MD/PhD Secondary Apps

[redheadedone]

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I just submitted AMCAS and received secondary applications from two schools that do not screen applicants via AMCAS (AMCAS is still waiting to be processed).

For both of these applications, I am required to submit 3 more letters of recommendation, in addition to the committee letter that I submitted for AMCAS. These essays are supposed to be specifically focused on my research experience (for MD/PhD).

My questions are:

1. Do the majority of MD/PhD programs require these additional letters of recommendation?

2. Can I re-use the same professors who wrote my original letters, but ask them to focus on the research, rather than the clinical, side? My research advisers wrote my original letters, and I cannot think of anyone else who would be able to write meaningful letters of recommendation about my research experience.

Thank you!

 

[muchomaas]

I don't know what the correct answer is, and I am finding this to be the most confusing part of the application but what I did was:

My school has a committee letter: I had two professors write me "med school" recs. Then I had my two research advisers write me recs for MD/PhD. Those are all part of my committee letter, so would be sent to MD and MSTP offices. I know some schools say to have different things, but its just too complicated to please them all. It seems weird to ask your reserach adviser to write two letters, one for the med school and one for the MD/PhD program.