How to Upload From Interfolio Letters of Recommendation to Amcas
Whom, when, and how to ask for great medical schoolhouse recommendation messages, including word-for-discussion scripts
(Annotation: A version of this commodity can besides exist constitute in our gratis, 102-page comprehensive guide to medical schoolhouse applications, Get Into Medical Schoolhouse: 6 Practical Lessons to Stand up Out and Earn Your White Glaze .)
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Introduction
Like to writing the AMCAS personal argument, the thought of request for medical school messages of recommendation (or in AMCAS terms, letters of evaluation) makes most students cringe.
Therefore, it's not surprising that we receive a ton of questions and concerns about recommendation letters, such as:
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"How am I supposed to find three alphabetic character writers?!"
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"Would information technology be a good idea to get a letter from Dr. Johnson? I don't actually know her, but she works at Duke Med, loves my mom, and offered to write a letter of the alphabet on my behalf."
We decided to write a comprehensive guide to medical school recommendation messages to answer all of your questions. If your question isn't covered, please leave it in the comments section below so we tin answer it and add it to the guide, since other students surely share information technology.
Click on whatever question below to jump directly to it:
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Questions about whom you should request letters of recommendation from
Whom should I request letters of recommendation from?
We recommend you compile the following set of six recommendation letters:
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Science professor 1 whose class you took for a letter of the alphabet grade
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Science professor 2 whose class you took for a letter of the alphabet class
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Non-scientific discipline professor whose course you lot took for a letter form
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A professional person—preferably a md—who has observed y'all providing patient intendance
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Extracurricular observer 1
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Extracurricular observer 2
Your two "extracurricular observer" letters could come from anyone who can speak well to your distinguishing activities.
For case, if y'all're a standout researcher, get one of those letters from a master investigator (PI). If you don't know your PI well, request a letter of the alphabet from a postdoc with whom you've worked closely, and asking that the PI co-sign it.
If, on the other manus, yous're an first-class fundraiser, asking a alphabetic character from your superior within the organization yous were part of or from a high-ranking fellow member of the organization yous supported who knows you well.
A adept rule of thumb is to inquire for a letter from a supervisor from an extracurricular activity that you lot designated every bit a 'Most Meaningful Experience' in your AMCAS Work and Activities department.
Some letters can practice "double duty"—that is, they can cheque two boxes at in one case. For instance, if you took a neuroscience course with a professor whose lab you as well worked in, a letter from that professor tin satisfy one science professor letter and i extracurricular observer letter. Therefore, you don't necessarily need 6 distinct letters.
The most important consideration is that you lot submit outstanding letters. Outstanding messages come from individuals who tin can speak highly of your skills and qualities and, more importantly, how your merits make you an excellent medical school candidate. Unenthusiastic letters, even if written by a well-known person, are not desirable.
From whom should I ask for recommendation letters as a non-traditional bidder?
Medical schools want to come across contempo (i.east., within the last three years) data about your academic achievements. Therefore, if y'all've been out of school for a while, you should aim to enroll in a few science courses—locally or online—to build relationships with professors.
Who qualifies as a science professor?
Strictly speaking, medical schools would like to run into your science messages come up from biology, chemical science, or physics (BCP) professors. While many schools volition also accept a science letter of the alphabet from a math, estimator science, engineering science, or other science professor, other schools won't. Therefore, yous should check straight with your top-choice schools if you lot intend to submit a science letter of the alphabet from a non-BCP professor.
Who qualifies every bit a non-science professor?
Any professor whose field falls outside of biology, chemistry, or physics.
Practice I have to send a letter from a professor in my major?
A very pocket-size number of schools crave a alphabetic character from a professor in your major. Since this isn't necessary for the bulk of schools, y'all probably shouldn't worry about this.
Do I need to get a alphabetic character from a DO physician when applying to DO programs?
Yeah, if you're looking to apply to osteopathic medical schools, make sure to request a letter from a Practise doctor you've shadowed.
DO programs are conscious of the reality that most applicants would prefer to attend an Md program if given the gamble. Therefore, they similar to meet that applicants have demonstrated a specific interest in osteopathic medicine and take made an effort to put this interest into practice.
(Further reading: Dr. vs Practise: The Biggest Differences (And Which is Better))
What recommendation letters should I avert?
Generally speaking, yous should avoid any messages that are negative, neutral, or slightly positive. In other words, y'all should avoid a letter from anyone who won't gush virtually yous.
