LOR from professor who is a postdoc?

[PreMedStudent55555]

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I'm considering asking a professor of a science class I recently took to write me a LOR as I've shown a lot of dedication in her class and she's shown acknowledgement of that effort and she really likes me as a student. I think she'd write me a LOR that's personal and demonstrative of my perseverance and determination as a student. The only this is that she is a postdoc and not tenured. Is that fine? @Goro @LizzyM

 

[Oso]

Is she actually a professor at your school or just a lecturer for the class?

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

Is she actually a professor at your school or just a lecturer for the class?

Idk what you mean by an actual "professor". Her title is postdoctoral fellow. She lectures for the class (grades it) and does research. I also have another recommender who is a teaching fellow. Is that also allowed? both have PHD's. I think it is but I just want to double check with some adcoms and some people who've already applied.

 

[Oso]

Idk what you mean by an actual "professor". Her title is postdoctoral fellow. She lectures for the class (grades it) and does research. I also have another recommender who is a teaching fellow. Is that also allowed? both have PHD's. I think it is but I just want to double check with some adcoms and some people who've already applied.

I'm not sure if I'm being nit-picky here, but I meant, are they actually a faculty member in the department, or are they a post-doc doing research in the lab of a faculty member and lecturing the course the faculty member normally teaches. I'm not sure if it matters, so let's wait for some adcoms to weigh in.

 

[OddNath]

Idk what you mean by an actual "professor". Her title is postdoctoral fellow. She lectures for the class (grades it) and does research. I also have another recommender who is a teaching fellow. Is that also allowed? both have PHD's. I think it is but I just want to double check with some adcoms and some people who've already applied.

So, definitely just a post-doc and not a faculty member/professor. I would advise against getting letters from post-docs.

As has been pointed out- this post-doc probably works in the lab of a faculty member. So, you could get this faculty member to write the letter, or maybe they can work something out where you and the post-doc draft it first and then the faculty member signs it. Though, it is generally a stronger letter when the faculty member knows you very well and offers to write it.

Teaching fellow...I don’t know what that is.

You should try to get your letters from practicing physicians or actual faculty members in a university (assistant/associate professor is ok).