I can't possibly get a LOR from a science professor. What should I do?

[WanderingDave]

How essential is it to have at least one LOR in my dossier written by a professor who instructed me in the sciences? I'm taking my prereqs at a school that sees a lot of med school applicants, and the pre-health advisor indicated to me it's absolutely critical that at least one, preferably two, of my LORs be from professor-level teachers in the sciences.

This is just not going to be possible. My intro-level science classes were all huge lecture hall deals, and my work schedule didn't leave me oodles of time to cultivate professors during their office hours. None of them really know me.

If I *absolutely* need some token teacher who's seen my science performance, there are two people I could ask. One is a TA in physics who's been impressed with my performance in her section. But she's an undergrad student almost 10 years younger than me. The other is a retired college physics instructor who's a friend of my parents', who has tutored me in physics two whole times. Both have said they'd do it, but as you may have guessed, neither are capable of giving me a truly stunning recommendation. Certainly neither would be much good for convincing adcoms that I'm especially gifted in the sciences or able to handle a heavy load of science coursework. Plus, I don't want a lukewark LOR in my dossier.

I have 7 people whom I'm sure will be writing me glowing LORs, including former college profs and supervisors on my healthcare job. With these, should I even bother getting more? I assume there are nontraditional applicants here who have even less access to a token science-prof-LOR than I do.

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[blee]

Your pre-health advisor is giving you good advice. Don't forget that medical school is still school, and that the first two years comprise a very heavy load of science courses. It's not a stretch to think that medical schools would want to see letters that indicate your aptitude in the sciences. In other words, adcoms don't just want to see the strength of your character -- they want to learn more about your academic ability and curiosity in ways that grades don't always reflect.

You can't go back and start talking to your profs, but you might be surprised to see how willing they may be to meet with you anyway. One of my bio profs insisted that anyone who wanted a LOR sit down with him for a sort of interview. His reasoning was that no matter how many times a student might have come to office hours, or even if that student worked for him in his lab, he probably doesn't know all that much about the student and his/her motivations for going into medicine.

Give it a shot. The worst you will get is a rejection.

 

[njbmd]

Your pre-health advisor is giving you good advice. Don't forget that medical school is still school, and that the first two years comprise a very heavy load of science courses. It's not a stretch to think that medical schools would want to see letters that indicate your aptitude in the sciences. In other words, adcoms don't just want to see the strength of your character -- they want to learn more about your academic ability and curiosity in ways that grades don't always reflect.

You can't go back and start talking to your profs, but you might be surprised to see how willing they may be to meet with you anyway. One of my bio profs insisted that anyone who wanted a LOR sit down with him for a sort of interview. His reasoning was that no matter how many times a student might have come to office hours, or even if that student worked for him in his lab, he probably doesn't know all that much about the student and his/her motivations for going into medicine.

Give it a shot. The worst you will get is a rejection.

Hi there,
I taught an introductory science class for science majors that contained 380 students in an arena setting. I told my student up front that if they wanted a LOR from me, they had to meet with me at least twice, bring a CV and personal statement. I usually did not write my LOR until the class was done.

As a member of an admissions committee, I am less interested in a letter from your work supervisor and more interested in a letter from a professor who can discuss your academic abilities. I will also caution you that getting an A in someone's class is not absolute evidence of superior academic ability. Even a letter from an professor in who's course you struggled to get that B+ can be an asset to your application.

The best letters come from academicians who know you well and can discuss your academic capabilities. Take the time to get to know a professor or two. If your work schedule does not permit this, then perhaps your work schedule might cost you admission to medical school. This stuff is important and the above poster gives good advice on getting what you need.

njbmd 🙂

 

[MJB]

What's really fun is when most of the prof's you had good relationships with in UG are retired or dead...and you have taken a total of 2 classes at the new school, but the new school only puts out "committee letters".

