question about science prof. LORs

[hari-bhari]

do they have to be from a science professor that you took a science class with? or can it be a science professor that you did research for....

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[jackieMD2007]

Yes. Otherwise how else is this person supposed to say things about your academic aptitude? On some secondaries some schools want you to SAY what class you had with the prof and what grade you got. I have only had one that way, but still.

I am pretty clear that an academic rec needs to be from the sciences, in a class where you had a letter grade.

 

[hari-bhari]

oh ****. can't a research professor testify to your aptitude??

 

[ADeadLois]

Yes. Otherwise how else is this person supposed to say things about your academic aptitude? On some secondaries some schools want you to SAY what class you had with the prof and what grade you got. I have only had one that way, but still.

I am pretty clear that an academic rec needs to be from the sciences, in a class where you had a letter grade.

Which secondary asked for the grade?

 

[jackieMD2007]

It was one of the ones I did recently. Asked for the class name, etc. I think it might have been NYMC. But I remember having to drag out my transcript crap to verify course #'s.

 

[hari-bhari]

yea i read in another post that NYMC is a stickler about the science thing. but there were also other members who used a research professor as a science LOR and said it was ok. the thing is, ive done research under 3 professors, and 1 M.D. ive done well in my science classes but i never really talked to or liked my science professors much (or its been so many years they wouldnt even remember me)

 

[ADeadLois]

oh ****. can't a research professor testify to your aptitude??

I think it depends on the med school and the nature of your research. I did independent study with a professor, but it was for course credit and I received a grade. I was graded on a research report I had to write at the end of each quarter and a presentation at the conclusion of my project. I think in this case the professor could attest to my academic aptitude, and I'm hoping to convey this to adcom if they're stringent on having taken a class with the prof. I think this is a good question for LizzyM.

 

[ADeadLois]

It was one of the ones I did recently. Asked for the class name, etc. I think it might have been NYMC. But I remember having to drag out my transcript crap to verify course #'s.

Haha, when I read your first post Jackie I was thinking "if it's a weird LOR requirement, it must be NYMC." Sure enough, I was right.

 

[hari-bhari]

im a biomedical major and i know professors from some of my biomedical classes pretty well, such as sensors and instrumentation (biology mixed with some EE where I designed a robotic arm to run off EMGs), and a Problems in Biomedical Engineering (Problem based learning course). also some people brought up the point of research done for credit and a grade, is this science? or are we talking strictly biology, chem, physics, and math?

 

[ADeadLois]

im a biomedical major and i know professors from some of my biomedical classes pretty well, such as sensors and instrumentation (biology mixed with some EE where I designed a robotic arm to run off EMGs), and a Problems in Biomedical Engineering (Problem based learning course). also some people brought up the point of research done for credit and a grade, is this science? or are we talking strictly biology, chem, physics, and math?

BME is fine.

 

[hari-bhari]

what abt research for credit with grade

 

[ADeadLois]

what abt research for credit with grade

It depends on the school. There's probably not one correct answer.

 

[jackieMD2007]

what abt research for credit with grade

I think its safer to have your three academic in traditional BCPM coursework and then if you have someone extra, then have that research one be extra. It would suck to have a school not accept it. Some schools give you a little "Definition" of what counts as academic, and in those cases academic has meant a prof in a science class where you took the course for a letter grade.