requirements for letters of recommendation are set by each individual institution, be it undergraduate, postbacc or medical school; they are not set or standardized in any way, shape or form by AMCAS.
If an applicant chooses to get a prehealth committee or composite letter, the applicant follows the requirements / policy of as put forth by the prehealth committee of their undergraduate, postbacc or SMP school. The majority of medical schools indicate that they require, recommend, or prefer a committee letter; most indicate individual letters as a secondary method.
If the applicant chooses to send individual letters to medical schools (which must come via the AMCAS letters system), the applicant must ensure that the letters they get will fill the specific requirements of each medical school that they will ultimately submit / assign to the letters to.
A rule of thumb that covers the majority of medical schools are letters from at least two science and one non-science instructor. However, that is a general guideline. It should be noted that the AMCAS BCPM classification, despite common usage, does not equate to science. Do not assume that letters must fit this BCPM classification system. A
non-exhaustive sample of school letter requirements are below:
1) Very Broad
University of South Florida/Morsani College of Medicine
http://health.usf.edu/medicine/mdprogram/mdadmissions/recommendation.htm
Letters can originate from basic science faculty. Science faculty includes but is not limited to: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math
2) Very Specific (note: not all BCPM is acceptable)
Case Western Reserve School of Medicine
https://case.edu/medicine/admissions/application-process/requirements/letters-of-recommendation/
A. We
will accept letters from professors or advisors in the disciplines of:
- Life Sciences (Biology, Zoology, Human Biology, Physiology, Microbiology, Immunology, Neuroscience, etc.)
- Physical Sciences (Physics & Chemistry)
- Mathematics (Calculus, Statistics, Biostatistics)
- Engineering Sciences (Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, etc.)
- Exercise Science or Physiology
- Nursing
3) Does not require science
Weill Cornell Medical College
http://weill.cornell.edu/education/admissions/app_faq.html#reco_letters
Letters of Recommendation
How many letters of recommendation do I need to submit?
We require letters of recommendation, either a composite letter of recommendation from the applicant's university pre-health careers advising office (preferred), or two letters from others such as teachers and supervisors in work, service or research. Applicants should request letters from persons who know them well and can discuss their capabilities, accomplishments, and character. A teacher, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level, should be one who has worked with the applicant personally. If the applicant has had a substantial research, work, clinical or service experience, WCMC requests a letter from the supervisor in that experience. Letters should be submitted through AMCAS.
4) Requires one science and one non-science
Mount Sinai/Icahn College of Medicine
http://icahn.mssm.edu/education/medical/admissions/regular-track/requirements#collapse9
A: We only accept letters of recommendation through AMCAS. We require a letter of recommendation from your premedical advisory committee. We accept individual recommendations from professors who taught you (one science and one non-science) if your school does not have a premed committee.
5) welcomes additional letters
NYU Medical College
http://www.med.nyu.edu/school/admissions/faq
Q: Is there a maximum number of letters of recommendation that I can submit?
A: No. Applicants are required to submit a premedical committee appraisal or two letters from faculty members (at least one science) through AMCAS. Both letters must be from professors who taught you in a course. Additional letters are welcome. Please note: Applicants to the MD/PhD Program are required to submit these letters, in addition to letters from all research mentors. All letters including MD/PhD must be submitted through AMCAS. Letters sent via regular mail will NOT be accepted.
Columbia University/College of Physicians and Surgeons
http://ps.columbia.edu/education/admissions/applying/application-requirements
Letters of Recommendation
We welcome letters of recommendation from both individual and premedical advisory groups who have a genuine knowledge of you and your capabilities and thus can provide more than routine praise. The Admissions Committee requires 3 letters of recommendation and accepts no more than 7. One must come from a science faculty member, teacher or research mentor. The Committee will accept up to seven letters of recommendation, but keep in mind that letters from people who do not know you personally cannot be given serious consideration