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

You put together your personal statement, resume and anything else you can think of, go up to a prof and ask them. You sit down and talk to them about it. They're profs so they used to writing letters. The info you give them provides fodder for the letter. Like many non-trads I am in the same boat and this is what I have done. It ain't easy being green.

 

[RxnMan]

You have to think of ADCOMs as cautious gamblers. They have the future of US healthcare in their hands and they want to spend their incoming class seats on the safest bets possible. That being said, the science prof letter will do two things for the ADCOM: 1) give evidence that you can hack it in the classroom, and 2) give evidence that you can understand scientific concepts, both of which are needed for medical school. Do you know of anyone who, while they may not be one of your teachers, can answer these questions for the ADCOMs? If so, then they will probably serve just as well.

That being said, most profs will remember students, even if they've been in only ONE class of theirs, for ten years or more. It gets hard in big classes (~200 people), but in most small classes you'll make enough of an impression that they'll remember you. Explore these options before you completely write off any ugrad prof. Once you find one that remembers you, bring a CV and meet with them like njbmd suggested.

 

[cbertino]

How essential is it to have at least one LOR in my dossier written by a professor who instructed me in the sciences? I'm taking my prereqs at a school that sees a lot of med school applicants, and the pre-health advisor indicated to me it's absolutely critical that at least one, preferably two, of my LORs be from professor-level teachers in the sciences.

This is just not going to be possible. My intro-level science classes were all huge lecture hall deals, and my work schedule didn't leave me oodles of time to cultivate professors during their office hours. None of them really know me.

If I *absolutely* need some token teacher who's seen my science performance, there are two people I could ask. One is a TA in physics who's been impressed with my performance in her section. But she's an undergrad student almost 10 years younger than me. The other is a retired college physics instructor who's a friend of my parents', who has tutored me in physics two whole times. Both have said they'd do it, but as you may have guessed, neither are capable of giving me a truly stunning recommendation. Certainly neither would be much good for convincing adcoms that I'm especially gifted in the sciences or able to handle a heavy load of science coursework. Plus, I don't want a lukewark LOR in my dossier.

I have 7 people whom I'm sure will be writing me glowing LORs, including former college profs and supervisors on my healthcare job. With these, should I even bother getting more? I assume there are nontraditional applicants here who have even less access to a token science-prof-LOR than I do.

This is kind of going to be what everyone else already told you but I thought it might help. I was in pretty much your exact situation. All my science classes were huge lecture halls and I was always so busy that I didn't really have the time to go and talk to the professors to get to know them. I was really nervous about getting letters, but now I realize I majorly overestimated how hard it was to get them to write these letters. I ended up just sending my professors an e-mail with everything attached including my personal statement, my transcripts, my resume, and a letter of reference from an employee asking them if I could meet with them about them possibly writing a letter for me. Don't forget to mention that you received an A in their class and really enjoyed the class material as well as their teaching style (don't lie if it isn't true 🙂 ). I sent it to four of my professors and all 4 of them wrote back within like 24 hours that they would be glad to write me a letter and that they didn't need to meet with me because I had provided sufficient information. I think that a lot of professors know how hard it is to approach them and get to know them in such a setting and really are willing to help qualified students get into professional schools. So definitely ask them and you should have no problems. As somebody else said, the worse you can get is a rejection, but I doubt you will. No worries!

 

[ATrim7]

This is just not going to be possible. My intro-level science classes were all huge lecture hall deals, and my work schedule didn't leave me oodles of time to cultivate professors during their office hours. None of them really know me.

I ran into the same problem when applying to post-bac programs recently. Several of the professors that knew me were either on sabatical or had transferred to another university and left no way of contacting them. As a result, I was forced to contact teachers that were not that familiar with my work.

