whose writing your letter of rec

[chucky85]

Do most people have M.D.'s as one of their letters of recommendation writers?

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[whatintheworld?]

I had 1 MD, 2 profs, 1 lab instructor, and 1 former boss.

 

[viciouz]

Do most people have M.D.'s as one of their letters of recommendation writers?

1. Business Prof/Assistant Dean of Business School PhD
2. Organic Chem Professor PhD
3. Chief of Hematology/Oncology (My research Prof) MD

 

[nick_carraway]

I had 1 MD, 2 profs, 1 lab instructor, and 1 former boss.

Exact same as me. The MD was a research PI, though.

If your underlying question is whether you should have a letter from an MD, I'd say no if want one for that reason alone. He should hopefully know something about you through extensive shadowing, work, research. It's not as if your personal physician knows a great deal about you.

 

[jochi1543]

It's not as if your personal physician knows a great deal about you.

"I have always been impressed with the exceptional clarity of his urine....would highly recommend this applicant for medical school."

 

[KoreanMusicbox]

It's not as if your personal physician knows a great deal about you.

True. Get a letter from a physicians you've worked or volunteered with for AT LEAST three months - four hours per week

 

[TheRealMD]

I just had 3 profs. LORs show work ethic, there's plenty of other stuff that show my interest in medicine for me (no need for an MD)

 

[medking]

1 research professor
1 ochem professor
1 cell bio professor
1 professor from a different school that I did 5 weeks of summer research for and also helped coach his soccer team since i played collegiate soccer for 2.5years

no clinical or doctor letter

 

[copingmethods]

-Research PI
-Ochem prof
-Genetics prof
-MD supervising volunteer work
-Volunteer supervisor
-Spanish teacher

 

[KoreanMusicbox]

1 research professor
1 ochem professor
1 cell bio professor
1 professor from a different school that I did 5 weeks of summer research for and also helped coach his soccer team since i played collegiate soccer for 2.5years

no clinical or doctor letter

since you already have research and science LORs, letters from a non-Science professor and MD would be great for you
Some schools require you to get a LOR from non-science

 

[medking]

since you already have research and science LORs, letters from a non-Science professor and MD would be great for you
Some schools require you to get a LOR from non-science

Yea, Im not really worried about the MD letter, but I am definitely a little worried about the non-science one. But, Im pretty sure I cant get a strong one so Im not really bothering. Im just gonna apply to schools that dont require a non-science.

Thanks for the heads up though!

 

[Quix]

7 Ph.D's (2 members of my doctoral dissertation committee, O. Chem Prof, Bio II & Physiology Prof, Gen. Chem Prof, Physics Prof, Research Methods & Biopsychology Prof).
2 MD's (1 member of my dissertation committee, 1 MD I worked with)

and I have 4 more MD's who have offered to write them for this cycle.

 

[jochi1543]

I've got....

1 non-science (English)
1 in the major (non-science major here)
1 from an employer/long-time friend for variety's purpose
1 science
And I'm patiently waiting to hear back about another science letter, which I really need.

 

[mvenus929]

All Ph.D's...

O chem/gen chem professor
Physiology professor
Genetics professor
Humanities professor

I considered having the supervisor for my volunteer activities write me a letter, but I've seen her all of 4-5 times since she trained me, so it would be an incredibly impersonal letter.

 

[Quix]

The weird part is that some of my students are asking *me* for medical school LORs.

 

[swim2006]

2 undergrad science profs, 1 grad prof (dept head), 1 MD(sort of one of my bosses)

 

[sillydoc2230]

2 engineering/science professors
1 biology professor
1 English/humanities instructor
1 work supervisor

 

[chucky85]

awesome, thanks for the feedback
i was worried that an MD was absolutely necessary

 

[fuzzywuz]

Does one of the recommendation have to be from someone who TAUGHT you?

I can get a rec from my research prof (science), but I haven't taken any of her classes.

 

[frickonastick]

Does one of the recommendation have to be from someone who TAUGHT you?

I can get a rec from my research prof (science), but I haven't taken any of her classes.

It really depends on the school... I'd ask any schools you are worried about.

Oh, and my letters are from:
2 science (in my major, and I worked in one's lab as well for a year)
1 research PI
1 non-science, knows me very well outside of the classroom

So, no MD's letters here either. Hopefully this isn't a problem, but it never seems to be required, so that's good!

 

[coralfangs]

depending on school, its gonna be a combination of the following
1. senior thesis PI
2. undergrad program director
3. grad program director
4. former UN secretary general
5. hospital pastor
6. business school prof

 

[variablistic]

We do committee evals at my school.

My committee evaluation consists of:

O-chem Prof.
P-chem Prof.
Analytic Chem Prof.
Biochem Prof./Advisor
Genetics Prof.
Anat. and Phys. Prof.

I could have one from an M.D. I know, but I'm thinking no. (I could probably use a nonscience one, though.)

 

[Bacchus]

My committee (of 6 people):
Orgo Professor
Advisor (PChem trained)
Gen Chem Professor
Calc II/III Professor
Communications Professor (Diversity, woo )
Bio/Microbio Professor

Volunteer Services Letter (HUP)
Input from:
surgical floor nurse manager
emergency department volunteer coordinator

DO (Oh no )
Shadowed her 60 hours

Employer
Has seen me in a leadership role


I know, I know, they're not all science related.

 

[voirlesetoiles]

since you already have research and science LORs, letters from a non-Science professor and MD would be great for you
Some schools require you to get a LOR from non-science

* Hey, could someone please give me an example of a medical school that requires a non-science? I want to take a look at the specifications on their website in case I'm applying to a bunch of similar schools.

My letters... sent to pre-med committee for composite...
Academic advisor
Science Professor (took 2 classes with her)
Extracurricular club advisor (who works at a nonprofit organization)
MD I shadowed

 

[riceman04]

1. Intro Bio Prof
2. Supervised Research (Psychology) Prof (Emeritus...Tenure beyond belief....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah)
3. Research Methods (Psyc) Prof...the guy was actually a post-doc
4. Histology Prof
5. Current Research boss
6. Big Brother Big Sister director

Plus I will have a composite letter from UPenn

 

[KeyzerSoze]

7 Ph.D's (2 members of my doctoral dissertation committee, O. Chem Prof, Bio II & Physiology Prof, Gen. Chem Prof, Physics Prof, Research Methods & Biopsychology Prof).
2 MD's (1 member of my dissertation committee, 1 MD I worked with)

and I have 4 more MD's who have offered to write them for this cycle.

What are you going to do with 9+ LOR's?

 

[enigma85]

History prof (actually an MD/PhD)
Anthro prof (also an MD/PhD)
Anatomy prof (PhD)
Physics prof (PhD)
NIH research advisor (PhD)
Clinical research advisor (MD)

 

[Quix]

What are you going to do with 9+ LOR's?

Good question. I'll get back to you on that.

 

[Inuranic]

I'll have:

1) Bio Research PI/Professor
2) Bio Professor
3) Political Science Professor
4) MD (director of the unit I work on)

I was going to get another MD letter and maybe a clinical psych letter, but I think that would have been overkill. Aside from Utah (which wants 6 letters), most schools want and will only accept 3 or 4 (though there are some that will accept "up to 5").

I felt no need to hassle those in my life without good reason.