Science or non-science LOR

[trying]

I took a cell bio class from a prof I got to know really well and I was going to ask her for a LOR. But, I already have a few other science profs who will write me letters. This cell bio prof is teaching a biomedical ethics course in the spring and I was thinking of asking her a letter after that class and try to count it as a non-science letter since its an ethics class. Do you think that will work for most medical schools? Is there a place where I can see which classes they consider "science" and which are "non-science"? Thanks.

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[cytoborg]

Ethics is considered humanities, so I say go for it. It would be an especially good letter to get, as the prof already knows you really well.

 

[soprano]

Ethics is considered humanities, so I say go for it. It would be an especially good letter to get, as the prof already knows you really well.

I think ultimately it depends on the department that the professor teaches in. Sounds like he/she teaches in the biology department, and therefore the letter would be considered a science letter. But I guess talk to your advisor. If you can finagle the letter to ONLY talk about the ethics class (which probably wouldn't be wise, because you'd want it to touch on the depth of your relationship with this professor) then maybe you can swing a non-science letter, but I'd say it's iffy...

 

[trying]

for medical school secondaries, how do they phrase the request for LORs. do they give really detailed instructions on who they will accept letters from (science v. nonscience). if anybody has actually LOR requests from school and they are willing to post that so i can see the language, i would really appreciate it.

I think ultimately it depends on the department that the professor teaches in. Sounds like he/she teaches in the biology department, and therefore the letter would be considered a science letter. But I guess talk to your advisor. If you can finagle the letter to ONLY talk about the ethics class (which probably wouldn't be wise, because you'd want it to touch on the depth of your relationship with this professor) then maybe you can swing a non-science letter, but I'd say it's iffy...

 

[soprano]

for medical school secondaries, how do they phrase the request for LORs. do they give really detailed instructions on who they will accept letters from (science v. nonscience). if anybody has actually LOR requests from school and they are willing to post that so i can see the language, i would really appreciate it.

if I remember correctly, most schools that have a requirement (nonscience/science etc) say something like "2 letters from science professors and 2 letters from non-science professors" (not those specific numbers, I'm just trying to give a general wording). Sorry I don't have something more concrete for you.