LOR from a nursing instructor?

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highway31

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I am a non-traditional student applying next cycle. I've got an associates degree in nursing and transferred to my university after 2 years as a nurse to work on a bachelors degree in science. I'm starting to get my LORs in order, but I know that many schools require a LOR from a non science professor. My university does not offer a committee letter.

My problem is that almost all of my non-science classes were taken with my last degree, and just about all of my classes for the past 2 years have been science/math courses, save a couple of senior graduation requirement classes that were online only. I may be able to get a LOR from my current calc 1 professor, but I understand most places consider math as a science (at least in the BCMP gpa). My options for non-science instructors are the ones from my online-only senior classes, non-science professors from my community college that I took ~5 years ago with whom I've had no relationship with, or from one of my nursing professors from nursing school. I knew them very well from all of the clinical hours as well as the continued communication I have with them when they bring students to my hospital. I know I could get a good LOR from one of them, but would a LOR from a nursing professor be frowned upon on a medical school application? Should I just go for the calc letter and try and swing it as a non-science letter?

Thanks

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I am a non-traditional student applying next cycle. I've got an associates degree in nursing and transferred to my university after 2 years as a nurse to work on a bachelors degree in science. I'm starting to get my LORs in order, but I know that many schools require a LOR from a non science professor. My university does not offer a committee letter.

My problem is that almost all of my non-science classes were taken with my last degree, and just about all of my classes for the past 2 years have been science/math courses, save a couple of senior graduation requirement classes that were online only. I may be able to get a LOR from my current calc 1 professor, but I understand most places consider math as a science (at least in the BCMP gpa). My options for non-science instructors are the ones from my online-only senior classes, non-science professors from my community college that I took ~5 years ago with whom I've had no relationship with, or from one of my nursing professors from nursing school. I knew them very well from all of the clinical hours as well as the continued communication I have with them when they bring students to my hospital. I know I could get a good LOR from one of them, but would a LOR from a nursing professor be frowned upon on a medical school application? Should I just go for the calc letter and try and swing it as a non-science letter?

Thanks

If the nursing instructor knows you well, and will speak to your clinical skills/bedside manner, I wouldn't think twice about getting them to write a letter. Whether your making it a non science letter or not.

I'm a soon to be resident who majored in nursing. I used a letter of rec from one of my clinical instructors, and got many compliments on it during interviews. It's definitely not frowned upon. Most of my interviewers appreciated the perspective I was coming in with as a nurse. I think it's a big asset to have on your application.

On a side note, be prepared for questions pertaining to your experience as a nurse, and how it will affect your training as a physician. Also have the why medicine instead of nursing answer down by heart. Good luck in the upcoming application season!
 
for purposes of medical school LOR, nursing may be considered a science letter. However, as a nontrad, many schools give alternatives to specific LOR requirements, such as work supervisor. If you have been working as nurse, this may be a good alternative. In any event, the quality of the letter is more important

But nursing courses are non-science. Wouldn't that make nursing letters non-science? Or is that school-specific?
 
AMCAS for purposes of GPA calculations separates courses into BCPM and AO. That is not science versus non-science and shouldnt be seen as an alternative fact. Nor does AMCAS in anyway set definition or requirements for LOR for each school.

Science should be thought of in the reality of what actually is science and what an adcom is looking for. In other words, what you would consider science and non science as a UG. Health sciences such as nursing, lab tech, RT, etc, would be science. So would Geology, Computer science, Ecology, etc be considered science. Social Science, Humanities, Literature, Anthropology, Philosophy, etc would be non science.

So I take it math and engineering would be considered science for LOR purposes?
 
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