Grad Student Applying to Med School

[brycepj]

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Working on an mph. Did all of my pre-reqs for med-school in my undergrad, but decided I wanted to study ph first.

Any thoughts on "science" letters of rec? Or will med schools waive this requirement for grad students in non-sciences?

I love this website. Yall are always so helpful.

Thanks

 

[MedgirlHopeful]

Working on an mph. Did all of my pre-reqs for med-school in my undergrad, but decided I wanted to study ph first.

Any thoughts on "science" letters of rec? Or will med schools waive this requirement for grad students in non-sciences?

I love this website. Yall are always so helpful.

Thanks

Most medical schools require the applicant to have at least one letter of recommendation from a science faculty. I think that applies to grad student as well.

 

[brycepj]

Thanks, any other perspectives out there?

 

[ShameFame]

IMO you need a science.
If not then you should get a letter from an MD or DO.
But im sure you'll be able to get plenty of PhD's to make your LORs strong. Either way just get letters from credible people. If you have an advisor then maybe a committee letter is the way to go for you.

 

[dr zaius]

I applied while in grad school and was forced to have 2 science letters. This becomes a bit of a hassle when doing a master's in something other than "science". I did engineering, which for some reason the faculty isn't considered science. I had to track down a prof I hadn't seen in around 5 years.

 

[mpHWizzKid]

I am also getting an MPH, most likely one of your teachers for some of the basic MPH classes (think epidemiology, biostatistics, enviro health,etc) may actually be professors within science departments. Check and see if they can write your letter because they are "science" people. (By check I mean, check with the professor and call the schools you are interested in). This may not work but can't hurt to try.
Good Luck!

 

[Sweetpea MD]

OP: your story sounds exactly like mine last year. i was in an MPH program and had finished my pre-reqs 4 years before in undergrad. luckily i had kept in touch with one of my science professors because he was sort of a mentor to me. so here are the letters i submitted:

1) undergrad sci prof
2) MD that i shadowed
3) MD/MPH professor
4) pub health Dean

almost every school allowed me to wave their "2 sci prof letter" requirement because it had been 4 years and i included a letter stating this with my app. for the few schools that wouldn't hear of it, i just didn't apply. plain and simple. i wanted my schools to get letters from people that knew me and my passion for medicine well. i didn't think it was worth it to apply to a school that would get a generic sci prof letter so i went with my original 4 letters. hope this helps! GOODLUCK

 

[brycepj]

Thanks a ton. This was very helpful.