As application season approaches, I want to know what counts as a "Science" professor to ask for recommendations

[drwannabe1]

Hi! I'm planning to apply to medical schools this June. I am an aplpied math major that has completed my med school prerequisites, but the Professors I have good relationships with are primarily math professors. I thought it would be fine to ask for recommendations from them, but some sources are telling me that math does not constitute science when it comes to letter writing requirements. I looked at UCLA specifically and the source tells me "Two letters of recommendation, one from a science professor (math, biology, chemistry and other science course) and one from a premedical advisor or employer", so math classes should be fine. I don't know if it varies school by school, though. Should I be worried?

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[chilly_md]

Thread moved to Pre-Medical forum.

Individual schools will approach this differently. You would have to consult MSAR.

 

[LizzyM]

Short answer: faculty in the departments of biology, chemistry, physics, math (BCPM). Outside of that, best to check with your target schools. Given that everyone takes biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, it could be that UCLA listed those in particular.

 

[poppyseedsyum]

Hi! I'm planning to apply to medical schools this June. I am an aplpied math major that has completed my med school prerequisites, but the Professors I have good relationships with are primarily math professors. I thought it would be fine to ask for recommendations from them, but some sources are telling me that math does not constitute science when it comes to letter writing requirements. I looked at UCLA specifically and the source tells me "Two letters of recommendation, one from a science professor (math, biology, chemistry and other science course) and one from a premedical advisor or employer", so math classes should be fine. I don't know if it varies school by school, though. Should I be worried?

I was in a similar boat this cycle. I ended up submitting LORs from two math professors. For MD, it was generally accepted for my schools; however, for some DO schools I applied to, they were more strict about the 'science' requirement and didn't accept math. Feel free to PM if you'd like.