I wrote several emails to professors and the dean of the school I had graduated from, explaining why I was writing them, what classes I had taken with them, and my grade in their class. I then asked them if they'd be willing to meet with me. I was astounded at the response I got. Most replied and said they'd be willing to meet with me if I brought a CV, statement of interest or personal statement, transcript, and other info that could help them write a letter. Some of the teachers that responded I had never spoken a word to. After a couple of meetings I had the support of two more people, 2 more letters, and 2 more friends that were curious to find out how my application process worked out.

You would be surprised how many professors are willing to go out of their way to help an ambitious student (even if they don't know you). Some professors live to help students. Although you may feel uncomfortable about reaching out to a teacher that hardly knows you, you will feel a lot more uncomfortable knowing that you could have been a better applicant. Additionally, as a doctor you will find yourself in very uncomfortable situations throughout your career. Take a chance and reach out to these professors. You never know what can happen.

 

[mj1878]

How essential is it to have at least one LOR in my dossier written by a professor who instructed me in the sciences? I'm taking my prereqs at a school that sees a lot of med school applicants, and the pre-health advisor indicated to me it's absolutely critical that at least one, preferably two, of my LORs be from professor-level teachers in the sciences.

This is just not going to be possible. My intro-level science classes were all huge lecture hall deals, and my work schedule didn't leave me oodles of time to cultivate professors during their office hours. None of them really know me.

If I *absolutely* need some token teacher who's seen my science performance, there are two people I could ask. One is a TA in physics who's been impressed with my performance in her section. But she's an undergrad student almost 10 years younger than me. The other is a retired college physics instructor who's a friend of my parents', who has tutored me in physics two whole times. Both have said they'd do it, but as you may have guessed, neither are capable of giving me a truly stunning recommendation. Certainly neither would be much good for convincing adcoms that I'm especially gifted in the sciences or able to handle a heavy load of science coursework. Plus, I don't want a lukewark LOR in my dossier.

I have 7 people whom I'm sure will be writing me glowing LORs, including former college profs and supervisors on my healthcare job. With these, should I even bother getting more? I assume there are nontraditional applicants here who have even less access to a token science-prof-LOR than I do.

YOU MUST HAVE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM SCIENCE PROFESSORS!!!

Even though you think it's impossible to get them, it's not. Professors keep grades on file, so they will be able to pull you up and see how you did. Assuming you didn't fail, they would likely be able to to conduct an interview with you before writing your letter so that it would be more personalized. That's what I did, after attending school a long time ago and then asking for a letter years after I had taken the class. He looked up my grades, and then we did a phone interview, and then he wrote me the letter. As for the physics TA, they should be willing to write you a good letter and have the supervising professor sign off on it. I did this very thing. My genetics TA conferred with the professor, both interviewed me by phone, and both signatures were on the bottom of the letter. My letters were awesome, and I believe they went a long way toward getting me in, ultimately. You must get them, though. There are ways. You don't have to be the teacher's pet in order for them to write you a letter. Remember: they're professionals in a science field; they get asked for letters EVERY SEMESTER of their lives! They are good at finding ways to get it done for you.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

i don't dispute the necessity of having 1 or 2 science letters, but this restraint still doesn't make much sense to me. i don't see what a science professor can tell an adcom about one's knack for science that one's grades and mcat won't indicate. the other, more personalized information they might provide shouldn't be different from what other professors can tell them, says i.

 

[Khenon]

As a couple of people mentioned above, most science profs understand student's need for letters and are willing to write them even if they can't specifically remember you. They may ask your for your resume/CV, transcripts, an appointment to meet you, etc. just so they can have something intelligent to say about you. In fact, unless a prof just doesn't like you or is a jerk, they will likely be willing to write you a letter. Though I agree it seems silly to have a meaningless letter in your application (vs. one from someone who really knew you and can attest to your qualities) it is required from most medical schools and you really do need to get these letters.

