Science Recommendation Letter from Pharmacology Professor not accepted??

[drkjoy]

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Hi all,

When I submitted my primary, I indicated my Pharmacology and Toxicology course as a "Health Science", since the AMCAS Applicant Guide lists Pharmacology as a health science, and Pharmacology is the first word in the title of this course. The Applicant Guide also lists Toxicology as a "Chemistry" course. The course was undoubtedly a science course.

One of the schools I applied to recently reached out to say that they are not considering the recommendation letter from the professor who taught me in this course as a science faculty rec letter. This has me worried that other schools with science faculty recommendation letter requirements are also tossing out my application since this course is categorized as "Health Science" on AMCAS. How do schools verify whether the letter counts as a science rec letter? Are they going by AMCAS course indications? I thought that they would look at the department that my professor is in (Pharmacology and Cancer Biology), or the course title, or the letter content, which undoubtedly demonstrates that it is a science letter. If schools do go by AMCAS course categorization, am I doomed? Should I try to reach out to schools to clarify that this professor is writing my science letter? I also have a letter from my lab PI.

I have 7 IIs so far, at least one school of which requires a rec letter from a science faculty.

Should I be worried?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[LizzyM]

If you have 7 IIs so far, IMHO you have nothing to worry about. Some schools might be strict about looking for letters from faculty who taught classes that fall into BCPM but others might not be as anal. At least 7 schools thought the writer (and what was written) was okay. Don't stress about it and don't waste anyone's time by being in touch with them about it. You aren't going to get an interview at every school to which you apply so let go of this one school that is making an issue and focus on making the most of your interviews.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yeah, with 7 II's, this is one situation where you can say [curse word] you. 🙂 (figuratively speaking, not literally).

 

[drkjoy]

If you have 7 IIs so far, IMHO you have nothing to worry about. Some schools might be strict about looking for letters from faculty who taught classes that fall into BCPM but others might not be as anal. At least 7 schools thought the writer (and what was written) was okay. Don't stress about it and don't waste anyone's time by being in touch with them about it. You aren't going to get an interview at every school to which you apply so let go of this one school that is making an issue and focus on making the most of your interviews.

Hi there, thank you so much for your insights! If schools are strict about having letters from BCPM faculty, how are they determining the categorization? It's not like we match our letters to courses on AMCAS. Is it based on the letter's content or professor's position?

Definitely feel better now that you mentioned at least 7 schools thought the writer was okay. Wasn't sure if this was something they might only look at after the interview.

 

[drkjoy]

Yeah, with 7 II's, this is one situation where you can say [curse word] you. 🙂 (figuratively speaking, not literally).

Hahaha, love that gif! Thanks for the reassurance. It seems like this is the only school that has taken issue so far -- maybe this was good in the long run. Not sure if I'd be a fit for a school so strict about these pretty arbitrary designations...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hahaha, love that gif! Thanks for the reassurance. It seems like this is the only school that has taken issue so far -- maybe this was good in the long run. Not sure if I'd be a fit for a school so strict about these pretty arbitrary designations...

You're definitely welcome. I admit, sometimes, these decisions are extremely capricious and silly. Those of us non-voting admins may actually agree with you, but we have to do what the rubric says first. 🙂

To be more professional about it, you can request a justification for their decision and see if it can be appealed to the admissions committee chair/executive committee. I don't have your syllabus for the course, but it likely boils down to an interpretation of your course classification.

 

[drkjoy]

You're definitely welcome. I admit, sometimes, these decisions are extremely capricious and silly. Those of us non-voting admins may actually agree with you, but we have to do what the rubric says first. 🙂

To be more professional about it, you can request a justification for their decision and see if it can be appealed to the admissions committee chair/executive committee. I don't have your syllabus for the course, but it likely boils down to an interpretation of your course classification.

Totally understand the need to follow rubrics. Although, if I had known that the course classification would be relevant for rec letter designations, too, and that this could be a strict black-and-white categorization, I probably would have decided to classify the course as a Chemistry course on AMCAS. Oh, well. I see the other comment about not wasting school's time by being in touch about it -- would you agree? Would hate for my application to be out of consideration because a school did not classify my letter as a science one.

Probably won't be able to appeal, since the same school was also ambiguous about another rec letter requirement that I guess I didn't meet. Two options they listed were 1) pre-med committee letter packet or 2) 3 individual letters, where you need two science writers. Since I had a committee letter packet I didn't think the two science writers requirement applied to me. Live and you learn, I guess!

 

[eigen]

I would think it's likely to be based on the department of the letter writer. There isn't an explicit place where the school knows what class you took from them, but they likely have their departmental affiliation in their signature.

 

[drkjoy]

I would think it's likely to be based on the department of the letter writer. There isn't an explicit place where the school knows what class you took from them, but they likely have their departmental affiliation in their signature.

Yes, this makes sense! I was assuming this was the case too, which is why I was so surprised that this school would not accept the letter.

 

[LizzyM]

Faculty members in the departments of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics. YMMV

 

[FlowRate]

I have no clue about the narrow topic of this thread. I will say, though, that I have met some med school admissions faculty who seem to enjoy premed tears resulting from--the perfect word was used earlier--their capricious decisions. Don't let it get to you. Whether for med school, residency, or the equivalent later, narrow requirements for things like rec letters are typically a screening step before interviews are offered, so you should be good to go with the schools you already have interviews with.

 

[drkjoy]

I have no clue about the narrow topic of this thread. I will say, though, that I have met some med school admissions faculty who seem to enjoy premed tears resulting from--the perfect word was used earlier--their capricious decisions. Don't let it get to you. Whether for med school, residency, or the equivalent later, narrow requirements for things like rec letters are typically a screening step before interviews are offered, so you should be good to go with the schools you already have interviews with.

Hi there, thank you for your message and reassurance. It's great to know that I should be good to go with the schools that have offered me interviews -- can take a breath of relief now!