In addition, you lot'll want to avoid sending letters from family members, clergy, or family friends who tin can't speak intimately near your professional person qualities.
Students routinely ask whether they should get a alphabetic character from a family friend who happens to be a well-known physician or faculty member at a school on their list, thinking that their clout will comport significant weight in admissions decisions despite non knowing the bidder professionally. Avoid these letters besides. At best, they'll be disregarded. At worst, they'll hurt your application because they'll be seen as an try to gain an unfair advantage.
Will I be able to meet my recommendation letters?
You can, but y'all shouldn't. In other words, you should always waive your correct to read your letters. Otherwise, medical schools won't accept your letters seriously.
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Questions about how many letters of recommendation y'all need
How many letters of recommendation do I need for medical schoolhouse?
Schools vary with regard to the number of required recommendation letters, ranging from two to five. Three letters is the almost common requirement.
At minimum, most schools will inquire you to submit one of the following:
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Three private letters: Ii messages from science professors and one letter from a non-science professor. These letters are to exist sent direct to AMCAS by individual professors or past your schoolhouse via a letter of the alphabet packet.
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A commission letter: Some schools have a pre-wellness committee or pre-wellness advisor who writes a letter representing your school's evaluation of you. If your school offers the committee letter option, you should have it. Otherwise, medical schools could wonder whether y'all're avoiding the committee letter because yous're trying to hide something or were told by the pre-health committee that you're non a competitive bidder.
Even so, the better question is, "How many letters of recommendation should I become when applying to medical schoolhouse?" because:
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Some schools require that you lot submit four or v letters.
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Many schools optionally allow you to send boosted recommendation messages across their requirements.
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Some letter writers can exist flaky and even disappear when you lot need them nigh. Therefore, it'due south best to take a backup letter of the alphabet.
Our respond to that question is you should get together 6 letters (run across our response to the get-go question for farther details).
How many letters of recommendation should I send to schools?
Nosotros recommend that you lot ship no more than five or six letters to med schools, even if they offer a higher limit on the number of allowed letters.
The quality of your messages and what they collectively say most you are much more important than sending a large number of letters. Negative or even then-so letters can cast a shadow over your other, potent letters, so be thoughtful about which to include or exit out.
How many recommendation letters can I upload to AMCAS?
AMCAS allows you lot to upload upwards to 10 letters of recommendation.
How many recommendation letters tin can I upload to AACOMAS?
AACOMAS allows you lot to upload up to 6 messages of recommendation.
How many recommendation messages tin I upload to TMDSAS?
TMDSAS allows you to upload up to 4 messages of recommendation.
Tin I ship different recommendation letters to different schools?
It depends on which application system you're using. AMCAS allows you to send unlike recommendation letters to different schools, whereas AACOMAS and TMDSAS do not.
In other words, when applying via AMCAS, you can "overcompile" letters of recommendation and pick and cull individual schools that yous'd like to send each alphabetic character to. When applying via AACOMAS and TMDSAS, every schoolhouse you apply to will receive all the messages that you've uploaded into that system.
Tin I choose where to send each recommendation letter?
As noted above, just AMCAS allows you to choose individual schools as recommendation letter recipients. Beyond this, you can only select the application system to which you'd similar to ship each recommendation alphabetic character.
For instance, let's say you lot're applying to both MD and Practice schools, and you accept eight letters, including letters from both Medico and Do physicians, stored in a dossier service such as Interfolio. Y'all could then choose the advisable messages to upload to AMCAS and AACOMAS, bearing in heed both the types of medical schools you lot're applying to and the maximum number of letters each arrangement allows.
Do my recommendation letters have to exist addressed to specific medical schools?
No, this is not expected.
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Questions nearly how to inquire for letters of recommendation
Should I ask for a letter of recommendation in person or via email?
We strongly encourage you to ask for letters from professors in person whenever possible, and definitely if it's been a while since you lot've been in their class or interacted with them.
Earlier you inquire for a recommendation alphabetic character, yous should prepare a packet that includes:
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A list of your grades, separated by science and non-science courses
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Your CV or resume
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Your final or about-final personal statement draft
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AAMC'south guidelines for writing a strong alphabetic character of evaluation, including a reminder to write the letter on official letterhead and sign it. You should provide this parcel but subsequently a professor or other recommendation letter writer agrees to your request.
How should I ask for a letter of recommendation in person?