 

[efex101]

Science professors do not just "only" tell adcoms you are capable of making A's duh, that is on your transcript. Much much more goes on those letters folks! So do not assume that these letters are just a resume of your grades this is WHY it is so important to get to know this professors in some level. Most medical schools will REQUIRE TWO LETTERS FROM SCIENCE PROFESSORS! I am not sure how easy it is to get this waived but why take the chance? ALL applicants have these letters and some went to big classes so how come you cannot get one? you have to see thing from the adcoms point of view. If they get 3000 applications and 2700 HAVE LOR from science what do you think they will think of the other 300 that do not? hmmm maybe this person was an X or Y and could not get anyone to write a good letter? although letters from employers are "nice" touch they do NOT carry the weight of a letter from an academician. This is why it is prudent for non-trads that have already taken the pre-reqs eons ago to take RECENT courses...

 

[scpod]

i don't dispute the necessity of having 1 or 2 science letters, but this restraint still doesn't make much sense to me. i don't see what a science professor can tell an adcom about one's knack for science that one's grades and mcat won't indicate. the other, more personalized information they might provide shouldn't be different from what other professors can tell them, says i.

An English professor, for example, really doesn't have an idea of whether or not you will succeed in the basic sciences courses in medical school. A science professor, who has him/herself completed graduate level science classes, really has a better idea. Your grades and MCAT don't tell them what kind of student your are, if you had problems, or what your strengths and weaknesses are. Your grades and MCAT can't give an opinion as to how well you will succeed in the basic sciences. Med schools really don't want you to fail out once you are accepted; that looks bad on them.

Besides, you know up front that you are going to have to have these LORs from science professors. It's not a surprise; it's just another part of the puzzle that you have to put together to show how much you want it. If you really want it, you'll do it. It's just that simple.

 

[stherling]

While everyone here is making lots of sense, the facts remain that I didn't have a single science LOR, and I got 2 interviews at great schools and an acceptance. I only applied to 5. I had 3 research LORs and 1 from a summer abroad experience. My premed committee didn't raise a stink either. I absolutely did not see the point of harassing profs who had no idea who i was. i know this is just one case and doesn't mean much... but i just wanted the OP to know that it IS possible to get into med sch without science LORs.

That said, some schs do require them. I would check with the schs that you're interested in. If you need one, I would go with the impressed TA.

 

[MediMama23]

While everyone here is making lots of sense, the facts remain that I didn't have a single science LOR, and I got 2 interviews at great schools and an acceptance. I only applied to 5. I had 3 research LORs and 1 from a summer abroad experience. My premed committee didn't raise a stink either. I absolutely did not see the point of harassing profs who had no idea who i was. i know this is just one case and doesn't mean much... but i just wanted the OP to know that it IS possible to get into med sch without science LORs.

That said, some schs do require them. I would check with the schs that you're interested in. If you need one, I would go with the impressed TA.

What kind of research did you do? If it was scientific, it's still along similar enough lines that schools were able to say, "Good enough." But to have nothing along the lines of a LOR that can assess your ability to tackle the sciences, is shaky and should be thought of as more of a special case.

 

[efex101]

Ditto to the above post...if you had PI's writing your LOR's that is equivalent to a science LOR. Again, sure there are some cases I am sure where folks did not have a science LOR and got in, there are also cases were folks did not even graduate from a BS/BA and got in, but these are NOT the majority of cases. The OP did not mention if getting LORs from PI would be possible if this IS the case then you should be okay...what is NOT usually okay is submitting LOR from bosses/chaplain/family member and yes this does happen (not saying this is what is going on here). This process is a whole bunch of jumping through hoops and doing things the adcom way...you can either do it their way and be successful or not do it their way and play the odds...

 

[Khenon]

What kind of research did you do? If it was scientific, it's still along similar enough lines that schools were able to say, "Good enough." But to have nothing along the lines of a LOR that can assess your ability to tackle the sciences, is shaky and should be thought of as more of a special case.

