Maximum amount of letters you SHOULD send to Medical Schools?

[Jrg16]

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Hello all,

Is there a maximum amount of letters you SHOULD send to Medical Schools? I hear its 5 or 6. Also, I heard it should be: 1 clinical, 1 research, 2 science, 1 nonscience, 1 anything. Does anyone agree with this?

 

[HCHopeful]

The maximum amount is the amount you have or the amount the college will accept. UNMC only takes four, for instance. Others warn about sending more than five.

Mine are 2 science, 1 nonscience, 1 research. Four seems to be a very safe place in my eyes. Anything more than five, to me, would be excessive.

 

[gyngyn]

Many schools limit the number of letters (some as few as three). Exceed this number at your peril.

 

[Jrg16]

A lot of schools say on their site that they require 3 letters of recommendation. They don't speak to having more. Does this mean there is no max or only send 3?

 

[Long Way to Go]

Many schools limit the number of letters (some as few as three). Exceed this number at your peril.

My school Committee required at least four. I didn't investigate individual schools' policies too closely because I knew I would have an Committee letter, but I don't imagine that this is something I should be concerned about?

 

[gyngyn]

My school Committee required at least four. I didn't investigate individual schools' policies too closely because I knew I would have an Committee letter, but I don't imagine that this is something I should be concerned about?

A committee letter is always acceptable.

 

[MrLogan13]

A lot of schools say on their site that they require 3 letters of recommendation. They don't speak to having more. Does this mean there is no max or only send 3?

You have to do a little more digging on the website. You can also check MSAR.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Only as many as they ask for. The extras will probably be glossed over.

 

[ndafife]

When you get too many letters, you get into redundancy. If you have 5 letters saying the exact same thing, it brings them all down because they will be glossed over.

I would think 2 science, 1 non science should be for sure, then based off of your experiences some combination of 1 clinical, 1 research, and 1 other volunteering/experience if it is different from all previous ones

Make sure to pay attention to school specific maximums and requirements for letters.

 

[miamiheatfan]

Honestly the max amount should just be the amount they ask for. BUT if they allow additional letters and you know you have a very strong letter that comes from an EC then send that

 

[rohanw]

My school writes a committee letter and they told me the norm is 7. Is that too much???
My school told me they sort out the letters and assign priority to the best letter, is that a good idea or is 7 just too many?

 

[hopeS.O.]

I'm applying to Texas and aamc schools. My school does a committee letter where 3 personal letters are required and they include quotes from those. My question is, if I have five total letters: research professor bio, research professor psych, professor I was a at for for 2 years in chem, professor who knows of my interest in public health, and professor who knows my interest in medicine and me personally, what should I use as my three for the committee and which to use as the additional letter on TMDSAS and letters on the AMCAS? Or should I double dip?

 

[gyngyn]

My school writes a committee letter and they told me the norm is 7. Is that too much???
My school told me they sort out the letters and assign priority to the best letter, is that a good idea or is 7 just too many?

The number they prefer is entirely up to them.
7 is too many if sent independently (unless some school actually wants that many!).
If they have achieved success with this method, do your best to comply.

 

[DrHart]

Morsani requires 5 (2 science faculty BCPM, 1 non science, 2 character) which seems like a tall order. This is the most I've seen I think. 7 maximum for those guys.

 

[Theseus]

Darn it, you mean I can't send all of my 21 LORs?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Question here what about people who worked in multiple labs with multiple PI's-----is it necessary to get letters from all PI's because that could exceed many school's lists pretty quickly if you had a couple summers where you were part of a research fellowship program and worked in a lab specifically for only that time.

I'm asking what would you do here in situations where school's list they don't recommend sending say more than 5-6 letters and school's that don't list anything.

 

[DrHart]

Question here what about people who worked in multiple labs with multiple PI's-----is it necessary to get letters from all PI's because that could exceed many school's lists pretty quickly if you had a couple summers where you were part of a research fellowship program and worked in a lab specifically for only that time.

I'm asking what would you do here in situations where school's list they don't recommend sending say more than 5-6 letters and school's that don't list anything.

