Asking for recommendation letters might sound easy at first, but once I sat in front of my laptop trying to figure out which professor to ask, how to phrase it, picking the right timing – it quickly turned into a real challenge.
But, don’t worry, after tons of research on this plus making my own experiences with letters of recommendation, I figured out the answers to check off this step of your medical school application with ease. So, let’s get into it!
This post is all about how to ask for a letter of recommendation for medical school.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.
Learn How to Ask For a Letter of Recommendation For Medical School
Different Types of Recommendation Letters
There are basically three different types of recommendation letters for medical school. Here’s what you need to know about each.
1. Committee Letter
First, certain universities offer a committee letter written by a pre-health committee or a pre-health advisor. They generally write a letter representing the school’s assessment of you.
Note that the university may assess you based on your GPA and the required hours. They may even conduct an interview, and write a committee letter based on your performance.
Not all universities write a committee letter, so you must check fist if your university does that. If they do, gather all their requirements to start your request.
2. Individual Letters
As the name suggests, an individual letter is a recommendation letter written by a single letter writer, such as a professor, employer, or physician.
3. Letter Packet
Some institution’s career centers may choose to assemble the recommendation letters and distribute them to application platforms.
Hence, a letter packet is a collection of recommendation letters that your college gathers and sends out for you, making it easier for you to apply to medical school.
It may also contain a cover sheet from your pre-health committee or advisor, but no evaluation letter, unlike a committee letter.
How Many Recommendation Letters Should You Have?
When it comes to recommendation letters, keep in mind that most medical schools have a minimum and maximum limit.
I believe getting four to five letters of recommendation is ideal. This is because many medical schools accept a maximum of five recommendation letters.
For example, Albany Medical School requires a minimum of two and a maximum of four recommendation letters. Similarly, Brown University requires about three recommendation letters, whereas Dartmouth asks you to submit three to four letters of recommendation.
If you also feel paranoid about not having enough letters of recommendation, you can always ask for additional ones. Then, pick the best ones to submit for your medical school application. This is a bullet-proof backup plan to reduce any form of anxiety during the application process!
Apart from the number of recommendation letters, I also suggest going for quality over quantity. Your recommendation letters should actually recommend and vouch for your hard work and skills.
Who Can Write a Letter of Recommendation for Medical School?
A letter of recommendation for medical school can be written by your university professors, employers, volunteer heads, and even physicians for whom you have shadowed in the past.
- Science Faculty: Ensure that you have at least two recommendation letters from the Science faculty, which include Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- Non-Science Faculty: It is also ideal to have one recommendation letter from a non-science faculty, such as any Humanities, English, or Sociology subject.
- Physician: If you have shadowed a physician in the past, then their letter of recommendation can also help you massively with the application process. Keep in mind that this is a must-have for applying to DO schools!
- Volunteer: If you have volunteered in the past as a caregiver or have a similar experience, then they can write a recommendation letter to vouch for you.
You must ensure that you have good relations with the people you are planning to ask for recommendation letters.
Additionally, consider reaching out to professors from whom you earned A’s or B’s in class, or those with whom you conducted research.
If you initially struggled in a class but showed significant improvement over time, then that class’ professor could also provide an excellent letter of recommendation for you!
How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter?
This is one of the most common questions around letters of recommendation – how to actually ask for it? Well, I know it sounds daunting, but it is one of the easiest parts!
There are three ways to ask for a recommendation letter.
1. Email
If you require recommendation letters from anyone, sending an email is a formal yet effective channel. It also helps get over the anxiety of asking on call or in person. All you have to do is frame a proper email in a polite and formal tone.
If you are sending the mail to a professor, it should include details like:
- Your full name
- Your year of graduation (if applicable)
- The classes you had or have with that professor
- Why and when do you require the recommendation letter?
If you are sending the mail to a volunteering head or a doctor you shadowed as a pre-med student, include details like:
- Your full name
- When did you work for them?
- Writing guidelines for recommendation letters
After sending these details, the letter writer may require additional information, such as your personal statement or CV. You must also send the letter request form for AMCAS while applying for MD schools.
Note that even if you don’t have a personal statement ready, don’t delay asking for a recommendation letter. In certain cases, you might not even need to send it!
Want to snag my ready-made templates?