Beneath are exact email scripts you can use to request a letter in person:
Give-and-take-for-discussion email script when planning to enquire someone you lot know well in person
Dearest [Professor's Name],
I promise this email finds you well. I'm planning on applying to medical schoolhouse this upcoming summer, and was hoping you'd be willing to offering your perspective on the procedure since I've always valued your guidance. If so, please let me know some days/times that work well for you to meet, and I'll make certain to conform. Thank you for your consideration!
All-time,
[Your Proper name/Last Proper name]
Word-for-word email script when planning to ask someone in person whom you lot haven't seen or spoken with in a while
Honey [Professor's Proper noun],
I hope this electronic mail finds y'all well. My name is [Proper name/Last Name], and I was a student in your [Course Number/Title] course during [Semester/twelvemonth]. I really enjoyed your class because [accurate reason].
I'm planning on applying to medical school this upcoming summer, and was hoping y'all'd exist willing to offering your perspective on the process. If so, please let me know some days/times that piece of work well for you to meet, and I'll make certain to suit. Cheers for your consideration!
Best,
[Your Name/Last Name]
Additional guidance for asking in person
Whenever you see with a professor to request a letter in person, make sure to allow them know why you would value a letter from them, including why yous value their perspective and which of your qualities and experiences they can speak to.
Don't exist shy about priming them to do this because it volition assist their letters corroborate how you describe yourself throughout the rest of your main and secondary applications.
Once a letter of the alphabet writer agrees to write you a letter of the alphabet, provide the packet mentioned before.
How should I ask for a alphabetic character of recommendation by email?
Hither is an exact email script yous can utilize to asking a letter via email:
Word-for-word email script when planning to ask someone you know well via electronic mail
Dear [Professor's Name],
I hope this email finds you lot well. I'm planning on applying to medical school this upcoming summer, and was wondering whether you'd experience comfortable writing a potent letter of the alphabet of recommendation. [Accurate sentence describing why yous would value a letter of the alphabet from them (e.g., why you value their perspective, which of your qualities they tin speak to, etc.)].
If yous're willing to provide a letter, I will provide the following supporting materials: 1) a list of my grades, ii) my CV, iii) a draft of my personal statement, and four) the AMCAS recommendation alphabetic character guidelines. Thanks for your consideration!
Best,
[Your Name/Concluding Name]
(Annotation: Nosotros take not included a script for requesting a letter via email from a professor who may non call back yous because you shouldn't inquire them for one.)
When and how should I remind my letter of the alphabet writers to submit?
Recommendation letter writers oft procrastinate on submitting letters on time. Therefore, you should e-mail them using the post-obit email script two to 3 weeks prior to your primary application submission:
Dear [Professor'south Proper noun],
I hope this email finds you well. I plan on submitting my medical school applications [on date or in # of days/weeks], and then I wanted to transport a reminder regarding your recommendation alphabetic character. Please allow me know if there's whatsoever additional information I tin provide.
Thanks once more for your support!
Best,
[Your Name/Terminal Name]
Across this first reminder e-mail, feel free to ship boosted reminder emails every one to weeks if you don't hear dorsum from a letter author. If you're unable to become a response via electronic mail, call them.
What should I include in my cheers notes to letter writers?
In one case a person submits a letter, you tin can use the post-obit thank you note script to limited appreciation (personalize this however you'd similar):
Beloved [Professor'south Name],
Thank you again for supporting my medical school applications past offering your perspectives on the process and submitting a recommendation letter of the alphabet. I experience very fortunate to take great mentors like you.
I'll brand sure to update you equally the awarding season progresses!
All-time,
[Your Name/Last Name]
Do you have tips on how to become to know my professors?
Of class! Here they are:
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Consistently attend office hours, especially during "off-top" times, like the starting time of the term.
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During office hours, discuss something other than form material (e.chiliad., the professor's research).
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Take multiple classes with the same professor.
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Invite the professor to coffee or lunch after the term to hash out their work, also as your career aspirations.
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Work as the professor'south teaching assistant.
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If you're interested in their inquiry, ask to join their lab. Your research interest will not only meliorate your relationship with that professor, but will also await dandy on your awarding.
When should I request letters of recommendation?
Ideally, yous volition want to ask for recommendation letters no later on than two to three months earlier you lot plan on submitting your primary application (i.eastward., AMCAS). Therefore, if you plan to submit AMCAS in June, you should ask no later than the offset of May.
Professors receive a ton of recommendation letter of the alphabet requests during the medical school application process. Request in accelerate volition give your letter writers the time to write a strong alphabetic character, and also to prioritize getting yours washed before those who asked later.
