Taking a risk with LOR?

[tashner]

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I do not have a letter of recommendation from a science professor. I have completed research at multiple competitive California universities, and I thought that my PI's new me in a more personal and academic sense than any professor I have had. Am I taking to big of a risk? All of these recommenders teach classes at the medical school, so technically they are professors, just not mine.

In addition, I have a letter of recommendation from a physician I shadowed (also a medical school professor) and a volunteer coordinator that I worked closely with.

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[ndafife]

Its not so much of a risk as just not meeting the requirements of many schools who require you to have LORs from professors who taught YOU in a class

 

[Goro]

It will raise eyebrows. You didn't get close to ANY of your science professors?

 

[mimelim]

I do not have a letter of recommendation from a science professor. I have completed research at multiple competitive California universities, and I thought that my PI's new me in a more personal and academic sense than any professor I have had. Am I taking to big of a risk? All of these recommenders teach classes at the medical school, so technically they are professors, just not mine.

In addition, I have a letter of recommendation from a physician I shadowed (also a medical school professor) and a volunteer coordinator that I worked closely with.

Thanks for the help in advance!

Schools that have an explicit, professor must have taught you requirement will have an issue with you not having a letter from... someone who taught you. Most others won't really notice or care that a science letter came from a PI.

It is generally ill advised to use a letter written by someone who you have shadowed (and not done anything more substantial with).

 

[tashner]

It will raise eyebrows. You didn't get close to ANY of your science professors?

I did but not to the same extent as my PIs. I spent most of my time on campus doing research.

 

[tashner]

Schools that have an explicit, professor must have taught you requirement will have an issue with you not having a letter from... someone who taught you. Most others won't really notice or care that a science letter came from a PI.

It is generally ill advised to use a letter written by someone who you have shadowed (and not done anything more substantial with).

Technically I was enrolled in independent study for a few semesters in one of my PI's labs. Do you think this will qualify?

And I shadowed to the capacity that I was taking vital signs and scrubbing into surgeries. Opened my eyes a lot so I thought it might be a good LOR.

 

[mimelim]

Technically I was enrolled in independent study for a few semesters in one of my PI's labs. Do you think this will qualify?

And I shadowed to the capacity that I was taking vital signs and scrubbing into surgeries. Opened my eyes a lot so I thought it might be a good LOR.

No. Generally if a school is asking for a professor who taught you, they want someone that had you in a lecture class. Will people notice? Maybe not at a fair few. But yes, some places will care.

And no, that sounds like a terrible letter, just like every shadowing letter. The letter writer can attest that you were good at taking vitals and scrubbing in. Nothing more. What is the point of that exactly?

 

[tashner]

No. Generally if a school is asking for a professor who taught you, they want someone that had you in a lecture class. Will people notice? Maybe not at a fair few. But yes, some places will care.

And no, that sounds like a terrible letter, just like every shadowing letter. The letter writer can attest that you were good at taking vitals and scrubbing in. Nothing more. What is the point of that exactly?

I guess it was just since I am applying to Nevada, they make a strong point on their website that one letter be from a physician. I thought that that meant a shadowing experience, but do you think they mean a physician you've worked for?

"Applicants should include two academic letters from professors or others who have first-hand knowledge of the student's academic performance. The Admissions committee strongly recommends one letter be from a Physician or other healthcare provider familiar with the applicant's clinical exposure."

 

[strictlyanon]

No. Generally if a school is asking for a professor who taught you, they want someone that had you in a lecture class. Will people notice? Maybe not at a fair few. But yes, some places will care.

And no, that sounds like a terrible letter, just like every shadowing letter. The letter writer can attest that you were good at taking vitals and scrubbing in. Nothing more. What is the point of that exactly?

Just putting it out there: my undergraduate school's pre-med advising office (not super reliable) encourages letters from shadowed physicians. Adcom representatives of my state's public medical school (more reliable) have explicitly stated they highly recommend letters from shadowed physicians.

 

[ls2412]

Technically I was enrolled in independent study for a few semesters in one of my PI's labs. Do you think this will qualify?

I'm using this as one of my letters since Northwestern requires 3 from professors who have taught you... Only two of mine I took an actual class with and my last one is a research mentor I took a few credits with... Hoping they count it

 

[tashner]

Schools seem to be getting stricter in both LOR requirements and in max number of letters. If you are applying to schools that require letter from faculty who have taught you in a class, you will at least raise a flag or even, though unlikely, be rejected on a technical requirement. Since 3,000-5,000 applicants are vying for 100 or so spots at anyone campus, they are looking to weed out from the pool. Do you want to give them an easy reason to do so?

I would have garnered an LOR for a professor who taught me in a lecture setting had I seen it explicitly stated. However, many of the school I am applying to state that they would like to see "professors or other individuals who can speak to your academic potential" or something of the sort. Am I wrong in assuming that my PI's can speak to my academic potential?