LOR: Public Health OK for Science LOR?

[premed888]

Hey,
I have a question about science LOR. Is a Professor in Public Health a valid person to write my science letter? I also had the same question for Environmental Science Policy and Management. If I follow the strict AAMC definition of what a science is, then only physics, chemistry, and biology would count. I don't want my application to be thrown in the trash because I did not send two letters of recs that were from hard core sciences. Ya, I know that it is kind of late to be asking about this... but I am really behind on applications. Thanks for the advice.

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[DaBruin]

Hey premed888..I had a similar dilemma. One of my science professors was a professor in Biostatistics from the department of Public Health. I called a couple of schools to see if this counts as a Science LOR and they all said yes. I assumed they would since math is considered "science" on AMCAS, however it seems like the reason they said yes was because it was Public Health. I say that because one of the schools I called said "oh ya then thats science" in response to my comment "Its a part of the school of Public Health." I think the best idea is to call a couple of schools to reassure yourself that the course is valid for a science LOR. I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[premed888]

Thanks for the advice UCLA Bruin. Ya...I was a little worried about my letters because if Public Health and Environmental Science did not count then I would need to scramble to get another letter. And I already scrambling as it is. I think that I will call the schools on the East Coast to see if Environmental Scienceand Policy and Management is a valid science. Thanks.

 

[SMW]

Depends on what schools you're applying to. Most will probably be fine with it, but a few are sticky about their requirements. I think it was Case that wanted 1 bio, 1 physics, 1 chem, and 1 humanities!!

 

[sexycani]

so 2 letters from 2 diff. public health professors both in public health, division of epidemiology would fulfill the science letter requirement? (i am a pub health major myself)

 

[sexycani]

bump...please advise

 

[BooRadley85]

I too am a public health major and when i called the schools last year, all of them told me that public health didn't count as science LORs. Most schools define science as chem, bio, physics and math (stats is considered math). Don't let that discourage you from getting letters from these public health professors though. If these letters will be coming from professors that know you best, get them anyways and get 2 more science letters as well.

 

[sexycani]

did you mention epidemiology at all? wouldn't that count as science? (i mean obviously public health, div. of community health or policy wouldn't count)

 

[BooRadley85]

did you mention epidemiology at all? wouldn't that count as science? (i mean obviously public health, div. of community health or policy wouldn't count)

I did specifically mention epi and how stats intensive it is and they don't really care. If it doesn't say bio Chem or phys in front of the course number they won't count it as a science LOR. Anything prefixed with health is considered a soft science.

 

[premedicine555]

does astronomy count as science for LOR?