Finally, your school has a pre-health commission or pre-wellness counselor who assembles and distributes messages on your behalf. If so, you should follow their suggested timeline for requesting recommendation letters.
(Further reading: The Ideal Medical School Awarding Timeline)
When are letters of recommendation due?
You should aim to have your messages sent to programs no later than the date of your secondary awarding submission (i.e., July at the primeval) because most med schools do non read recommendation letters until the residue of your materials—master awarding, secondary application, fees, MCAT score—have been submitted.
That said, we encourage you lot to request that recommendation letters be submitted by the end of June to avert anxiety. That mode, even if your writers procrastinate for a week or 2, you lot'll still accept your letters in on fourth dimension.
It'south of import to note that letters of recommendation are rarely used to determine whether or not to send you a secondary application (which most schools transport to virtually applicants anyway). Nevertheless, they are used to make interview decisions.
When do medical schools look at letters of recommendation?
As noted in a higher place, almost medical schools look at letters of recommendation afterward all of your application materials have been submitted. Therefore, the earliest that your letters will be read is typically July.
Can my letter writers submit letters of recommendation before AMCAS opens?
No, writers cannot submit before the twenty-four hour period AMCAS opens.
Does AMCAS require that my recommendation messages be uploaded to verify my application?
No, information technology does not. Your submitted AMCAS application will begin to undergo verification even if your letters of recommendation have not yet arrived.
Can I add new letters of recommendation after I submit my AMCAS application?
Yes, you tin add new letters of recommendation afterward your AMCAS awarding has been submitted, so long as you haven't yet reached the 10-letter maximum. However, if yous've already submitted your awarding, you must brand certain to resubmit your application after y'all assign a new letter to ensure that information technology's sent.
Fifty-fifty if your application has already been transmitted to a medical school, you tin can still add and assign new letters to that school equally long every bit it'due south earlier the school's deadline.
Tin can I edit or delete letters of recommendation subsequently I submit my AMCAS application?
No, you cannot delete or personally edit letters of recommendation after your AMCAS awarding has been submitted. Still, your recommenders may upload a new version of a letter they've already submitted, so long as they utilize the same Letter ID number that was assigned to the original letter.
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Questions about storing and reusing messages of recommendation
Where can I shop my messages of recommendation?
Y'all may take ii options for storing letters of recommendation that you asking ahead of fourth dimension (e.g., a twelvemonth or 2 before your application bike):
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Through your schoolhouse: Nigh universities offer to store your recommendation letters, either through the career heart, pre-health advising center, or a similar service on campus.
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Via an online third-party letter storage service (also called a "dossier service"), such as Interfolio.
Regardless of which pick(s) is bachelor to you lot, you volition have to ask your recommenders to ship their letters directly to the storage service. As with any other recommendation letter of the alphabet, stored letters must exist signed and ideally written on official letterhead. Once you're ready to employ to medical school, you can request that the storage service send your letters to the application arrangement.
What are the benefits of using Interfolio or another storage service?
As noted above, one reason why med school applicants use Interfolio or other letter of the alphabet storage services is to obtain a fresh, and therefore more enthusiastic, letter of recommendation well in advance of the awarding cycle.
Storage services as well simplify the recommendation process for your letter writers by requiring them to just upload their letter once. Even if you aren't collecting letters far in advance, you lot may still find this beneficial if you're either submitting applications within multiple systems (eastward.k. both AMCAS and TMDSAS) or you conceptualize needing a letter of recommendation over again, such as for a scholarship or a future med school application bicycle, and don't want to repeatedly enquire your recommenders.
That said, whether or not to store your letters is upwards to you. It isn't strictly necessary if you lot can maintain great relationships with your recommenders.
Does AMCAS shop recommendation letters from one cycle to another?
No, AMCAS does not store recommendation messages from 1 cycle to another.
Do I demand to submit messages of recommendation as a reapplicant?
Yes, because AMCAS does not store messages of recommendation, yous must either resubmit your existing messages or submit new messages of recommendation each fourth dimension you apply to medical school.
Tin I reuse the aforementioned messages of recommendation if I reapply to medical school?
When reapplying to medical school, y'all tin can choose to ship the aforementioned letters from a previous cycle—ideally, with a revised date and, if appropriate, with updates—entirely new letters, or a combination of the two. Even if your messages are stored in Interfolio or a similar service, we encourage you to ask your rec letter writers for a letter with at least an updated date.
(Further reading: Reapplying to Medical School: Every Major Question Answered)
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Source: https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/medical-school-letter-of-recommendation