Does it matter if I don’t have a recommendation letter from a science professor?

[deleted947805]

Would it be enough to only have rec letters from a psychology professor, a volunteer program coordinator and a physician? I am not close to the science professors because of my shy personality even if I do well in their class.


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[CheeseCurd]

Look into the specifics of the schools you wish to apply to, but 100% of mine required science faculty letters. Try to go to office hours if you can and make a connection with someone in chemistry/biology/physics.

 

[gyngyn]

Would it be enough to only have rec letters from a psychology professor, a volunteer program coordinator and a physician? I am not close to the science professors because of my shy personality even if I do well in their class.

No, it's not enough. Volunteer coordinators and physician letters have little sway in an MD application. A DO letter will have an impact on a DO application, though.
We will expect you to be able to communicate effectively with folks of all types. That will include people far more different from you than your science profs.

 

[StudentDoGter]

Have you had any science professors for multiple classes? I considered myself to be pretty shy during my undergrad as well, but I had the same teacher for the entire biochemistry series who knew me well enough as a student to write a letter on my behalf. I would recommend going to one of your professor's office hours (if you have had one for multiple classes) and just asking them. Many professors will ask you for your personal statement or something similar to get a better understanding of who you are and why you want to apply to medical school. I know It is intimidating, but I HIGHLY recommended getting 2 science letters. Good luck!

 

[deleted1001426]

Does your school offer a committee letter? I didn’t have a science professor write one of mine but I was able to meet all schools requirements as they typically state you need a committee letter OR you need 4-5 lors which meet particular requirements?

 

[Goro]

Would it be enough to only have rec letters from a psychology professor, a volunteer program coordinator and a physician? I am not close to the science professors because of my shy personality even if I do well in their class.


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Go look at five random med school admissions sites and see what they have to say.

 

[deleted947805]

Does your school offer a committee letter? I didn’t have a science professor write one of mine but I was able to meet all schools requirements as they typically state you need a committee letter OR you need 4-5 lors which meet particular requirements?

My school has a committee letter if that helps.
Being shy is not doing me any favor.


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[Pagan FutureDoc]

My school has a committee letter if that helps.
Being shy is not doing me any favor.


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If you can get a committee letter then that should meet the letter requirements at any school

 

[deleted1001426]

My school has a committee letter if that helps.
Being shy is not doing me any favor.


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afaik a committee letter should fulfill the vast majority of schools requirements. Bear in mind some schools prehealth committees might require certain lors before agree to send a letter on your behalf so check with your advisor

 

[deleted947805]

Okie! Thank you guys so much!


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[gyngyn]

My school has a committee letter if that helps.
Being shy is not doing me any favor.


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I believe that there is only one MD school that does not prefer a committee letter.

 

[ciestar]

Does your school offer a committee letter? I didn’t have a science professor write one of mine but I was able to meet all schools requirements as they typically state you need a committee letter OR you need 4-5 lors which meet particular requirements?

My school required two science letters and one non-science. So be careful with that

 

[Icy14]

So what should one do if they graduated over a year ago, and it's too late to get to know any science professors? I have a couple of science professors that I had 2 classes with, so I was thinking I could shoot them an email and see if they'd like to interview me in order to write a letter. I think they would remember who I am, and I did well in their classes, but I was a very independent student and never got to know them.

 

[Goro]

So what should one do if they graduated over a year ago, and it's too late to get to know any science professors? I have a couple of science professors that I had 2 classes with, so I was thinking I could shoot them an email and see if they'd like to interview me in order to write a letter. I think they would remember who I am, and I did well in their classes, but I was a very independent student and never got to know them.

It will be better if you take some new courses and get to know the mew profs.
Emailing your old profs will likely net you weak LORs.

 

[Icy14]

It will be better if you take some new courses and get to know the mew profs.
Emailing your old profs will likely net you weak LORs.

Hmm well I work full time now and will be applying next cycle, so that's not going to work. My GPA was 3.97 too so there's no point in taking more classes. I do have to take an upper level writing class next semester for the U of Minnesota, but that won't be science.
I can't be the only one in this position though. Surely there's a bunch of non-trads that had to do the same thing?

 

[Goro]

Ask your old professors whether they know you well or not. Schools can reject you on the technical grounds of not having the science letters

Agree 100% with my learned colleague. Better to have some 'meh" LORs that say "Icy was my student in X. S/he scored in the Top 10% of the class", rather than no LOR at all.

 

[Icy14]

Ask your old professors whether they know you well or not. Schools can reject you on the technical grounds of not having the science letters

Well if a school requires a science letter then I'll have a science letter. It just may not be a very strong letter. But my other letters will be solid so I hope that's fine...
On a side note, would it count as a science letter if it was from a biology professor that I TA'd for 1 semester, but didn't actually take a class from?