My guess is this is more a "special case." I had strong "science" LOR's from my supervisors that I worked in their labs, but most of the schools I applied to very specifically wanted a letter from a science professor that I took an actual class from. I suppose if the school isn't very specific (ie just wants a science LOR vs a science prof LOR) then it would probably be fine.

I thought I might add too, that any effort that gets put in to try to waive the professor letters would likely be more rigorous then if you just email the profs and ask for one. Just something to think about. 😉

 

[efex101]

Also a good rule of thumb for anyone applying is to CALL ALL schools you will be applying to and ASK if you indeed need a science LOR or not..this information is also available on ALL webpages for medical schools...it behooves you'all to become intimately familiar with what each school WANTS. This will avoid unecessary heartache of applying to schools that will NOT even look at your application due to lack of x or y.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

An English professor, for example, really doesn't have an idea of whether or not you will succeed in the basic sciences courses in medical school. A science professor, who has him/herself completed graduate level science classes, really has a better idea. Your grades and MCAT don't tell them what kind of student your are, if you had problems, or what your strengths and weaknesses are. Your grades and MCAT can't give an opinion as to how well you will succeed in the basic sciences.

but grades and mcat, in being a record of undergraduate success in science, do indicate potential success in medical school science.

and this common story i see of science professors writing recommendations for students they don't remember after looking over their personal statement and course grades just bolsters the idea that they're often not providing extra insight into your personal science ability (or they're lying about it, since they don't remember you). and if provided, what would this extra insight be, anyway?

"let me resolve your suspense in this particular matter: student x received an a in my orgo chemistry course because he did a good job pushing electrons for mechanisms and naming compounds. so yes, the grade she received in my course and her high mcat score correspond to my special insight that they're good at science."

or

"student y received merely an okay grade in my biology course because although he mastered a lot of topics, he had problems understanding how muscle contraction works for the exam. so take it from a science phd: their average grade in my course and mcat scores does indeed reflect them not mastering all of the material. it's lucky for you that i could indicate that it's muscle contraction in particular that gave him problems so your adcom can debate the significance of this detail in deciding on whether student y can handle med school science in general."

or

"student z didn't seem to understand anything in physics. that's why i gave him an f. and just look at his mcat score, for goodness' sake!"

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Definitely get two science letters from a professor who taught you in a class. Not every school requires it, but the majority do. The thing to note is that writing letters is part of a professor's job, and if you did well in a class, they'll try to help you out even if they have no clue who you are. Sure, some might say no, but from my experience, the majority of professors in your situation will be willing to write a letter.

The downside is that letters from professors who don't really know you aren't going to make you stand out, so you want to supplement them with letters from people you've worked with or had more interaction with.

 

[efex101]

This is why it is SO important to get LOR's from professors that KNOW you WELL! trust me on this, LOR's from a professor that does not know you are WAY different from one that knows you. The LOR from someone that knows you is much much more than a resume of grades! this is WHY adcoms want these letters! again, do whatever at your own risk but KNOW that most folks have excellent LOR's from professors that can attest to MORE than Jimmy Foxtrot did great in my class....

 

[stherling]

What kind of research did you do? If it was scientific, it's still along similar enough lines that schools were able to say, "Good enough." But to have nothing along the lines of a LOR that can assess your ability to tackle the sciences, is shaky and should be thought of as more of a special case.

Psych and neuropsych. whether that counts as science is sadly still controversial 😛 Either way those LORs certainly didn't speak to my abilities to process biochemical equations or retain anatomical minutia.

i second whoever said call the schools and ASK. none of the schools I applied to required a science LOR ... though some required a pre-med committee letter to make up for it.

ETA: I'm not trying to argue with anyone... I actually agree that if you can get those LORs, you should. but if you can't or it's hard or you think it's meaningless, it's worth finding out from the school if this would even be a problem in the first place.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

This is why it is SO important to get LOR's from professors that KNOW you WELL! trust me on this, LOR's from a professor that does not know you are WAY different from one that knows you. The LOR from someone that knows you is much much more than a resume of grades! this is WHY adcoms want these letters! again, do whatever at your own risk but KNOW that most folks have excellent LOR's from professors that can attest to MORE than Jimmy Foxtrot did great in my class....

