Would LORs from Science Lab Professors hinder my chances?

[mgc]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I was wondering if LORs from lab professors teaching G-chem labs, orgo labs, etc. would be acceptable for Dental Schools. I go to a huge city university and the there was no real chance to establish any strong relationships with the lecturers. Some do offer recommendations but given that they don't know me at all, the LORS would most likely be general and weak. On the other hand, the lab professors know me really well and are willing to write me STRONG letters.

I have already got 4 on the way:

Gchem Lab (PhD)
Orgo 1+2 Lab (Not PhD but has been teaching orgo for many years and is a lecturer during the summer and at other schools)
Non-Science from Major (PhD)
Employer

I am hoping to get a dentist as well as 1 more science as this would cover me for almost every school in the US. (I'm applying all over the place)

What do you guys think - will the fact that I don't really have any lecturer LORs hinder my chances?

Thanks!

 

[doc toothache]

Grandma Bertha could probably write an lor that would rival that of the lab instructor, but that is not quite what dental schools have in mind.

 

[mgc]

What do you recommend I do in my case? I don't really have any other options. There is almost no chance that I can receive 3 letters from lecturers in time for this coming application cycle.

Do you really think that this would hurt my chances significantly?

 

[B0wMNj]

What do you recommend I do in my case? I don't really have any other options. There is almost no chance that I can receive 3 letters from lecturers in time for this coming application cycle.

Do you really think that this would hurt my chances significantly?

It really doesn't matter, lab professors are just as good. Personally, I think LORs are not very important, I had three from professors who didn't even know my name until I asked them for a letter and I got into some competitive schools. Make sure the rest of your app is good though.

 

[doc toothache]

What do you recommend I do in my case? I don't really have any other options. There is almost no chance that I can receive 3 letters from lecturers in time for this coming application cycle. Do you really think that this would hurt my chances significantly?

Are you on the Julian Calendar?

 

[xerxes106]

I used research faculty I worked with for my LoR. All the schools said that was fine for a science faculty.

 

[asusundevilll]

What do you recommend I do in my case? I don't really have any other options. There is almost no chance that I can receive 3 letters from lecturers in time for this coming application cycle.

Do you really think that this would hurt my chances significantly?

You should try emailing every professor that you got an A in and ask for a letter.

 

[dds2b219]

As a lab instructor I can give you some advice. If my students ask for a recommendation, sometimes I will go to the lecture professor and have them write the letter, assuming you did well in those lectures, and add my two cents on your performance in lab. If a student only gets a letter written from me, it's pretty lame because I can't comment on their lecture performance at all which is something that admissions wants to see. So you could approach both professors and see if they'd be willing to do that.
If not... Then just do the committee letter.. Assuming your school has a pre health professions committee. Here they will take all those letters and combine them into one written from the chair of the committee, which in my opinion looks a lot better than a few from your lab professors. Good luck! 🙂

 

[futuredoc2019dds]

I had a lab TA write mine as one of my science faculties so I'm sure it's fine. I recommend calling all the schools you're applying to and ask them if it's ok because if not, you're just wasting your money.

 

[irishmom]

One of my letters was from my senior seminar teacher. She pretty much advised me on writing a paper on the pros and cons of practice based learning and evidence based learning. No real science whatsoever. As a matter of fact she was technically from the science education department, but the class I took from her was Bio 4999.