LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Most health professions schools, with the exception of medical and dental schools, will want to see at least 3 letters of recommendation.  1-2 of these letters should be from science professors. You will also need 1-2 letters from a healthcare professional that you have shadowed or worked with.  Check with the individual schools to determine which letters you need.  Refer to the guidelines listed below as you think about who you want to request letters from.

The Pre-Health Professions Office maintains a Letter Service for Premed and Pre-Dental students.  See below for information about this service.  All other programs should refer to the instructions at the bottom of the page.

GUIDELINES

• Request letters from professors who have taught you in a classroom setting. Science professors are those who have taught you in the lecture portion of a Biology, Chemistry, or Physics course. No lab instructors.
• Professors should be able to adequately address your intellectual and academic abilities.
• Additional letters should be from people who have supervised you in your volunteer service, healthcare, shadowing and/or work experience.
• Supervisors should be able to address your ability to work and/or serve others, demonstrate to the committee that you are comfortable in a healthcare environment and discuss your work ethic.
• It is important for you to build a rapport with the people you shadow, work or volunteer with as preparation to requesting a letter of recommendation. Be on time, work hard, learn as much as you can and, most importantly, be yourself. Letters of recommendation are one of the ways admissions committees get to know you. That is only possible if the letter writer knows you.
• If you do not think someone will write you a strong letter of recommendation, DO NOT ASK THEM FOR ONE. A bad letter can kill your application even if the rest are stellar.
• Do NOT request letters of recommendation from family members. Their letters are highly biased and may not be viewed as an accurate description of your character.

Letters of recommendation are usually expected to be confidential and should not be viewed by the student.  Students are asked to waive their right to view the letters, but students also have the right to deny the waiver.  If you choose to deny the waiver, you are required to inform all of your letter writers that you will have access to their letters.

PREMED LETTER SERVICE

It is highly recommended that you submit at least 6-7 letters of recommendation:

• 2 science professors
• 1 non-science or science professor
• 1 supervisor from medical experience and/or physician shadowing
• 1 supervisor from volunteer experience
• 1 supervisor from research experience
• 1 supervisor from leadership experience (optional)

Letter Service Process:

1. Click here to print the Request Form and Evaluation Form.
2. Complete the appropriate portions of the form by choosing to retain access to your letters or not and signing the form.
3. Give the Request Form and Evaluation Form to your letter writers.  You should also include your resume and personal statement. 
4. Submit the LOR Service Form to the Pre-Health Professions Advisor. Click here to print the form.
5. The Pre-Health Professions Advisor will inform you once all letters are received.
6. Pay $10 fee by check or cash.
7. Indicate that your letters are a Committee Packet and list the Pre-Health Professions Advisor as your only letter writer when completing your application. The Committee Packet is simply the packet of your letters. There is not a Committee Letter.
8. The Pre-Health Professions Advisor will scan your completed file to create an electronic packet and release the letters to the individual schools that you request through VirtualEvals. (This step is subject to change based on new medical school application processes.)

PRE-DENTAL LETTER SERVICE

It is highly recommended that you submit 4 letters of recommendation:

• 2 science professors
• 1 dentist you have shadowed or worked with
• 1 of your choosing (professor, dentist, research or service supervisor, employer, etc.)

Letter Service Process:

1. Click here to print the Request Form and Evaluation Form.
2. Complete the appropriate portions of the form by choosing to retain access to your letters or not and signing the form.
3. Give the Request Form and Evaluation Form to your letter writers.  You should also include your resume and personal statement. 
4. Submit the LOR Service Form to the Pre-Health Professions Advisor. Click here to print the form.
5. The Pre-Health Professions Advisor will inform you once all letters are received.
6. Indicate that your letters are an electronic Committee Packet and list the Pre-Health Professions Advisor as your only letter writer when completing your AADSAS application. The Committee Packet is simply the packet of your letters. There is not a Committee Letter.
7. The Pre-Health Professions Advisor will receive an email from AADSAS requesting your letters. Your completed file will be scanned to create an electronic packet and then submitted to AADSAS.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONS PROGRAMS

Many of the health professions schools you will be applying to use a Central Application Service (CAS) to process your application.  Letters of recommendation are part of this application.  Follow the steps below to request your letters:

1. Request letters from the appropriate professors and supervisors.  You should provide your letter writers with your resume and personal statement. 
2. Where applicable, inform the letter writer that they will receive an electronic request from the CAS to submit an evaluation for you.
3. If the letters are not part of a CAS, provide the letter writer with pre-addressed envelopes for the schools you need the letter sent to.