Just as when you applied to undergraduate programs, you will need letters of recommendation when applying to medical school. The requirements are different though, both in terms of who should write your letters, and what admissions officers are looking for when they review them. This often causes uncertainty in students, who want to put the best foot forward, but aren’t sure how.
In this article, we’ll explore how many and what kind of recommendation letters you need, who and how and when to ask for them, and how to ensure your letters do what you need them to. We understand that this is a stressful time, but great letters of recommendation take your application to the next level.
What Medical Schools Require for Recommendation Letters
Most medical programs require three letters of recommendation. Two from science professors, and one from a non science professor. Many also require a committee letter; this comes from the pre medical committee or advisor at your school. If you have one of these, you should always ask them for a letter.
That said, some schools ask for four or five letters of recommendation, and many will allow more than the three letters they request. In general you should send schools five or six letters, enough to give them a sense of who you are and what you’ve accomplished without overwhelming them. AMCAS allows you to upload ten letters total, while AACOMAS allows you to upload six. TMDSAS allows you to upload four.
Here are our suggestions for who to get these letters from:
- Two professors in science classes (required).
- One professor in a non-science class (required).
- A committee letter.
- A letter from a physician you shadowed or worked with. Note that if you are applying to DO programs, you should have a letter from a DO physician.
- One or two extracurricular letters from mentors.
Of the additional letters you can include, the physician letter is likely the most important. They have gone through medical school themselves, and seen you in a medical setting, either working or shadowing, and will be able to speak directly to your suitability for that kind of environment.
Who to Ask for Recommendation Letters
The most important consideration is whether the letters will be positive. If you believe a letter writer will not be able to write you an unconditionally positive letter, then do not ask them to write one. Writers will not speak badly about you, but there are phrases used on occasion which throw up red flags for readers. You want your letters to be supportive and able to speak to your best qualities.
You also want your letters to be from recent interactions, in the last year or two. This is easy if you are still in college or taking a single gap year, but nontraditional students who have taken some time off before applying may have an issue. If this is your situation, you should consider taking or auditing some science courses to build relationships with professors.
It is important that your letter writers know you well, and be able to speak to both who you are as a student and who you are as a person. Getting a letter from a more renowned physician or professor who does not know you very well will not do much to aid your application. They won’t be able to say much specific, and vague praise does not help your case.
You should begin building relationships with professors and research mentors early in your academic career. This can be challenging, especially when you are in very large courses, as most of your prerequisite science classes (and even upper level classes) will be. We recommend visiting office hours if you have questions, and also exploring lab work with professors.
Your non-professor letters should come from mentors in your extracurriculars, who can speak to how you spend your time outside of class. For example, if you work or intern in a research lab, then getting a letter from the principal investigator (PI) is a good idea. If you have interned or worked in a healthcare setting, then you should get a letter from them as well.
When and How to Ask for Letters of Recommendation
You can ask for letters either via email or in person. We suggest you ask for letters in person whenever possible, especially if it has been a while since you interacted with the writer in question. Professors have many students in each class, and they are more likely to remember a face than a name attached to an email.
Regardless of how you request a letter, you should provide letter writers with the following:
- An updated resume or CV
- A complete (or nearly so) draft of your personal statement
- A copy of your transcript
This will help your writers craft statements that support your own application and goals, and speak to your talents and expertise. In either case, you should ask your letter writers at least 2-3 months before you intend to submit your applications. This will give them sufficient time to complete the letters, and leave you some leeway in case they demur.
Remember that professors are people too, and often have very busy schedules. When you add in how many students apply to medical school each year, and ask for letters of recommendation, you want to make sure that you give your own letter writers everything they need.
Writing Your Own Letters
In some rare cases, you will be able to literally write your own letters of recommendation. This is atypical, and generally happens when your letter writer knows and trusts you, and is too busy with other concerns to write a letter, but still endorses your application. This may only be a draft they edit, or they may glance at it and decide it’s all good.
When writing your own letter, do the following:
- Stick to around a page in length, 12 point font, single or 1.5 spacing. A longer letter is not necessarily better.
- Begin by introducing how the letter writer knows you, and describe the onset of the relationship.
- Describe your personal strengths you will bring to medical school. Look to repeat the values and traits you mention in your personal statement.
- End the essay with comparative statements putting your ability (favorably) in context with what the writer has seen before.
Even if you are only asked to write a brief summation of points, this can be a wonderful opportunity for you. There is no way to know which recommenders will ask this of you, but you should be prepared for this eventuality.
Viewing Letters of Recommendation
While you may be asked to write your own letters in some cases, you should always waive your right to view your letters of recommendation. This is just like when you applied to undergrad. Institutions will view otherwise with suspicion; after all, you should trust your letter writers to speak highly of you without needing to see the letters for yourself. Many writers will also demur from providing you with a letter if you don’t waive these rights.
Thanking Your Writers
Once a writer submits a letter of recommendation for you, you should send them a brief note thanking them. This does not need to be effusive; a short note sent via email expressing sincere gratitude for their effort is sufficient. They did a favor for you, and it is only polite to thank them afterwards.
We recommend updating any letter writers when you are accepted and decide where to attend. After all, their letters played a part in that, and it is nice to show them how their work helped you.
Final Thoughts
Just as when you applied to college, letters of recommendation are a needed expert corroboration of your skills, talents, and ability to contribute in an academic and clinical environment. While your own words through your essays are one expression of this, they want another source to verify what you say about yourself.
While letters of recommendation are an important part of medical school applications, they are just one aspect of a much larger whole. If you’re looking to learn more about all aspects of applying to medical school, or want our help in doing so, schedule a free consultation today. We have a long experience helping students, and we’re always happy to hear from you.
