LOR From Graduate Science Professor

[MDforMee]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm working on organizing my letters of recommendation for the upcoming application cycle, and I might want to request a LOR from my current graduate professor (Pharmacology prof.); how do medical schools view LORs from science professors in graduate courses?

My graduate courses are more rigorous than typical graduate courses, apparently, and my MS will be in Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Anyhow, I have a pretty decent spread of LORs, so far:
1. Physical Chemistry Professor from a UC
2. Biosciences Professor from a UC in an academic department of its school of medicine
3. Organic Chemistry Professor from a community college
4. An academic colleague (an MD) that speaks to why I left nursing to pursue medicine
5. My PI, who is also a professor of Pharmacology in a different UC's school of medicine

More specifically, though, I might like to use the LOR I'd be requesting from my current Pharmacology professor at more research-intensive schools that weight Pharmacology more than others. I'd use it to displace #3 since I've heard that community college letters aren't looked at so favorably (even though I completed honors coursework in organic chemistry under him with a ton of independent lab work, earning A's both semesters, and scoring in the 97th percentile on the nationally standardized ACS exam in organic chemistry).

Thanks for reading.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

I'm working on organizing my letters of recommendation for the upcoming application cycle, and I might want to request a LOR from my current graduate professor (Pharmacology prof.); how do medical schools view LORs from science professors in graduate courses?

My graduate courses are more rigorous than typical graduate courses, apparently, and my MS will be in Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Anyhow, I have a pretty decent spread of LORs, so far:
1. Physical Chemistry Professor from a UC
2. Biosciences Professor from a UC in an academic department of its school of medicine
3. Organic Chemistry Professor from a community college
4. An academic colleague (an MD) that speaks to why I left nursing to pursue medicine
5. My PI, who is also a professor of Pharmacology in a different UC's school of medicine

More specifically, though, I might like to use the LOR I'd be requesting from my current Pharmacology professor at more research-intensive schools that weight Pharmacology more than others. I'd use it to displace #3 since I've heard that community college letters aren't looked at so favorably (even though I completed honors coursework in organic chemistry under him with a ton of independent lab work, earning A's both semesters, and scoring in the 97th percentile on the nationally standardized ACS exam in organic chemistry).

Thanks for reading.

The bolded parts of your quoted post are addressed in the order in which they appear in your post:

(1) I believe this is an expectation. Take Hopkins, for example, "Applicants with advanced degrees and/or full time employment are required to submit a letter of recommendation from their direct supervisor/instructor for each position held for a year or more." Source: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/application_process/prerequisites_requirements.html

(2) Sounds like a good idea.

(3) I'm not sure about this. If the letter is strong, I don't see why it would be looked upon unfavorably because the letter is from a CC professor. Look to the advice of faculty members that post on this website (e.g., Catalystik, LizzyM, Goro, gyngyn, among others).

Best of luck.