I think this is a non-factor, because most undergraduate professors don't know what makes a good doctor. I said they are able to verbalize qualities they witnessed in you that they think would make you a good doctor.
I didn't get any of my letters from professors who had over 800 students. They all came from upper-level courses of 10-30 students.
My argument is that you don't need professors to tell adcoms that you are god's gift to science with a diamond bow tie on your head. I imagine my professors were able to speak of my academic honesty, integrity, performance, maturity and of my interactions with him, my classmates, and also more intangibles like intellectual curiosity, work ethic, etc. Maybe they gave specific examples. I liked and respected my professors, and I believe they liked and respected me as well. I don't think a transcript can replace these LORs, because plenty of people sneak off with good grades with minimal effort, cut-throat behavior, cutting class and sloppy assignments.
My professor letters probably weren't as good as someone who constructed some "relationship" with his professor, be it genuine or dishonest, and sat at his doorstop and in his lab like a lost puppy every day for a couple semesters. I chose to devote my time and effort elsewhere, and ended up with superb letters from my clinical experiences.
I can agree with this. However, I think that class size plays a significant role. What I wrote about the professor telling me that the TA will write the letter, was not a figment of my imagination. But, I suppose that in a class of 10-30 students there is no need for this to happen, and the Prof. can write a personal letter.
So it seems that our ability to acquire a good letter from a college professor is quite different (and depends on the college we go to, and our academic paths), and our approach to this is different as well. Therefore, I do not expect a Prof. in one of my classes to be able to write about me in the way that you described. And I think that this specific issue is what makes the process, at least for me, to appear at times somewhat pointless - to fulfill a bureaucratic need.
Also, for those us (including myself) that major in something other than science, and don't always have the opportunity to take more than one upper division science class (due to unit cap, being a transfer student, etc.), there aren't many opportunities to interact with professors with smaller class sizes. These factors can lead to a very different view on this process.
Like you, I expect to receive (haven't done it yet) the best LORs from my commander (who's also a physician), possibly other physicians I served with, my PI, and other clinical/volunteer experiences.
I actually called UCSF's admissions office and they told me not to worry too much about it - they understand that there are applicants out there with a life similar to mine (in terms of current obligations - wife, work, baby, mortgage), and it seems that they almost expect luke-warm letters from college professors. However, we still need to get them.
I do realize that what I described doesn't apply to everyone, so there's no need to respond to this as if this is an absolute truth.
