It’s vital that you get your letters of recommendation (AMCAS calls them Letters of Evaluation) from respected professionals who can speak to your potential to succeed in medical school, as they know you personally.
Letters of recommendation are critical for medical school admissions because they give AdComs a glimpse of your work ethic, abilities, and who you are as a person. It will be one of the first ways they get to know you outside of your GPA and MCAT scores — hopefully leading to an interview.
In this article is everything you need to know about asking for letters of recommendation (LoR) so that your med school application is as competitive as possible.
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Most medical school admissions require a minimum of three letters. Keep in mind, specific institutions may have different guidelines, so you’ll need to check by school to be certain. Typically, your collection letters should include:
Here is our list of LoR requirements from each MD school.
Those applying to osteopathic schools should have an osteopathic physician (DO) write a letter of recommendation for their medical school applications. You can still submit MD letters, but AdComs from DO schools highly prefer DO recommendations.
Here is our list of LoR requirements from each DO school.
Individual schools may have their own LoR limits, but the primary 3 application services have these limits on how many LoRs you can upload:
For the TMDSAS, there are 3 formats for LoRs you can choose between:
While 6 is the maximum number of LoRs you can submit, most AdComs and interviewers recommend submitting no more than 4. Check with the schools you are applying to for any additional instructions or restrictions on the number of letters they’d like you to submit.
Request letters from a professor or mentor that will be able to speak to you and your abilities. Outside of the 3 required letters of recommendation from science and non-science professors, we recommend requesting additional letters such as the following:
Ask if they will vouch for you in a strong letter of recommendation. Have your materials, such as your resume, ready to go. Your letter writer should have a good sense of why you are interested in medicine and the topics and strengths that you want covered in the letter.
Consider asking someone who can write a LoR that addresses a concern on your application. For example, one letter might explain a semester of bad grades for which there was a particular reason, such as a loss in the family.
Feel free to send this PDF to your letter writers to help them write letters of evaluation by AAMC guidelines.
Your letter writer should write an LoR at least one page long and no more than three pages long. There’s typically no limit, but we recommend a 500-word target.
Ask for your letters early, at least two months ahead of your primary application deadlines.
Your letters of evaluation aren’t technically due until the due date for secondary applications. However, if you wait to submit until the due date, you’ll be perceived as late.
Instead, I recommend asking letter writers with enough time to submit letters of recommendation by the date primary applications open. This way, you don’t risk delays while your application is being processed.
Asking early and shortly after your class or interaction with the letter writer gives them time to thoughtfully craft their opinions while everything is fresh on their mind. It also gives you one less thing to stress about if they are taking longer than usual.
Yes, you can add letters of recommendation after submitting AMCAS as long as you haven’t already submitted 10 letters. However, you are unable to delete or change any letters that have already been sent.
No, it is not possible for letter writers to submit recommendations before AMCAS opens. AMCAS letters of recommendation requirements include deadlines, yes, but also dates before which you cannot submit.
Have a conversation with your professor or supervisor before asking for a letter of recommendation to ensure your request doesn’t appear disingenuous. If an in-person meeting is not possible, sending a polite and well-crafted email is the next best option.
Developing relationships with your professors and supervisors as a premed is a helpful prelude to asking for letters of recommendation. Attending classes regularly, participating in extracurriculars, and visiting during office hours allow them to get to know you.
Be prepared to provide your letter writers with any information they may need, such as the following:
You want letter writers to paint a holistic picture of your motivation, determination, and personality for medical school. Gladly offer necessary supporting documents to each letter writer so that they can achieve this. Some letter writers may request to meet with you in-person to gather more info.
Always consider the individual circumstances and relationship with your letter writer when reminding your writers to submit letters. We recommend a gentle email reminder if you are coming close to a few weeks before submission dates.
You can use this template to send your reminder:
Dear [Letter Writer’s Name],
I know you are busy with [insert classes/topics/activities to connect to letter writer], but I plan on submitting my medical school applications [on date or in # of days/weeks]. I wanted to reach out regarding your recommendation letter. Please let me know if there’s any additional information I can provide.
Thanks again for supporting my next steps with your letter!
Best
[Your Name/Last Name]
Thank you notes are a way to show appreciation to the person who took the time and effort to write the recommendation letter on your behalf. Your thank-you notes should acknowledge their support and how they’ve contributed to your journey thus far.
Keep it genuine, express what you appreciate and why, and send your note in a timely manner. Yes, you have to send thank-you notes.
You can use this template for your thank-yous, but it is best to personalize your notes.
Dear [Letter Writer’s Name],
Thank you again for taking the time to write your letter for my medical school applications. I appreciate your support and having you advocate for [talk about the abilities this letter writer knows of you]. I feel very fortunate to have a great professor/mentor/coach like you.
I will keep you posted throughout the application season!
Best
[Your Name/Last Name]
Letters of recommendation are due no later than the date of your secondary application submission. This is usually July at the earliest and the end of August at the latest.
However, earlier is always better. Don’t wait to make a letter request or to send your LoRs.
You have the option to view your recommendation letters, but we recommend that you waive this right. Medical schools will take your letters more seriously if you waive this right.
Waiving your right to read the letters improves the following:
If you are applying through AMCAS, you are allowed to send different recommendation letters to different schools. AACOMAS and TMDSAS do not allow for this option.
You can choose to send a different letter of recommendation for different schools if you believe it will improve the outcome of your application.
Your letters of recommendation should come from recent professors whenever possible.
If you have been out of school for several years, we’d advise taking a few undergrad science courses or post-bacc classes. This means your letters will be more reflective of your current abilities, experiences, and character.
Non-traditional applicants are encouraged to communicate their unique perspectives, including through their letter writers. Ask for a LoR from someone familiar with your diverse background and non-traditional journey to provide a well-rounded picture of who you are.
Strong letters of recommendation are from people who can make compelling assessments of your character and skills, such as critical thinking and teamwork. Avoid asking the following people for LoRs:
Does medical school require a letter of recommendation from a family member? Medical schools typically don’t accept letters of recommendation from family and friends.
Most schools have a storage service that will hold the letters until you are ready to send them to the admissions office of the medical schools you chose. There are also online storage options you may use, such as Interfolio.
These services allow students to request that their letter writers send the letters directly to the service or upload them themselves. The letters should be signed and on official letterhead.
Once uploaded, the LoRs are securely stored and can be accessed later when applying to medical school. Students cannot read them beforehand. The ability to upload letters anytime and have them safely stored avoids last-minute scrambling when submitting LoRs for the application process.
There are a lot of applicants, and you need your application to be outstanding. Your MCAT score and GPA are important, but letters of evaluation can give your applicant just the boost it needs. MedSchoolCoach is here to support you throughout the application process and help you get into the top medical schools.
Our team includes doctors who have served on admissions committees and, of course, been through the process themselves.
Speak with a member of our enrollment team to get help preparing your application for med school.