Requesting recommendation letters for medical school
A. General advice
1
Allow plenty of "turnaround time". You want to be sure the letter writer has the opportunity to
write a thoughtful, complete letter without worrying about an unrealistic deadline. We
recommend that you request letters at least a month before you will need the letter, and
preferably two months beforehand.
It is often best to request letters at the close of an experience, rather than waiting until you are
ready to apply to medical school. For example, for a summer internship, it is preferable to
request the letter at the end of the internship rather than a year (or several years) later when you
are preparing to apply. If you do end up maintaining a strong relationship with a recommender,
you always have the option of requesting an updated letter.
If you will be requesting multiple letters from a recommender, request all of them at the same
time (if possible). For example, you could ask a recommender to create two versions of a letter,
one for a fellowships application and one for medical school.
Ask the letter writer if she can write a strong letter of support for your application. If she seems
hesitant or ambivalent, thank her for her time but do not request a letter from this individual. It is
crucial that the person writing your letter is positive about your application and conveys that in
her letter.
Decide whether you want to waive your right to see the letter of recommendation. Confidential
letters often have greater credibility and they are assigned greater weight in the application
process. Interestingly, many letter writers are less inhibited in praising an applicant when the
letter is confidential. Therefore, we highly recommend that you waive your right to see the
letter.
The letter of recommendation will be especially effective if the writers describe specific
examples and instances whenever possible. So, provide each letter writer with information
relevant to your experience and application. This could be a resume, a personal statement, a
reminder of particular incidents or discussions, etc. Spend some time with the letter writer
discussing how this information relates to your application. Let her know what would be helpful
to include in the letter.
Recommendation letters for medical school should be specific to medical school. As noted
above, it is encouraged to request multiple letters at the same time to make the process easier for
your recommender. However, it is essential that medical school recommendation letters
specifically discuss your suitability for a career in medicine.
1
Modified from: Harvard Office of Career Services, “Letters of Recommendation for Medical School,” available
at: http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/students/careers/medicine/applicationprocess/letters.htm, accessed July 5, 2012.