Hello, I graduated from a public Ivy university with a BS in neuroscience in January of 2016. After college, I took pre-requisite coursework for medical/PA school in 2017 at a non-prestigious public university in another part of the country. Later, I took a class at a community college in 2020. Now I am trying to get recommendations for a special master's program so that I can attend medical school and become a psychiatrist. I believe that for these applications, 3 recommendations from a professor/instructor is required. I have contacted my professors from my time earning my undergraduate degree and none of my professors remember me or I could not reach them, so I will be unable to receive recommendations from them. I worked in a research lab in college in psychology, but the PI there did not return my message. I contacted my anatomy and physiology professor from my time taking classes after I graduated college and she said she would be willing to give me a solid recommendation. I contacted my community college professor and she is willing to write me a recommendation but the class was online and so I never met her in person. She said that despite this, she would “do her best” as I got the highest average in the class by 2 or 3 points. In addition, this was a psychology class that is not directly relevant to medical school. I was able to get a recommendation from my supervisor at a public library where I worked part time shelving books for 4 months while I was in between jobs but I don’t think this would help me at all.
I did very well in several classes that I took at the university I attended after I graduated, but these classes were large (150 person molecular biology class and 100 person immunology class, 120 person genetics class, etc.) and so the professors outside of the anatomy and physiology professor do not know who I am. I feel that to earn admission to a quality SMP I need more and stronger letters of recommendation in addition to a solid MCAT score. I am unsure of what to do to in order to get these letters. The only thing I can think of is taking classes at the local university and getting recommendations from these professors but again, I risk the professors not knowing who I am or not knowing me well.
This idea may not be feasible as I am currently studying for the MCAT, working 43-45 hours a week, and commuting 1 hour each day. I do not have a lot of money so I am not sure how I would even finance these classes after I finish paying for the test itself, books, etc. I am already 28 and I want to get started on advancing my career. I currently work in a low level job in a multinational biotech company. I slightly below the median salary for a worker in my area but I am applying to new jobs.
Even if I were to gain admission to a SMP, would letters of rec from instructors at the SMP even be sufficient for a medical school application?
I am unsure of how to proceed in my goal to enter a SMP program and later, medical school so I’d appreciate any advice/input.
The most realistic option would be for me to take another community college class but I am not sure this would help me much as the rigor of a community college class may be perceived as less than a class at a 4 year school.
Thank you.
PS
I have done relatively extensive shadowing (~120 hours), but one surgeon I shadowed is my uncle, one sends out very generic letters of rec from a template, and the other is now retired and I have no way of reaching him.
