Letters of recommendation are one of the few components of your medical school application that you cannot control directly. What you can control is who you ask, when you ask, and how well you prepare your recommenders. A strong set of letters can elevate a good application to a great one, while weak or generic letters can undermine an otherwise strong candidacy. This page covers the types of letters medical schools expect, how to build the relationships that produce strong letters, the request process, and the committee letter system.
What Medical Schools Expect
Most medical schools require 3 to 6 letters of recommendation, typically including at least 2 letters from science faculty (professors who taught you in biology, chemistry, physics, or biochemistry courses), 1 letter from a non-science faculty member (a professor in humanities, social sciences, or another non-science discipline), and additional letters from research mentors, clinical supervisors, or physicians you shadowed. Some schools have specific requirements (for example, a letter from an MD or DO, a letter from someone who supervised your clinical experience, or a letter from a research PI). Check the requirements for each school on your list using the AAMC® Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database.
Building Relationships with Potential Letter Writers
The best letters come from people who know you well, have observed your intellectual abilities and character over an extended period, and can speak specifically about your qualifications for medical school. Generic letters (“this student earned an A in my class and attended regularly”) do nothing for your application. Specific letters (“this student visited office hours every week to discuss the material in depth, asked questions that demonstrated genuine intellectual curiosity, struggled with thermodynamics initially but worked through it with persistence and ultimately earned the highest score on the final exam, and I have no doubt they will excel in medical school”) make a meaningful difference.
Building these relationships takes time. Start early: attend office hours regularly beginning freshman year, not just when you have a question but to discuss the material, share your interests, and build genuine rapport. Participate actively in class (ask questions, contribute to discussions). Take more than one course with the same professor if possible, so they see your development over time. Ask professors about their research, attend departmental seminars, and engage with the department beyond the minimum required for your grade. The professors who write the strongest letters are those who see you as a person, not just a name on a grade sheet.
The Committee Letter System
Many universities have a pre-health committee that compiles your individual letters into a single “committee letter” or “committee packet” that is sent to medical schools on your behalf. The committee letter typically includes a cover letter from the committee evaluating your candidacy (based on your GPA, MCAT® score, experiences, and a committee interview), followed by the individual letters from your professors and other recommenders. Committee letters carry significant weight because they represent the collective assessment of your university’s pre-health advising office.
If your school offers a committee letter, use it. Most medical schools prefer committee letters over individual letters, and not using one when it is available can raise questions about whether you were unwilling to undergo the committee evaluation process. Register with your pre-health advising office early in your undergraduate career so you are in the system when it is time to request letters. Attend the committee interview prepared to discuss your experiences, your motivation for medicine, and your academic record honestly. See our pre-health advising page.
Requesting Letters
Ask your recommenders at least 2 to 3 months before the deadline (ideally in the spring of the year before you plan to apply). When you ask, do it in person when possible, and ask “would you be able to write me a strong letter of recommendation for medical school?” The word “strong” gives the recommender an opportunity to decline if they do not feel they can write an enthusiastic letter (a lukewarm letter is worse than no letter). If they agree, provide a packet containing your resume or CV, your personal statement draft, a list of your experiences and accomplishments, specific examples of your work in their class or lab that they might mention, your medical school list with deadlines, and any specific requirements from individual schools.
Follow up with a polite reminder 2 to 3 weeks before the deadline if the letter has not been submitted. After your recommenders submit their letters, send a thank-you note (handwritten is best). Update them on your admissions results when you have them. They invested their time and professional reputation in your application and deserve to know the outcome.
Special Letter Situations
Research mentor letter: If you conducted research, a letter from your research PI is one of the most important letters in your application. It speaks to your intellectual abilities, your work ethic, your scientific thinking, and your potential for the analytical demands of medical school. Cultivate this relationship throughout your time in the lab.
Clinical supervisor letter: A letter from a physician who supervised your clinical volunteering or shadowing provides clinical context that academic professors cannot. Choose a physician who knows you well and can speak specifically about your interactions with patients and your growth over time.
Non-traditional applicant letters: If you are a non-traditional applicant (career changer, older student), you may need letters from both academic recommenders (from your post-bacc or recent coursework) and professional recommenders (from your previous career) to provide a complete picture of your qualifications. See our non-traditional students page.
For application context, see our AMCAS® guide and personal statement guide.
Timeline for Letter Requests: The ideal timeline for requesting letters is as follows. During freshman and sophomore year, build relationships with potential recommenders through office hours, class participation, research, and clinical work. During the fall of junior year, identify your 4 to 6 strongest potential recommenders and confirm that they would be willing to write you a strong letter. During the spring of junior year (March to April), formally request letters with specific deadlines and provide your recommender packet. During the summer between junior and senior year, confirm that letters have been submitted or are in progress. If using a committee letter process, register with your pre-health committee and complete the committee interview during junior year as well.
Handling Weak Relationships: If you are a junior or senior who does not have strong relationships with professors, there are steps you can take. First, identify the professors who know you best, even if the relationship is not deep. Attend their office hours 2 to 3 times before asking for a letter so they have a clearer picture of who you are. Provide a detailed recommender packet with specific examples from their class. Second, consider taking an additional upper-level science course during senior year or your gap year specifically to build a relationship with a professor who can write a strong letter. Third, if your pre-health committee requires a specific number of faculty letters that you cannot obtain, discuss alternatives with your pre-health advisor. Some committees accept letters from research mentors, clinical supervisors, or employers in place of faculty letters under special circumstances.
Waiving Your Right to Review: AMCAS® gives you the option to waive your right to review your letters of recommendation. Most pre-health advisors strongly recommend waiving this right, because letters written with the knowledge that the applicant will never read them are perceived as more honest and carry more weight. If you have asked recommenders who genuinely support your candidacy (and you should only ask people who will write strong letters), waiving your right to review is the standard and expected practice.
References
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). “Letters of Recommendation.” AAMC, 2025. https://www.aamc.org/. Accessed March 2026.