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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.Â
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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How Many Letters of Recommendation Do I Need for Medical School?
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:
- 2 science letters of recommendation from a science faculty member, such as a professor who taught your courses in biology, chemistry, or physics. TAs are welcome to help the professor in writing the letter, but it must come from the professor when submitted, not the teaching assistant.
- 1 non-science letter of recommendation from a non-STEM professor, such as humanities or social sciences.Â
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.Â
Here is our list of LoR requirements from each DO school.
How Many LoRs Can I Upload to AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS?
Individual schools may have their own LoR limits, but the primary 3 application services have these limits on how many LoRs you can upload:
- AMCAS (for MD programs) — as many as 10 medical school recommendation letters
- AACOMAS (for DO schools) — as many as 6 LoRs
- TMDSAS (for Texas MD schools) — a Health Professions Committee Packet or 3 letters of evaluation; an optional fourth letter may be submitted if you prefer
Three Formats for TMDSAS LoRs:
For the TMDSAS, there are 3 formats for LoRs you can choose between:
- Committee Letter Packet: A committee letter from a pre-medical committee or pre-health advisor with an attached supporting set of individual letters of recommendation.
- Letter Packet: A committee letter that pulls quotes from various evaluators. This letter may have additional supporting letters attached.
- Individual Letters: A collection of individual letters that includes a cover letter from a central collection service for the applicant, usually an advising office or school letter service. They do not make additional assessments of the candidate; the letter packet will contain the only recommendations.
How Many Letters of Recommendation for Medical School Are Too Many?
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.
Who to Ask
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:
- LoR from a community leader or somewhere you volunteered
- LoR from a physician you have shadowed or that has been a mentor
- LoR from your school’s pre-med advising committee
- LoR from a research mentor or principal investigator
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.
How Many Pages Should a Letter of Recommendation Be for Medical School?
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.
When to Ask
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.Â
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.
Can You Add Letters of Recommendation After Submitting AMCAS?
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.
Can My Letter Writers Submit Recommendations Before AMCAS Opens?
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.
How To Ask
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.
Here’s What to Provide Your Letter Writers
Be prepared to provide your letter writers with any information they may need, such as the following:
- Contact info
- Resume
- Transcript
- Personal statement
- List of achievements, honors, and recognitions
- Instructions for submission, including letterhead and deadlines
- Consent forms, if required by the school
- Any relevant details about the school to which you’re applying
- Any other relevant documents
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.
How to Remind Your Writers to Submit Their LettersÂ
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.Â
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]
Don’t Forget to Send Thank-You NotesÂ
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]
When Are Recommendation Letters Due During the Application Process?
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.
Will I Be Able to See My Recommendation Letters?
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:
- The letter writer’s ability to speak candidly and honestly
- Your confidence in what the letter writer has to say about you
- Confidentiality, allowing the writer to speak directly to the med school admissions board
- Your professionalism and ethics
Should I Send Different Recommendation Letters to Different Schools?
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.
Advice on LoRs for Non-Traditional Applicants
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.
What Kind of Recommendation Letters Should I Avoid?
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:
- Someone who doesn’t know you well. Selecting someone who does not have sufficient knowledge of your skills and attributes may result in a generic or ineffective letter.
- A family member or a friend. Admissions committees prefer letters from unbiased professionals who can provide an objective evaluation of your competencies and potential as a medical student.
- People who may have reservations about you. If you have the slightest feeling that there has been a negative impression in the past, avoid asking for a letter. You may never know what they wrote, and a negative letter can significantly impact your application.
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.
How To Store Letters Of Recommendation For Medical School
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.
Want to Stand Out? We Can Help.
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.Â
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.
Renee Marinelli, MD
Dr. Marinelli has practiced family medicine, served on the University of California Admissions Committee, and has helped hundreds of students get into medical school. She spearheads a team of physician advisors who guide MedSchoolCoach students.
