How many letters of recommendation for medical school do you need? And how do you make sure you get the right ones?
The letters of recommendation (LOR) for the medical school application is one aspect that feels the least in your control. While you are in the driver’s seat for your grades, MCAT, research, and personal statement, LORs are based on someone else’s assessment of you. This makes them incredibly important to admissions committees.
It’s critical to approach letters of recommendation systematically to ensure you receive the strongest letters possible. This post will take a closer look at the number of letters you need and who you should ask to ensure you have a variety of letter types.
Check out our full Medical School Letters of Recommendation Guide.
Why is the Letter of Recommendation Important?
The letter of recommendation is similar to the personal statement in that it can make or break a medical school application. Many pre-meds are focused on getting straight A’s, a high percentile on the MCAT, multiple publications, and writing a strong personal statement.
These are all important factors in the application, but they don’t tell the admissions committee anything about your interpersonal skills—and interpersonal skills are a huge part of being an effective doctor. Even if you’re the most intelligent and accomplished physician out there, patients and colleagues won’t enjoy working with you if you lack proper bedside manner.
The letter of recommendation is unique in that it is the one aspect of the application that shows medical school admissions committees what others think of you. You can talk yourself up in your personal statement, but for someone to stick their own neck out to support you says a lot, especially when their opinion holds weight.
Who Should I Ask to Write a Letter of Recommendation?
An ideal letter writer has two key characteristics:
- They know you intimately and can speak to your strengths.
- They are regarded as an authority in their field of study.
The former ensures that they are able to write a meaningful letter that speaks to your unique personal qualities. The latter increases the impact and weight of the letter to medical school admissions committee members.
While a highly regarded letter writer is ideal, it’s much more important that they know you intimately, and that they can write a personal and strong letter of recommendation. Being a “big name” is a bonus, but it is certainly not required.
Writers should be knowledgeable about:
- Your unique characteristics and strengths.
- The demands and expectations of medical school.
- Why you’re qualified to be a strong medical student and doctor.
How Many Letters of Recommendation for Medical School Are Required?
The number of letters you need depends on the school you are applying to. Check each school to see what’s expected, but, in general, you should be covered if you obtain 4-5 strong letters of recommendation.
|| How to Get Strong Medical School Letters of Recommendation ||
4-5 total letters is ideal
- 3 academic letters written by undergraduate professors (2 science and 1 non-science)
- 1-2 letters from extracurricular pursuits, most commonly research and clinical experience
Ultimately, you want to go for quality over quantity. While there is no perfect number of letters, having fewer strong letters will always beat several mediocre ones.
Academic Letters
The majority of medical schools will require 3 letters from your pre-med coursework, whether that is in college or post BACC.
You should aim to have two letters from science professors and one from a non-science professor. Science letters come from biology, chemistry, physics, and math professors. Non-science letters refer to classes in the humanities, social sciences, or arts.
There’s an art to choosing which professors to ask to write your letters. You should excel in the class, with an A or A- at worst, and be on good terms with the professor. In larger science courses, it may be difficult to foster a genuine connection with your professor. In these instances, teaching assistants (TAs) may write the letter, as they are more familiar with your character and work ethic, and the professor will co-sign it. This is not ideal, but it can work in a pinch.
With advance planning, you can go to office hours early on in the quarter to demonstrate the kind of genuine interest and curiosity that will be memorable to the professor. It is critical that you put in the effort to build strong relationships early on.
When I was in college, I attended the office hours for a course that was known for being the toughest pre-med class, and the professor did not have a rosy reputation. But I was pleasantly surprised by her kind demeanor, and we had stimulating discussions about science, both regarding and beyond our course work. In the end, I excelled in the course and built a strong relationship. During my interviews, multiple admissions committee members commented on how strong that particular letter was.
That being said, don’t overlook your non-science letters. There’s a reason medical schools don’t just require three science letters: non-science letters serve as an opportunity to highlight character traits that are less commonly demonstrated in science courses. Imagination, creative thinking, interpersonal skills, and public speaking are traits that are difficult to showcase in an organic chemistry course.
Extracurricular Letters
While not required, we recommend securing letters of recommendation from extracurriculars that were particularly significant. This may include research mentors or principal investigators (PI), physicians that you shadowed, or leadership from other volunteer organizations.
If appropriate, aim to secure a letter from each of your three most meaningful activities on your AMCAS.
How and When to Ask For Letters of Recommendation
You can approach a letter writer via email or in person. Politely ask if the professor, advisor, or mentor is willing to write a strong letter to support your application to medical school.
It’s key that you include the word “strong” to screen out those who don’t know you well enough to write a quality letter. Ask toward the end of your course or shortly after the class is over. Do not wait months or years, as you want the letter writer to have you fresh in their mind.
If they agree, thank them and ask to schedule an in-person or video meeting to provide materials and answer any questions they may have. Make sure they receive all of the important materials they need, including:
- Submission instructions, including your AAMC ID and their personal Letter ID
- Updated CV (not a resume, but a comprehensive CV)
- Academic transcript
- Personal statement (if available)
- MCAT score
- Submission deadline
Make sure you give them a deadline that’s well in advance of your own application deadline. But also be flexible and courteous, and accommodate your letter writer’s schedule. Remember, they are doing you a favor.
|| How to Ask For Medical School Letters of Recommendation ||
For in-depth, one-on-one advising, our team of doctors can help. From how to approach your letters of recommendation to your personal statement to application planning, Med School Insiders will maximize your chance of acceptance to your dream medical school.
