Medical Recommendations from Non-professors?

[Goro]

I graduated from college in 2019, and applied to medical school for the 2019-2020 application cycle; despite 3 interviews, I was unsuccessful. Feedback from schools told me that I lacked volunteering experience. I would like to reapply for the 2021-2022 cycle, giving me time to improve my application (with some virtual experiences I have lined up), but I will have been out of school for 2 years, and have not kept in touch with my profs. Will the schools take recommendations from my bosses from work/volunteering in lieu of recommendations from profs, or are prof recommendations absolutely necessary?

Many schools specifically state that they want LORs from faculty. You're going to have to research each med school's admissions website as to their requirements.

LOR are good for several years. Did your writers load the letters into Interfolio?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

Yes, I did. Thanks! I thought they were useless after a year or two.

Nope

 

[tantacles]

Yes, I did. Thanks! I thought they were useless after a year or two.

I would use some of those old letters and also make sure you have 1-2 new ones from people who know you well in your new positions.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

One detail that you need to check into for specific schools is their dates they want on the LOR. For example, a few schools I applied to when I was going through this stated the letter had to be written in the last year. Just make sure.