*~*~*~*Official Letters of Recommendation Questions Thread 2011-2012*~*~*~*

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I also posted this in the Canadian premed 101 boards.

I'm currently a 3rd year University of Western Ontario undergrad and was hoping to apply to both Canada and the US medical schools this summer and just wanted to get some advice on the LORs for anyone who may have already applied from undergraduate institutes with huge classes.

My understanding is that most American med schools will generally require 2 science profs and 1 humanities with some variations. I'm enrolled in the Med Sci module (these specifics were meant for the Canadian boards where people may be familiar with them so forgive my use of them on occasion) so my classes have been pretty much as large as possible until now, 400-600+ students generally and professor interaction isn't really something that comes naturally. Sure I've dropped in to ask a couple questions and maybe talked to a prof quickly after class, but there is absolutely no way they would remember me. No professor has taught me for more than 1 year, many times as only a part of a team of professors and many for half a semester.

Other than this I believe I am a pretty solid applicant.
39R Mcat
These GPAs are based on the OMSAS (Ontario) system, if the sticky for Canadians applying to American is correct where 80+ = 4.0 for UWO students, I would be 4.0 all 3 years, but I'm not 100% sure.
1st year Gpa: 4.00
2nd year. 3.81 (Tried doing too much =/)
3rd year. Probably finish 3.9x ish
Typical solid extra curriculars, research experience etc. (If clarifying these helps you answer my questions by all means just let me know)

LORS are not as much an issue for Canadian schools for me as they can be from anyone pretty much and I can get 1) Research PI I'm working with 2) Varsity Team Coach and 3) Still deciding

Things I basically want to ask:
1) Is it proper to ask a professor who will have no idea I am for a letter based purely on doing well in their course. I will of course provide them with rough draft of personal statement, transcript, cv, all that, and try to talk with them about my goals and myself. Literally every professor from every class I've taken will not know who I am. Does this even leave me with any hope of not getting my name filled in the blanks for a generic letter
2) Is it preferred to ask professors from upper year classes (I recall Felix Lee in first year mentioning hes down to write letters, though probably generic, when I was in his first year class)
3) I've only taken one humanities course, Children's Lit, unless first year Psyche counts. The TAs basically run the tutorials and are the people we actually interact wth/marks our work. Is it okay to get a letter from him and attempt to get him to get the actual Prof to cosign. I believe he would be pursuing his PhD.
4) How did other people in this same situation (huge classes, no chance to get to know profs) deal with this.

Any advice in general would be appreciate too. Perhaps if someone has gone through a similar situation, how they approached profs for letters and such
 
LJ1000F said:
I also posted this in the Canadian premed 101 boards.

I'm currently a 3rd year University of Western Ontario undergrad and was hoping to apply to both Canada and the US medical schools this summer and just wanted to get some advice on the LORs for anyone who may have already applied from undergraduate institutes with huge classes.

My understanding is that most American med schools will generally require 2 science profs and 1 humanities with some variations. I'm enrolled in the Med Sci module (these specifics were meant for the Canadian boards where people may be familiar with them so forgive my use of them on occasion) so my classes have been pretty much as large as possible until now, 400-600+ students generally and professor interaction isn't really something that comes naturally. Sure I've dropped in to ask a couple questions and maybe talked to a prof quickly after class, but there is absolutely no way they would remember me. No professor has taught me for more than 1 year, many times as only a part of a team of professors and many for half a semester.

Other than this I believe I am a pretty solid applicant.
39R Mcat
These GPAs are based on the OMSAS (Ontario) system, if the sticky for Canadians applying to American is correct where 80+ = 4.0 for UWO students, I would be 4.0 all 3 years, but I'm not 100% sure.
1st year Gpa: 4.00
2nd year. 3.81 (Tried doing too much =/)
3rd year. Probably finish 3.9x ish
Typical solid extra curriculars, research experience etc. (If clarifying these helps you answer my questions by all means just let me know)

LORS are not as much an issue for Canadian schools for me as they can be from anyone pretty much and I can get 1) Research PI I'm working with 2) Varsity Team Coach and 3) Still deciding

Things I basically want to ask:
1) Is it proper to ask a professor who will have no idea I am for a letter based purely on doing well in their course. I will of course provide them with rough draft of personal statement, transcript, cv, all that, and try to talk with them about my goals and myself. Literally every professor from every class I've taken will not know who I am. Does this even leave me with any hope of not getting my name filled in the blanks for a generic letter
2) Is it preferred to ask professors from upper year classes (I recall Felix Lee in first year mentioning hes down to write letters, though probably generic, when I was in his first year class)
3) I've only taken one humanities course, Children's Lit, unless first year Psyche counts. The TAs basically run the tutorials and are the people we actually interact wth/marks our work. Is it okay to get a letter from him and attempt to get him to get the actual Prof to cosign. I believe he would be pursuing his PhD.
4) How did other people in this same situation (huge classes, no chance to get to know profs) deal with this.