That's why I don't understand the reasoning why people say that LORs from bosses, etc, don't hold as much weight as those from Professors. I'm not doubting that it's true, but I spend (spent) much more time around my boss than I do around my Professors, and he knows me much better.

That's not to say that I'm not including the usual 3 good letters from Professors (2 science, 1 non-science,) but for a nontrad, I would think the info in the letter from a supervisor would be just as, or more valuable than those from Professors <shrug>

 

[notdeadyet]

Just because no one has mentioned it, maybe figuring it was self-evident, do what you need to do, but under no circumstances submit a letter of rec from the undergrad student.

 

[mars2213]

I don't think this was mentioned, but my good friend was my TA for orgo and also was highly respected by the orgo prof. Our class was huge too ~200 students. There were about 15 of us in the discussion section, and my TA said that he would write an LOR and then also have the prof read/edit it and co-sign it. This way we'd get a personal perspective from the TA and even more substance with the professor's approval. I called up some schools to make sure they'd take my LOR, and I haven't run into any problems yet. I also think it would be a good thing to have in addition to your other LORs just in case you need to use it. Hope that helps, good luck

 

[efex101]

Jota a letter from your boss is great if you are also submitting the "require" LOR by whatever school you are applying to. I was trying to emphasize that a letter from your boss cannot substitute from a science LOR. Although your boss may very well know you in a business like fashion (how well you work with others, are you on time, are you dependable, etc) he/she just cannot possibly bear witness to "academic" potential. Academic potential does not "just" mean how well you do in a class...btw. It means much more like how do you perform under academic stress, are you inquisitive and fired up and want to know "more", what is your research potential, are you a problem solver or a do-it type of person, etc...so again hence the important for the science LOR. Adcoms are not trying to put roadblocks for you, they are trying to accept students that WILL succeed under the heavy pressures of medical school...hence they need someone to give a snap shot of academic prowess/potential.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Jota a letter from your boss is great if you are also submitting the "require" LOR by whatever school you are applying to. I was trying to emphasize that a letter from your boss cannot substitute from a science LOR. Although your boss may very well know you in a business like fashion (how well you work with others, are you on time, are you dependable, etc) he/she just cannot possibly bear witness to "academic" potential. Academic potential does not "just" mean how well you do in a class...btw. It means much more like how do you perform under academic stress, are you inquisitive and fired up and want to know "more", what is your research potential, are you a problem solver or a do-it type of person, etc...so again hence the important for the science LOR. Adcoms are not trying to put roadblocks for you, they are trying to accept students that WILL succeed under the heavy pressures of medical school...hence they need someone to give a snap shot of academic prowess/potential.

Makes sense. I also work at an R&D job that involves problem solving and often intense deadlines (ask my wife, when a chip needs to tapeout, sometimes I DON'T COME HOME!) so MY boss does know about some of those qualities (and I hope he puts them in my LOR!) but I realize that that's not necessarily the typical case. I'm often guilty of thinking, by default, "everybody is like me," which, obviously is not the case.

Yeah, and I wasn't disputing the need for the academic letters (Med. School is an academic institution) but just trying to understand the reasoning behind why some said that non-academic letters don't hold the same weight. I think that we are both in agreement that non-academic letters, can complement a set of academic letters.

The advice that I got, early on, was to find a set of LOR writers that:

1. Knew you enough to include specifics in the LOR, and would write a great, glowing, excellent, etc LOR (this is sort of obvious.)

2. Complemented each other -- that is, each could comment about a different strengths that they observed, specifically.

The key is that your LOR writers should know you well enough to BE SPECIFIC.

Anyways, I don't want to get off on a tangent here....

