked fine. It will depend on the school and how particular they want to be.