Any advice in general would be appreciate too. Perhaps if someone has gone through a similar situation, how they approached profs for letters and such
Click to expand...


I went to a big public school and I had huge classes like you as well. You have to make yourself available. What I mean is, you have to talk to your professors after/before class and go to their office hours (you'd be surprise at the number of people who go to office hour, not many). I don't think asking a professor who doesn't know you by face or first name is a good idea. Just because you got an A doesn't mean much since around 25% of your class probably go thte same grade. The LORs I got were from professors who knew me and would stop and say hi to me on the street. I made this happen by showing them interest and going to office hours to talk and ask questions (I would make questions up cause I really had none to ask and many times it would just become a regular conversation).


However, with that said, since it seems as if your done with classes you really have no other choice then to ask professors who are basically strangers. But LORS aren't THAT important as long as your ECs GPA and MCAT are strong, which they appear to be.
 
so i requested my prof to write a letter via Interfolio...he just e-mailed it to them..

did he have to put my AMCAS number or something on it? is there a form he should have used?

i feel like this was too easy...

it says this on the AMCAS page:
"The letter writer must include your AMCAS Letter ID found on your Letter Request Form when sending letters, regardless of how they are submitted."

help!
 
rHinO1 said:
tldr the entire thread, so I don't know if someone already said this...

When using interfolio, your writer has the ability to sign the letter electronically (using their mouse). Alternatively, they can mail in the letter.

Two more benefits to using interfolio, that were not mentioned in the OP, are:

1) the letters are saved in case you need to re-apply (amcas will not save your letters).

2) Interfolio will check your letters and note whether or not they are signed and on letterhead. Amcas will do this for you, but you have to call and ask them to check your letters.
Click to expand...

How can you get Interfolio to check your letters to find out if they are on letterhead/signed? I can't find anything on the website.
 
Would allopathic medical schools look down at a letter of recommendation if it was from an osteopathic physician? Content aside, assume the letter is very good.

Also, should you include shadowing experience done with a D.O. in your application for an allopathic school?
 
colberag said:
Would allopathic medical schools look down at a letter of recommendation if it was from an osteopathic physician?

[...]

Also, should you include shadowing experience done with a D.O. in your application for an allopathic school?
Click to expand...

No

....

Of course


A doctor's a doctor...doesn't matter if he/she is MD or DO.

Some might be concerned that MD schools will suspect you are applying to DO schools if you've shadowed a DO but that's only a problem the other way around where DO schools are wary of students who are using their school as a backup (though most are). MD schools usually don't care if you apply DO and it can actually show a genuine interest in becoming a doctor.
 
so i requested my prof to write a letter via Interfolio...he just e-mailed it to them..

1) did he have to put my AMCAS number or something on it?
2) is there a form he should have used?

i feel like this was too easy...plus, it says this on the AMCAS page:
"The letter writer must include your AMCAS Letter ID found on your Letter Request Form when sending letters, regardless of how they are submitted."

but i dont have an AMCAS letter ID yet!

help!
 
Great thread, I learned a lot. I'm a first time applicant and I'm not sure whether any schools place a limit on recommendation letter length. I have 4 letters, 3 of them are exactly 1 page long.

The fourth is 1.75 pages long. Will this be a problem for any medical school? My recommender told me that she was really concise, but felt the need to go over the page to really "sell" me as an applicant. She also stated that her header takes up a lot of space.

I heard that 1-2 pages is okay, but with summer coming up I'd like to be on the safe side and have all my letters submitted to Interfolio by June 1.
 
Do committee letters of recommendation usually go to medical schools with your secondary applications? Do schools submit your committee letter to AMCAS? I want to do the committee letter and then 3 individual letters from people who know about what I have done (PI, a physician, volunteer coordinator). Does AMCAS combine all of these letters?
 
I have a question regarding interfolio vs AMCAS.

I am applying next cycle (in 2012, to matriculate in 2013). I want to ask for some of my LORs early because I am type A and like to have everything done and ready to go early plus I know several of my professors will have free time over the summer, which they may not have during the fall or spring semesters.