Jota

 

[efex101]

Jota, what you can do is kind of hint to your boss how important putting those elements in the letter are...not sure how friendly you are with your boss...and you are exactly correct in that when contacting LOR writers make sure you emphasize that IF they do indeed will do this for you it has to be strong...I think that always asking "would you be willing to write me a strong LOR in support of my academic endeavors?" is the best way to go. Good luck!

 

[Khenon]

This is why it is SO important to get LOR's from professors that KNOW you WELL! trust me on this, LOR's from a professor that does not know you are WAY different from one that knows you. The LOR from someone that knows you is much much more than a resume of grades! this is WHY adcoms want these letters! again, do whatever at your own risk but KNOW that most folks have excellent LOR's from professors that can attest to MORE than Jimmy Foxtrot did great in my class....

I don't think anyone is arguing this point. But it sounds like the OP is thinking that because he doesn't have a more personal relationship with any of his previous science profs he "can't" get letters from them. The bottom line is, whether or not the profs knew him well he will likely still HAVE to get those letters and just make due with giving them his CV and maybe having an appointment or 2 to meet up with said prof. Some med schools simply require an academic science LOR and you just have to get one . . . regardless of how well your profs knew you. For certain, your post is 100% correct. It's so much better to have a letter from a prof that knew you. But if you don't have a science prof that knows you well, you're not exempt from having to provide the letter to some med schools.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

That's why I don't understand the reasoning why people say that LORs from bosses, etc, don't hold as much weight as those from Professors. I'm not doubting that it's true, but I spend (spent) much more time around my boss than I do around my Professors, and he knows me much better.

That's not to say that I'm not including the usual 3 good letters from Professors (2 science, 1 non-science,) but for a nontrad, I would think the info in the letter from a supervisor would be just as, or more valuable than those from Professors <shrug>

Honestly, I think letters from bosses, etc. are really useful and can probably make up from sort of so-so letters from science professors. You have to get the letters from the professors because it's a requirement, but for lots of us (especially students at big schools), it's an impossibility to get a letter from someone who taught you in a class and really knows you, especially if you weren't a science major. My big advice is to not let that stop you from applying. Recognize that those science prof letters might be pretty generic and get other letters to make up for them.

I agree that it's ideal to have all your letters from people who really know you, but it's not really always feasible.

 

[efex101]

Guys it is not impossible to have a professor "know" you even if he/she just taught one class! this is the case for many of us that did get LOR's from these folks. You can easily get to know the professors by visiting their office every now and then (not being a pest) and chatting with them about the class/problems with homework/questions about exams/etc..you do not have to be a brown noser but just kind of a polite individual that is interested in getting an LOR. Professors know this! it is part of their duties and they "expect" this. So do not be shy or feel weird about doing this...this is how most of us got LOR's in the first place. Good luck to you all.

 

[pingouin]

What about fitting in an independent study with a professor who can write a good letter for you? It's one or two credit hours that count toward your BCPM GPA, there's no class time involved... and that professor gets to know you on an individualized basis over the course of a semester.

 

[vtucci]

Okay- first point, your class may have had more than 200 students but you should be able to get to know your professor well. Camp out on his doorstep, offer to take him out to lunch, send e-mails with intelligent follow-up questions. The argument that there are too many students in the class for a professor to get to know them well is crap. For those of you starting the process, please keep this in mind.

I can speak on this from two perspectives: I was a professor at a 4 year college and I did a post-bac program where there were often 150+ students in the lecture course. In all cases, I made sure that my professors knew who I was. Whenever possible, I took multiple classes with the same professor or worked with the professor on a project. And yes, I did this while working full-time.

That being said- a LOR from your boss is not going to hurt but make sure you also have letters from your volunteer work (hospital etc) or lab research. The reason letters from bosses may or may not carry as much weight, is because while those letters can speak to your personal characteristics and maybe even some transferable traits to medicine, there is a good deal of variability in the quality and tenor of such letters.