How important are letters???

[Doc Henry]

I go to a big school and have never gotten letters from any profs (I didn't realize until too late how much relationships with profs could help). I do have letters from other experiences but I'm afraid the best I can do for prof letters may be one if I'm lucky.

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[Doc Henry]

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[Falco2525]

Letters of Recomendation...well lets see they can make a big difference in you application if other areas are weak...or they can play a smaller role in the application...really great letters can set you apart as an applicant...normal basic letters wont help or hurt...so try and get letters from people who know you well...they prefer professors who you have had and formed relationships with...or ones you have done research under...start getting to know some well now if you can

 

[alwaysaangel]

If you are talking about how important the number of letters is. VERY. Most med schools require a certain number of letters from professors. Usually you absolutely have to have 2 science letters and 1 non-science letter.

 

[OCPreMed]

at my last interview, my interviewer (who had been doing this for 30 years) said, "everyone usually has phenomenal letters, they aren't that big of a deal"...


i figure, its more of a protocol thing just like clinical experience and community service; everyone does it and everyone will have them listen on their amcas.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Every professor I've taken classes from has given me a letter or two, some even three. They all get boiled down to a few numbers on your AMCAS application, except for those W letters.

 

[Mr. Tee]

VERY important if you have good ones. I don't think I would have gotten into a top school (i.e. stood out well enough) without strong LORs.

 

[Law2Doc]

I go to a big school and have never gotten letters from any profs (I didn't realize until too late how much relationships with profs could help). I do have letters from other experiences but I'm afraid the best I can do for prof letters may be one if I'm lucky.

You cannot get into med school without the requisite letters -- one letter will not work. And ideally they need to be good letters, because most applicants will have fairly positive letters so a negative or lukewarm letter can actually tank you. The best letters will be from faculty who actually know who you are and can say more than just "XYZ received an A in my class and thus clearly has the ability to master complicated sciences". So ideally you need to start showing up to office hours, asking questions after class and the like. That's just how the game is played.

 

[GujuMD]

I go to a big school and have never gotten letters from any profs (I didn't realize until too late how much relationships with profs could help). I do have letters from other experiences but I'm afraid the best I can do for prof letters may be one if I'm lucky.

Start connecting with proffessors that teach your smaller classes...do you have any research experience...Research PI sometimes will count as prof.

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

at my last interview, my interviewer (who had been doing this for 30 years) said, "everyone usually has phenomenal letters, they aren't that big of a deal"...


i figure, its more of a protocol thing just like clinical experience and community service; everyone does it and everyone will have them listen on their amcas.

Bet he said it'd be a big deal if they AREN'T phenomenal.

 

[Disinence2]

Just make sure you read what each school wants! i had to Withdraw from 2 schools cause they had awkward letter writer requirments (Could ONLY be from proffesors not from other doctors or poeple you volunteer with... BS if u asked me...)

So keep that in mind!

 

[melissainsd]

The way I see it- Good LOR will not get you into medical school, but the lack of good LOR can definitely keep you out. There are so many overly qualified applicants that they are looking for any reason NOT to admit you. Don’t give them one.