In my online course Road to Acceptance, you will get access to a whole lesson on letters of recommendation. This also includes ready-made email templates on how to ask for a letter of recommendation for medical school, an Interfolio tutorial, in-depth Q&A recordings and much more.
RTA is for anyone who doesn’t want to leave anything to chance and instead, get step-by-step guidance for a successful application cycle!
Since I know first hand how devastating (and costly) it can be to put so much effort into it, only to have to re-apply again a second time. So don’t make the same mistakes I did and use all these proven strategies right from the start!
2. Call
If you have a friendly and chill bond with a professor, volunteer, or anyone you have worked for in the past, try calling them.
Generally, waiting for the person to read the email and respond might take a bit of time. Therefore, you can simply call up the person, or text them asking if you can call them.
While this approach isn’t always suitable for professors or teachers, you can definitely reach out to your employer by calling them. Then, let them know about why you require a letter of recommendation, the requirements, and by which date you would need it.
3. In-Person/After Class
This method is best for people who are still studying at a university, since it’s much more personal. You can ask for a recommendation letter during or after any of your lectures.
This way, you would not have to mention the extra details such as who you are and which lectures of a specific professor you’re attending.
When to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation?
As anxiety-inducing as it can be to ask for a letter of recommendation, try to do it as soon as possible. You should ask for a recommendation letter at least two or three months before your primary application.
Now, if you don’t want to end up with a tight deadline, you can also ask a few more months prior. This can help if a potential letter writer says no or ends up postponing to write your letter of recommendation.
How Long Should a Recommendation Letter Be?
Your medical school recommendation letter is of the utmost importance. Many times the letter writer may not know how long the letter should be.
So, it is best to ensure that the recommendation letter is at least one and at most three pages long.
Again, the recommendation letter should have quality over quantity. Even if your letter is just one page long but contains all the content required to prove your credibility, you need not worry about anything.
How and Where to Upload the Recommendation Letters?
Once you have the recommendation letters, then what are you supposed to do, and where to upload them?
If you are currently studying, then your school might take care of uploading the recommendation letters electronically.
In other cases, you will have to inform the letter writers to upload the recommendation letters using any of the three below-mentioned platforms:
- AMCAS Platform for MD schools
- AACOMAS Platform for DO (osteopathic) schools
- Interfolio (Third-Party Platform)
Note that you cannot upload the recommendation letters yourself.
Instead, you will have to provide the letter writer with details, such as your AAMC ID and a unique seven-digit Letter ID. The details are provided via the letter request form that you send to the letter writer.
Then, they will have to upload the recommendation letter on the AMCAS or AACOMAS platform.
If you want to make the process simpler for the letter writers, you can also use Interfolio. The letter writers can upload the recommendation letters on Interfolio, which can be further used for various platforms, including AMCAS, TMDSAS, and AACOMAS.
Interfolio has a fee (about $6 per letter) and requires at least three business days to upload the recommendation letters.
Frequently Asked Questions about Letters of Recommendation
Can a TA Write a Letter of Recommendation for Medical School?
Most medical schools don’t accept recommendation letters written by teaching assistants (TAs). So, you can only ask your professor for those.
In some cases, the schools may accept such recommendation letters as long as they are signed or co-signed by your professor.
How to check in with letter writers?
You should check in with the letter writer if they haven’t submitted the recommendation letter even two weeks before your deadline.
Simply draft a polite email asking when they can send the recommendation letter, stating that you require it as soon as possible.
Should you read the recommendation letters?
You should never read your recommendation letters, as they are supposed to be confidential. Instead, trust the letter writer and hope for the best.
How to build a relationship with someone who can write a letter?
If you want to build a relationship with a potential letter writer, engage in various activities they’re involved in, such as research, clubs, or classes. Always ask questions, be present, and actively participate to show your interest and commitment!
By engaging with them in multiple ways, you can establish a strong connection and increase the chances of receiving a positive letter of recommendation
How to get over the anxiety of asking for a recommendation letter?
If you are anxious about asking for a recommendation letter, then I suggest just emailing the person in one go! Remember that even if they deny it, you can always ask other people.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know all the details, no more reason to hold back when it comes to how to ask for a letter of recommendation for medical school. Especially if you’ve had good relations with your professors or employers!
Just email or call them, or reach out in person to discuss the requirements for the recommendation letter. Also, don’t forget to give them sufficient time to write the letter, and submit it too!
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