Using the same letter of recommendation(s)?

[DaymanNightman]

I'm hoping this is the right forum for this question, but I have a question in regards to the letters of recommendation. If the question sounds really stupid, I apologize because I have not required any letters of recommendation for my undergraduate school and this is sort of new to me. I am applying a dozen (more like 20 schools) But can you use the same letter of recommendation(s) when applying to multiple schools? If not, would I have to lessen the number of schools I can apply or should I make friends with more professors and/or doctors?

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[mcloaf]

You re-use letters, but you don't have to do it yourself. You submit your letters once to AMCAS and they send them to all the schools you select.

 

[ValentineLissar]

For DO schools you can do the same too with using one faculty letter of rec for different schools. You should probably get a letter of rec from a physician if you want to apply for DO schools.

 

[mcloaf]

For DO schools you can do the same too with using one faculty letter of rec for different schools. You should probably get a letter of rec from a physician if you want to apply for DO schools.

A letter from a doc is a good idea for MD as well as DO applicants.

 

[coolingglasses]

Concur with the replies, especially getting a physician letter.

Best username on the boards.

 

[Catalystik]

If you are applying to both MD and DO schools, you want your letter writers to know that so they don't say, "I think that DaymanNightman would be a wonderful addition to any Osteopathic Medical School Class" as you don't want to send the same letter to an Allopathic school (and v.v.). So long as the letter uses a more generic reference, you can have it sent to all the schools that ask for a letter of that type (eg, science faculty, nonscience faculty, research PI, peer, volunteer coordinator, physician, etc.) MD schools rarely ask for a physician letter, BTW, and won't care about the letters after the doc's name. Some DO schools are very picky, though, that you include a DO's letter.

Many colleges have a letter service that will collect them for you and send out copies when you're ready to submit them.

 

[ValentineLissar]

I second Catalystik's comments. When I asked for my MD letter of rec, I made sure the writer knew I was using it to apply to both MD and DO schools. I ended up not using the letter for MD schools, but I wanted to have the option in case. Anyways, I only applied to DO schools that were not picky about the letter writer's creds, but if you want more flexibility to apply to all DO schools, definitely get a letter from a DO.

 

[WorldWiz]

I'm planning on applying to MD and DO simultaneously too, but when I ask my professors for universal LORs, if I need to clarify for them, is the use of the phrases "medical school" or "medical doctor" acceptably universal or too biased toward MD? And I assume any use of the abbreviation MD would not be universal right? Thanks.

 

[Catalystik]

I'm planning on applying to MD and DO simultaneously too, but when I ask my professors for universal LORs, if I need to clarify for them, is the use of the phrases "medical school" or "medical doctor" acceptably universal or too biased toward MD?

They seem acceptably universal to me, but hard core osteopathic doctors/adcomms might prefer the term "physician" over "medical doctor."

And I assume any use of the abbreviation MD would not be universal right? Thanks.

Correct.