Does Instructors count as "faculty" and "professors"?

[ClaudioAbbado]

Hello Everyone,

I'm applying to the allopathic medicine cycle next year and I see on alot of my school's website that 2 letters from science faculty professors are required.

So my question is, does a senior instructor with Ph.D in the science faculty that taught me several upper-level courses meet this requirement? I feel that this instructor can write me much much better LOR than actual professors. Thanks.

-Claudio

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[chickensandwich]

Hello Everyone,

I'm applying to the allopathic medicine cycle next year and I see on alot of my school's website that 2 letters from science faculty professors are required.

So my question is, does a senior instructor with Ph.D in the science faculty that taught me several upper-level courses meet this requirement? I feel that this instructor can write me much much better LOR than actual professors. Thanks.

-Claudio

hmm maybe i'm missing something. if they're the primary instructor and they have a phd, then why wouldn't they count as faculty? do you mean because they don't conduct research and only lecture?

 

[ClaudioAbbado]

hmm maybe i'm missing something. if they're the primary instructor and they have a phd, then why wouldn't they count as faculty? do you mean because they don't conduct research and only lecture?

Thats correct, at my university Faculty = professors = who do RESEARCH in addition to teaching.

So I wasn't sure if a Instructor who has a Ph.D count as they do not do research and only teach.

 

[ClaudioAbbado]

In addition, when I see the requirement PROFESSORS, i was not sure whether they mean LITERALLY professors or just any instructor with Ph.D

 

[Winged Scapula]

There are different academic ranks of faculty:

Emeritus Professor
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
Lecturer

Then...
Postdoctoral Fellows
Postdoctoral Associates / Scholars
Research Associates
Teaching Assistant

Thus an Instructor may be on faculty, but generally non-tenure track, not full time. But I don't think the requirement is that your letters come from full professors, although the higher ranks are generally more prestigious what matters is that someone writes you a great letter.

 

[organdonor]

I think that you are WAY over thinking this. If someone teaches science, they are a science professor/instructor/ whatever as far as this requirement goes.