Hi everyone, I have a question about the required letters for med school. I know that most schools ask for 2 letters from science professors and 1 from a non-science professor. Some schools even specifically says students should submit letters from whom they have taken lecture courses with. I am a junior and plan to apply for MD/PhD this summer and here's the list of people whom I am going to ask letters from (my school doesn't have a committee)
3 from research PIs (different labs)
1 from a professor whom I took a seminar course with (MCB)
1 from a English professor
1 from my departmental adviser (I was hoping she could write something that would compare me with all the students she has seem in the dept.)
Possibly 1 or 2 other letters from physician-scientists whom I shadowed.
So...I am kind of nervous about the 2 "science lecture course" professor requirement. I feel that my PIs would be more suitable to make comments about me that could potentially be useful to the admission committee since they know me much better than any of the profs whom I took classes with. I did well in my science classes and that is shown on my transcript I guess (GPA~ 3.9). However, I am definitely not one of those students who always keep up with the lecture and set curves on midterms. I am more like the students who do okay on tests (~1 SD above mean) and eventually get an A, but never set the curve to catch special attention or anything. I didn't really go to OH all that much neither b/c I tend to cramp before tests... and I almost never kept up with the lecture. However, I am certain that my PIs would give me very strong letters making positive comments. I wonder if schools would just reject me for not strictly follow their guideline on sending in letters. Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks!
3 from research PIs (different labs)
1 from a professor whom I took a seminar course with (MCB)
1 from a English professor
1 from my departmental adviser (I was hoping she could write something that would compare me with all the students she has seem in the dept.)
Possibly 1 or 2 other letters from physician-scientists whom I shadowed.
So...I am kind of nervous about the 2 "science lecture course" professor requirement. I feel that my PIs would be more suitable to make comments about me that could potentially be useful to the admission committee since they know me much better than any of the profs whom I took classes with. I did well in my science classes and that is shown on my transcript I guess (GPA~ 3.9). However, I am definitely not one of those students who always keep up with the lecture and set curves on midterms. I am more like the students who do okay on tests (~1 SD above mean) and eventually get an A, but never set the curve to catch special attention or anything. I didn't really go to OH all that much neither b/c I tend to cramp before tests... and I almost never kept up with the lecture. However, I am certain that my PIs would give me very strong letters making positive comments. I wonder if schools would just reject me for not strictly follow their guideline on sending in letters. Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks!