Letters of Recommendation: How Many, From Whom, When to Ask, and How to ask
Letters of recommendation are an essential part of the application process and are a requirement for many schools. Each medical school has its requirements and recommendations for the type of letters they want to see.
Being a pre-med student, you're going to be very busy. Looking back, establishing solid relationships with professors, research mentors, and other faculty was critical. You want to be able to have people in your corner who not only know you very well professionally but have a good sense of your character and can speak highly about your personality and work ethic in their letters of recommendation.
How many letters should you get and who to ask?
Each school has its recommendations on what types of letters that you should get. Many schools require a letter from a science professor (or two) and a humanities professor. If you're involved in extracurricular activities such as research, volunteering, leadership, community service, or significant clinical experiences, then you should also request letters from your mentors within those fields.
The Science Letter: This letter must come from a professor who taught a science class you took in college. The fundamental goal of this letter is to demonstrate your ability to tackle complex scientific concepts and excel at learning. Medical schools want to know that you will be able to handle the rigor of the medical school classes. A stellar letter writer should be able to discuss your growth and approach to learning. Getting to know the professors or TAs during office hours helps them get to know you. If you make an excellent connection with a TA, you may ask them to co-write the letter with a professor, giving it more credibility.
The Humanities Letter: This letter must come from a professor who taught a humanities class that you took. These include English, social science, psychology, economics, and history courses, etc. To be a good doctor, you must know more than just science concepts. Schools want to see that you understand the human condition. Therefore, a good letter would demonstrate your curiousness about the human condition and your propensity to think about why humans do the things they do.
Research: The basis of medicine is evidence, which comes from research. Traits that medical schools look for include curiosity, problem-solving, persistence, and understanding of the scientific process. It is best to have an open discussion with your PI and supervisor about the characteristics you want them to write about you.
Volunteering: Practicing medicine is a service to the community. One of the ways of demonstrating your commitment to the community is through volunteering. Clinical volunteering is an excellent way to get clinical hours as well. It is a good idea to keep a journal of significant interactions, such as an instance where you bonded well with a patient. You can later than ask your letter writer to include the experiences in your letter.
Other: Other things that letter writers can focus on include speaking about your ability to be a leader, your participation on the sports team, or your dedication to community projects. Some schools with religious backgrounds want to see a letter of recommendation from a spiritual leader who knows you well, such as pastors, etc.
When and how to ask for a letter?
The optimal time to ask for a letter depends on the type of letter. When requesting a professor who taught you in a science or humanity class, the best time to ask is immediately after the course. You want to be fresh in their mind when they write the letter instead of approaching them months or years later. Professors teach many students, and it may be difficult to remember your details if you postpone asking. As a general rule of thumb, you want to give letter writers two months to write a letter. Many schools require that letters be signed within one year of the submission. You can ask professors to draft the letter now and save the letter for signature when you're ready to apply.
Requesting a letter from a mentor you will work with for a more extended period is different. Examples include research, volunteering, and leadership letters. In these cases, it is more advantageous to let your mentor know you want to get a letter from them early in your working relationship. It would be best if you asked them what they want to see out of you for them to write a good letter. For example, a research mentor may wish you to demonstrate your ability to handle and troubleshoot your project and create a poster at the end. This way, the expectations are clear.
The best way to ask for a letter is to be upfront and open. You want to let the writer of your letter know that you're applying to medical school and what kind of qualities you would like for them to highlight. As for the actual asking, I would open the conversation with "I'm applying to medical school; I was wondering if you could write a strong letter for me?" We've found the most success with this phrasing because we want to ensure that each letter will speak well about us.
In summary, be confident and ask for letters early. Know what you want in recommendation letters and the points to highlight for each type of letter. We wish you the best of luck with your applications.