If I understand correctly, I can have each of my writers upload their letter to interfolio directly if they make/have an account or they can mail it to interfolio. Once all my letters are in interfolio, I can select the ones I want to send and send them to AMCAS. Interfolio allows me to keep these letters for years. Can I use the same letters for other things as well such as research/job/internship positions, AACOMAS, etc?

If I choose not to use interfolio,I will need writers to upload their letter to AMCAS directly. Apparently AMCAS will dump the letters after the cycle is over and if I need LORs for something else, I will need my writers to send it somewhere else as well.

So basically interfolio sounds like less work for my writers and more convenient for me if I plan on reusing the letters. I want to use interfolio if this is all correct. However, my biggest confusion is what happens after my writers send/upload their letters to interfolio. I pay to have them sent to AMCAS. Then I have to go on the AMCAS site and enter information about the LORs they will receive, correct? What about this whole letter ID/AMCAS ID ordeal? Should my professors include this information in the initial letter they send to Interfolio? Or will they have to resubmit the letter to AMCAS again? I don't understand this step because I have heard AMCAS requires the letters to have the letter ID or AMCAS ID in them.
 
ohshxtsaty said:
Can I use the same letters for other things as well such as research/job/internship positions, AACOMAS, etc?
Click to expand...

You could use the letters for whatever you want, theoretically, but your recommenders may be composing their letters specifically for medical school applications. I wouldn't bet on being able to reuse them unless you instruct your recommenders that you wish to use them for more than just your application.

ohshxtsaty said:
However, my biggest confusion is what happens after my writers send/upload their letters to interfolio. I pay to have them sent to AMCAS. Then I have to go on the AMCAS site and enter information about the LORs they will receive, correct? What about this whole letter ID/AMCAS ID ordeal? Should my professors include this information in the initial letter they send to Interfolio? Or will they have to resubmit the letter to AMCAS again? I don't understand this step because I have heard AMCAS requires the letters to have the letter ID or AMCAS ID in them.
Click to expand...

If you're using Interfolio, your letter writers do not need to know anything about AMCAS, letter IDs, or whatever. They simply write the letter and submit to Interfolio and they're done. Interfolio will hold onto the letters for as long as you remain paid, plus some number of years after you let your subscription expire (in case you want to rejoin).

In your AMCAS application, you will create entries for each letter submission. This is what generates the IDs. Next, you need to get the letters from Interfolio to AMCAS. Follow these instructions on the Interfolio website to get that done.
 
postbacpremed87 said:
Do committee letters of recommendation usually go to medical schools with your secondary applications? Do schools submit your committee letter to AMCAS? I want to do the committee letter and then 3 individual letters from people who know about what I have done (PI, a physician, volunteer coordinator). Does AMCAS combine all of these letters?
Click to expand...

1) Letters of recommendation are associated with schools' secondary applications. If they participate in AMCAS's LOR service, you must have your letters submitted to AMCAS.

2) You will have four separate letters: the committee letter, your PI letter, your physician letter, and your volunteer coordinator letter.
 
mauberley said:
You could use the letters for whatever you want, theoretically, but your recommenders may be composing their letters specifically for medical school applications. I wouldn't bet on being able to reuse them unless you instruct your recommenders that you wish to use them for more than just your application.



If you're using Interfolio, your letter writers do not need to know anything about AMCAS, letter IDs, or whatever. They simply write the letter and submit to Interfolio and they're done. Interfolio will hold onto the letters for as long as you remain paid, plus some number of years after you let your subscription expire (in case you want to rejoin).

In your AMCAS application, you will create entries for each letter submission. This is what generates the IDs. Next, you need to get the letters from Interfolio to AMCAS. Follow these instructions on the Interfolio website to get that done.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! It doesn't sound complicated at all. Now I just have to hope they don't decide to change anything for the next application cycle! :annoyed:
 
From what I understand, you don't need the letters to have your AMCAS forwarded to the schools. So what is the ideal date (or the latest safe date possible) to have all the letters ready? I know earlier is better, but sometimes, the letter writers delay...
 
late June, or whenever your med school app is complete, whichever is later. in other words, they won't care whether they have your letters when they're still waiting on your MCAT scores.

if you're going through committee, you may not have this level of control beyond making sure you're complete with them by whatever their deadline is. some committee letters can come out very late, you just have to cross your fingers i guess. mine came out in August but i don't think it hurt me.
 
monkeyMD said:
From what I understand, you don't need the letters to have your AMCAS forwarded to the schools. So what is the ideal date (or the latest safe date possible) to have all the letters ready? I know earlier is better, but sometimes, the letter writers delay...
Click to expand...

