Science faculty LOR need to be with a professor I took a class with?

[Japika]

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I am finding mixed answers on the topic.

I have one science faculty (MD/PhD) who teaches some classes at the med school here, taught me in a undergrad clinical neuroanatomy course. I have also served as a TA for another one of his courses, for 2 semesters (have only known him for two semesters but he is going to write me a glowing LOR).
I have a LOR from a non science (Sensory System Psychology) who I took a course with. He too knows me really well. We even went to the bar together.
I have two LORs from two Osteopathic Physicians. One, I feel is going to be better than the other. One of those LOR's is from an older internal medicine physician who has taught at multiple medical schools. I shadowed him for over 45 hours and got to know him really well.

That being said, I am missing one science faculty LOR. I was hoping to get a LOR from a professor I took a course with when I was a Junior (nearly 4 years ago). Unfortunately I only got a B+ in that course. I then actually did around 3 semesters (Summer, Fall, Spring) of research with his Molecular Biology lab. I actually did not interact with the professor much. He then offered me a job serving as his lab technician / manager. I did that for two semesters, around 8 hours a week, ordering lab materials and making stuff. He wrote me a letter for graduate school, and I asked for a letter for medical school, but he isn't responding.

I have another professor here at U. Miami who taught a class I was a TA for, plus he is my PI but I have not taken a course with him, nor am I planning on it. Fact is, all the classes he teaches are classes I took as undergraduates.

I feel he could write me a really strong LOR and he is in fact a science faculty, however, I have not taken a course with him.

Do you think that is acceptable? I mean, had I taken his course I would have gotten over 100% but anyway.

Should I seek a letter from this professor I have not taken a course with. The only other option I can think of isn't responding, honestly, I don't think knows me terribly well (last time I saw him was over 2 years ago and even then I did not interact with him all too much) and the course I took with him, I got a B+.

However, if I do not get a letter from the professor I did research with I will have no LORs from either of the professors I did research with. I did cognitive psychology research for 2 semesters and molecular biology for 3 semesters.

Could I just find a reason to write off why I did not get a LOR from the professor I did research with or will that be a deal breaker?

Or is that all mute and I have to get a letter from a professor I took a class with?

 

[BrightandClear]

I think the simple answer is that the science faculty LOR requirement means a faculty member who had you in a science class. Given all the details of your situation, that doesn't help you much. You could contact schools directly and ask.

Honestly, this is the kind of problem that not many posters here (other than the few adcom members, such as LizzyM) are going to be able to give a solid answer on.

 

[CodeBlu]

Your letter should be from someone who TAUGHT you and can highlight your academic and professional attributes in that letter.

 

[ponyo]

Different schools differ on this policy. There are quite a few that explicitly state that you must get letters from faculty who taught you, though, so I would be safe and get it from an ex prof.

 

[LizzyM]

I have another professor here at U. Miami who taught a class I was a TA for, plus he is my PI but I have not taken a course with him, nor am I planning on it. Fact is, all the classes he teaches are classes I took as undergraduates.

I feel he could write me a really strong LOR and he is in fact a science faculty, however, I have not taken a course with him.

You are a graduate student, I presume. You should contact the schools to which you hope to apply and ask if you can substitute a letter from your grad school PI for one of the science letters. I think that you are, in one sense, non-trad and that an exception to the general rule may be made given the circumstances. It can't hurt to ask.

 

[Japika]

You are a graduate student, I presume. You should contact the schools to which you hope to apply and ask if you can substitute a letter from your grad school PI for one of the science letters. I think that you are, in one sense, non-trad and that an exception to the general rule may be made given the circumstances. It can't hurt to ask.

Thanks all who replied.

You were pretty much right on with everything lizzy. I am a graduate student. My pre-med advisor (from undergrad) who I called a couple days ago (after I made this thread) said the same thing. I am essentially considered non-trad since I have graduated from from undergrad.

He advised the same thing you did. To call individual schools and ask (or at least call a couple in the state) and see if I can use a science letter from a professor I didn't take a course with.

They all told me that science faculty LORs should be from somebody who can highlight how they feel I would perform in medical school and that it does not (at least in my case) need to be from a professor I took a course with.

I still have two letters from professors I have taken courses with so hopefully it works.

Different schools differ on this policy. There are quite a few that explicitly state that you must get letters from faculty who taught you, though, so I would be safe and get it from an ex prof.

Well he has taught me. Just not in a course =/.