For the majority of schools that I've seen, I haven't seen a specfic requirement saying you need letters from all PIs. Most say that for a faculty/science letter, a PI is a good example. I would choose your letter writers carefully. Maybe choose the PI that knows you best or that you think would write the best letter.

 

[Sommando]

You have to do a little more digging on the website. You can also check MSAR.

I would recommend checking each school's site, as sometimes the information presented on MSAR may be unclear/different from the school's website. For example, if you look at the University of Vermont's MSAR profile, 1 letter is minimum, while 5 is max. On the school's website (http://www.uvm.edu/medicine/admissions/?Page=letters.html&SM=applysubmenu.html) there is a guide on what 1 letter is preferred, while 6 letters is a maximum.

 

[GrapesofRath]

For the majority of schools that I've seen, I haven't seen a specfic requirement saying you need letters from all PIs. Most say that for a faculty/science letter, a PI is a good example. I would choose your letter writers carefully. Maybe choose the PI that knows you best or that you think would write the best letter.

The school known for the requirement letters from all PIs you worked for is Harvard(which I will not be applying to) and also MD/PhD programs. It is possible listing a lab you worked in(particularly if you did something significant) but not having a letter from them and instead only having a PI letter from another lab you worked in could possibly be seen as an issue. I'll ask for the input of those who know better than me @Goro @gonnif @gyngyn

 

[northernlights15]

Hey @Goro

I know for DO schools some will simply have a 2 science letters requirement.

If my committee said 1 science, 1 non science is okay, do you think it will be a problem schools that have the 2 science letter requirement?

 

[ndafife]

Hey @Goro

I know for DO schools some will simply have a 2 science letters requirement.

If my committee said 1 science, 1 non science is okay, do you think it will be a problem schools that have the 2 science letter requirement?

I think almost every DO school has a physician LOR requirement with a physician LOR being strongly recommended if not required.

And if a school says 2 science, I suggest you send 2 science

 

[Goro]

Hold very still because I'm going to smack you in the nose:

What part of "two science LORs are required" don't you understand????

It's not what your committee wants, it's what the med school wants.

Capeesh?

Hey @Goro

I know for DO schools some will simply have a 2 science letters requirement.

If my committee said 1 science, 1 non science is okay, do you think it will be a problem schools that have the 2 science letter requirement?

 

[NeuResurgens]

Capeesh?

*Capisce

😛

 

[Goro]

ca·peesh
kəˈpēSH/
exclamation
USinformal
exclamation: capeesh

1. do you understand?
   "Upstairs is off limits. Capeesh?"

*Capisce

😛

 

[NeuResurgens]

ca·peesh
kəˈpēSH/
exclamation
USinformal
exclamation: capeesh

1. do you understand?
   "Upstairs is off limits. Capeesh?"

It originally came out of Italian as capisce.

Either way, the purpose was to give you a hard time

 

[NeuResurgens]

I think he's making you an offer you can't refuse

I just watched this for the first time a few months ago. It was one of the few movies after which I just sat speechless and in awe of what I just saw.

Mafia lingo aside, with the LOR issues, I agree with Goro - while having a couple extra LORs is just a nuisance, not having enough for a school's requirement is a much bigger issue.

 

[medic86]

Hold very still because I'm going to smack you in the nose:

What part of "two science LORs are required" don't you understand????

It's not what your committee wants, it's what the med school wants.

Capeesh?

Of course, at many schools, the committee letter satisfies all letter requirements. So this is essentially a moot point. 😛

 

[Goro]

Godfather Part II is even better. Avoid Part II at all costs.

I just watched this for the first time a few months ago. It was one of the few movies after which I just sat speechless and in awe of what I just saw.

Mafia lingo aside, with the LOR issues, I agree with Goro - while having a couple extra LORs is just a nuisance, not having enough for a school's requirement is a much bigger issue.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Godfather Part II is even better. Avoid Part II at all costs.

I actually did see Part II. While I enjoyed Part I more overall, I did very much enjoy the parts about how Vito originally rose to the position he was introduced in when the first movie started.

I have also heard bad things about part III, and have acted accordingly 😛