OMG, you don't have your letters yet??!! I would wait a cycle.




(seriously, do it NOW)
 
Hello,

I have a question about letter packets and the AMCAS "Letter Request Form"

If I am sending a letter packet, not individual letters, to the AMCAS, do I just need one Letter Request Form that has my AMCAS ID? Or does each letter within the packet need to have my AMCAS ID?

The reason I ask is one of my letters I got last year, when I didn't have an AMCAS ID, so there was no way to include it. Should I ask my current letter writers to include it?

I am using my university's letter service.

Thanks!
 
linusp said:
Hello,

I have a question about letter packets and the AMCAS "Letter Request Form"

If I am sending a letter packet, not individual letters, to the AMCAS, do I just need one Letter Request Form that has my AMCAS ID? Or does each letter within the packet need to have my AMCAS ID?

The reason I ask is one of my letters I got last year, when I didn't have an AMCAS ID, so there was no way to include it. Should I ask my current letter writers to include it?

I am using my university's letter service.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
From what I understand, it is just one🙂 If anyone else with experience can comment, please do.
 
I have a letter form a physician I worked with for two years in a direct patient care setting. He gave it to me a year ago before he left the clinic I work at. It's dated, signed and on letter head. Can I submit it via interfolio etc.? Does the date matter on the letter since it's not current? How old would be to old for a LOR?
 
I'm sure it's been discussed before but I would like to hear other opinions:

Is it acceptable to ask your LOR writer to send a copy of his/her letter to you as well? I know some people say it is helpful to know what the LOR contains in case the AdCom questions you about any detail from a specific letter you will be better prepared to answer. Others contest it would make the LOR writer uncomfortable writing a LOR as they would had they not been enclosing a copy for you to read as well.

Thoughts?
 
MedicToMD said:
I'm sure it's been discussed before but I would like to hear other opinions:

Is it acceptable to ask your LOR writer to send a copy of his/her letter to you as well? I know some people say it is helpful to know what the LOR contains in case the AdCom questions you about any detail from a specific letter you will be better prepared to answer. Others contest it would make the LOR writer uncomfortable writing a LOR as they would had they not been enclosing a copy for you to read as well.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't ask. Confidentiality is vital for the admissions committee to perceive the letter as an honest appraisal of your character and abilities and lets the committee members see if it is consistent with the other aspects of your application.

That having been said, if your writer offers to share their letter with you after they're done, then by all means take them up on the offer, but I wouldn't press them for a copy up front.
 
I'll be reapplying this year and I was wondering if having a new letter is more or less expected of reapplicants, or if it is recommended.

I think I can get a strong letter of recommendation from my manager, but once I tell him that I'll leave the company after a year... I'm not sure what sort disadvantages I'll have to go through at work. I'll probably have to get a new job, and I'm not sure if I can pull that off during the application cycle. Any thoughts?
 
It is generally recommended that you provide at least one new LOR to the schools where you will be reapplying. If you plan on changing up your school list this time around, the new additions will not know which letters you used last cycle (aside from the date of the signatures). In any case, you would do well to obtain another letter to be on the safe side.
 
Hey, I saw that rhino mentioned briefly on the subject of storing the letters, but I was not sure if my question has been previously asked. My question is-If an applicant used the Interfolio system and sent in the LOR'S to AMCAS, but (God forbid) did not receive an acceptance, can the same LOR'S stored in interfolio be used for the next app cycle?
 
Monkeymaniac said:
I'll be reapplying this year and I was wondering if having a new letter is more or less expected of reapplicants, or if it is recommended.

I think I can get a strong letter of recommendation from my manager, but once I tell him that I'll leave the company after a year... I'm not sure what sort disadvantages I'll have to go through at work. I'll probably have to get a new job, and I'm not sure if I can pull that off during the application cycle. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...


If they're like most companies, they will want to put off training someone new for a job you're already competent at. And people move on to new opportunities all the time, its business. You may sacrifice promotions in the near future, but I'd get the letter if I were you.
 
MOMSBUSYDAZE said:
Hey, I saw that rhino mentioned briefly on the subject of storing the letters, but I was not sure if my question has been previously asked. My question is-If an applicant used the Interfolio system and sent in the LOR'S to AMCAS, but (God forbid) did not receive an acceptance, can the same LOR'S stored in interfolio be used for the next app cycle?
Click to expand...

Oh, (regarding this question) I didn't get to read the last page. Okay, I think I pretty much got an answer to this question.
 
are these sufficient:

2 professors (epidemiology)
1 biology research PI (person did not teach me a course)
1 physician
 
Alright I have lined up my letters, but now I think I may be applying in the next cycle so I can beef up the volunteering hours.(which I think is ridiculous, but whatever).

