Is a non-science Rec necessary?

[mdphdapplicant]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi,

Long-time reader, first-time poster.

I was wondering if including a non-science Letter of Recommendation is a good idea for applications? Specifically, I plan on applying to MD/PhD programs. Many MD program websites indicate that they were prefer a non-science letter, although its unclear if a committee letter would suffice.

I am a humanities/science double-major, and since I am applying MD/PhD on one hand I kind of hope that since I am have majored in a humanity I wouldn't need a rec from it. On the other hand, I guess it might look odd not having one. I feel like I am going to get really good letters from my PI and grad student mentor in lab (whom I'm really close to and I'm sure would write a great letter...he has a PhD now) and 3 upper-level science professors, whose letters all bring something a little different to the table (which is why ideally I would like to include all). I could probably get another good letter from a prof in my humanities major, although I feel like it wouldn't be great, and I'm worried that 7 LoR (including the committee letter) would be too much. However, I'm worried that I'll be looked down upon if I don't have a non-science letter.

Any advice? I have looked around but I posted this because I would like to finalize asking my recommenders ASAP and I'm not sure if my circumstances would make my case any difference.

Thanks so much for any advice you may have!

 

[LuciusVorenus]

You can probably get rid of the grad student letter. From what I've heard letters from TAs and grad students don't count for much.

 

[mdphdapplicant]

You can probably get rid of the grad student letter. From what I've heard letters from TAs and grad students don't count for much.

I feel like that letter would be the strongest one, by speaking about me as a person and explaining my research in greater detail since I will have only one LoR from a PI, and that grad student has now received a PhD.

I feel as though many schools explicitly say there is a maximum of 6 letters and they basically require a non-science letter. So I might be best just eliminating one of the science professors?

 

[alienshards]

They don't care if your grad student can explain your research. They care if you can.

 

[mdphdapplicant]

They don't care if your grad student can explain your research. They care if you can.

Sorry, I don't know why I wrote that...I'm pretty sure the letter wouldn't talk about my specific research at all, to clarify, I meant like my abilities and potential doing research. I just felt it would talk about me as a person and work ethic and ability in the lab on a really personal basis and be valuable (just because I would have more interaction with my grad student mentor than my PI). Apparently though it doesn't hold much weight (this surprises me because I've read many schools recommend sending letters from coaches/volunteer coordinators/etc. and this would seem similarly applicable if I was primarily interested in research).

 

[kansaskid]

I think it's pretty generally agreed upon that having a non-science LOR is a good idea. You don't want to seem one dimensional and many schools take an interdisciplinary approach to medicine and want to see that you can excel in a wide variety of disciplines.

 

[Lil Mick]

There are different letter requirements for MD/PhD programs (3 research letters when I applied). Check with the MD/PhD program site, rather than the MD site. It's probably mentioned what the programs require.

 

[LizzyM]

The committee letter generally attaches all letters you had submitted to the committee for its consideration in preparing your committee letter. (A few schools merely quote from those letters). It gets viewed by the adcom as a single item (committee letter plus attachments). It doesn't matter if it is 18 pages in total.

I'd say you need your PI letter and the newly minted PhD person's letter as I'm guessing that s/he supervised your work and dealt with you more directly than the PI did. Two science letters beyond those two lab letters and a non-science letter should wrap it up. If you feel an additional science letter would be good, then go for it but it isn't necessary. For the most part, humanities professors tend to talk about skills as a communicator, both in class discussion and as a writer, and those are things that science professors aren't always making a priority in their classrooms and in their LORs. Schools that use class discussion (small group learning) and put an emphasis on physician-patient communications are going to want to see that an applicant has been developing communications skills and has demonstrated an ability in that regard.

 

[mdphdapplicant]

Thanks a lot for the advice everyone!