Can I still get an ID number and add information for the next cycle? Or do I have to put off everything until next May? Which would also mean I'd have to put off my letter writers for an entire year?

My point is that I would rather get them written, so i don't have to bother them all over again. And I think it would look a bit flakey to be like "Oh wait nevermind, it's actually next year. I'll get in touch with you then if you're not dead." (One Prof is very old).

Thanks, this may have been answered in a round about way, but I couldn't decipher anything.
 
Holderlin said:
Can I still get an ID number and add information for the next cycle? Or do I have to put off everything until next May? Which would also mean I'd have to put off my letter writers for an entire year?
Click to expand...

Get an Interfolio account to hold the letters. AMCAS won't hold them for you, as you can only create letter IDs if you've started an application.
 
sexycani said:
are these sufficient:

2 professors (epidemiology)
1 biology research PI (person did not teach me a course)
1 physician
Click to expand...

I believe some schools may require a non-science letter. I'd look through the schools you're applying to and see if they have such a req, and whether they're willing to accept other letters in lieu of it
 
Holy crap.

My pchem professor wrote me this about picking up letter.



I will probably not be here tomorrow afternoon. I could leave your letter with one of my students in CLB 305, or alternatively you could lick up the letter on Thursday.What works out better?





😱😱😱 Why is he saying "lick up"??? Is this a sign of bad letter? I was never obsequious in his class.
 
libraryismyhome said:
Holy crap.

My pchem professor wrote me this about picking up letter.



I will probably not be here tomorrow afternoon. I could leave your letter with one of my students in CLB 305, or alternatively you could lick up the letter on Thursday.What works out better?





😱😱😱 Why is he saying "lick up"??? Is this a sign of bad letter? I was never obsequious in his class.
Click to expand...

Maybe he means you can literally "lick" the envelope and keep it? lol. Or maybe typo and he meant pick up?
 
P is just above the L key. He probably mistyped 🙂

libraryismyhome said:
Holy crap.

My pchem professor wrote me this about picking up letter.



I will probably not be here tomorrow afternoon. I could leave your letter with one of my students in CLB 305, or alternatively you could lick up the letter on Thursday.What works out better?





😱😱😱 Why is he saying "lick up"??? Is this a sign of bad letter? I was never obsequious in his class.
Click to expand...
 
yeah, I just woke up from sleep and was flabbergasted by this.

oh well, I am waken up now and am thinking the same thing. Thank you folks. 😀
 
I took organic chemistry I and II with the same professor. The second semester was taught over the summer in Spain with a small group so the professor knows me pretty well and I think he could write a good letter of recommendation....


The only problem is the professor left the big state school I go to and is now teaching at the community college in my city (he doesn't do research so he didn't get a lot of respect at my research oriented institution). Should I still get the letter from him?

I'm just worried the adcoms won't respect the letter as much because they will see he is at a community college even though I took the course at my big state university and he was a very good professor that taught thousands of kids.
 
Is this the right way to go about it? Obviously I need to meet with the professor, but I don't have his office hours so I need to email about setting up a meeting.

Dr. XXX,

I would like to set up a meeting sometime during this week or next week to discuss a letter of recommendation. If you would like to suggest some times that work well for you it would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Rcheech7

This just seems way too short, is there anything else I should say?
 
What you have is OK. But really it is better to just go to their office in person. You can probably find their office hours posted near their door, or just keep going back until you finally catch them. Then ask if they have a minute and if so then say something like, "I really enjoyed your class(es) and have learned a great deal. I became engaged in the material, worked hard, achieved a high grade, and am continuing to build on those foundations. I am applying to medical schools this summer and wanted to ask you what more, if anything, I could do that would allow you to be comfortable writing me a strong letter of recommendation to include in my application." They may want you to write a letter to them describing yourself, your experiences in their class, and what attributes you think you demonstrated in the class. They may also want a personal statement, MCAT scores, transcript, etc. If they hesitate or in any way don't sound like they would write a great letter, don't pursue it anymore.
 
Hello everyone. this is my 'first post' on SDN and I need a little bit of help concerning LoRs. I plan of shadowing a physician that I know. He is a urologist and I am wondering if it is appropriate to ask for a reccomendation letter after seeing him for so many hours. The reason for this question is to reinfirce whether aski8ng a lor from a physician is appropriate....I hread otherwise somewhere else, but I forgot where...

Please, no flaming. I'm new and want to learn.
 
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