Prehealth committee requirements vs individual school letter requirements

[artist27]

The prehealth committee at my school composes a complete evaluation on a student based on several interviews and other letters of recommendation. These full letters are included in the final packet.
My school's committee requires 3 letters at the least: one from a science professor, one from a non-science professor, and one from a health professional.

If I meet my school's requirements for letters, do I still need to look at if these individual letters fulfill the requirements at each individual school I want to apply to? Or does the committee letter suffice?

Thanks

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[PB&Jam]

Most schools' requirements state that you either need X number of letters from ABC different types of people, or a pre health committee letter. The committee letter will fulfill any school's requirements as far as I know.

 

[cranialLOOP]

If I meet my school's requirements for letters, do I still need to look at if these individual letters fulfill the requirements at each individual school I want to apply to? Or does the committee letter suffice?

No. The committee letter trumps all individual LOR requirements and will suffice. I remember panicking about this just last year!

 

[7331poas]

You do not need to fill a medical school's individual letter requirements if you are using a prehealth committee letter

For virtually every medical school you either need

a committee letter in which you follow your own undergraduate prehealth committee's requirements

OR

individual letters in which you follow each medical school's listed requirements

Can you send other letters in addition to the committee letter? Would the committee letter count as "1" letter in that case.

Id like to send a committee letter plus 2 additional letters. That wouldnt be too many?

 

[starspells]

Id like to send a committee letter plus 2 additional letters. That wouldnt be too many?

Why not include those two letters with your committee letter?

 

[7331poas]

Why not include those two letters with your committee letter?

hmm. well they are a doctor and my employer who I have good relationships with. none of which are in the university

Do undergrads usually include non-professor letters in their committee?

 

[starspells]

hmm. well they are a doctor and my employer who I have good relationships with. none of which are in the university

Do undergrads usually include non-professor letters in their committee?

You'd have to ask your committee if they accept them but I know others who have done this. It's usually not a problem.

 

[aldol16]

Do undergrads usually include non-professor letters in their committee?

The role of the pre-med committee letter is to organize and pick out the key parts of letters written from your recommenders - all of them and not only those who are affiliated with the university.

 

[benjamin94559]

hmm. well they are a doctor and my employer who I have good relationships with. none of which are in the university

Do undergrads usually include non-professor letters in their committee?

I did and I think it helped my committee letter. Unless the committee specifiically caps the letters at 3 i would include them and they should shed light on different aspects of your life and what have you

 

[gyngyn]

Can you send other letters in addition to the committee letter? Would the committee letter count as "1" letter in that case.

Id like to send a committee letter plus 2 additional letters. That wouldnt be too many?

Don't do it.

 

[Mclovin0351]

I included 6 letters in my committee letter, only 3 were affiliated with the university. Do you think an adcom wants to read one letter of 'greatest hits' (the committee letter) or 5+ letters when evaluating your file?

 

[7331poas]

Don't do it.

Ok thanks for the input. So basically all my letters should go into the committee letter.

 

[Goro]

It's a pre-med delusion that more LORs = "better".

Committee LORs suffice, and, in fact, many med schools prefer it that way.

The prehealth committee at my school composes a complete evaluation on a student based on several interviews and other letters of recommendation. These full letters are included in the final packet.
My school's committee requires 3 letters at the least: one from a science professor, one from a non-science professor, and one from a health professional.

If I meet my school's requirements for letters, do I still need to look at if these individual letters fulfill the requirements at each individual school I want to apply to? Or does the committee letter suffice?

Thanks

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

It's a pre-med delusion that more LORs = "better".

Committee LORs suffice, and, in fact, many med schools prefer it that way.

What about a separate DO letter if you plan on applying though AACOMAS, TMDSAS, and AMCAS?

 

[Goro]

That's a separate thing. DO (and a handful of MD) schools require a clinician LOR.

BUT, this can be sent to the pre-med committee too!

What about a separate DO letter if you plan on applying though AACOMAS, TMDSAS, and AMCAS?

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

That's a separate thing. DO (and a handful of MD) schools require a clinician LOR.

BUT, this can be sent to the pre-med committee too!

Do you advise including a DO letter for a MD school?

 

[Goro]

IF the mD school requires a clinician LOR, and this is all you have, it will be fine.

Do you advise including a DO letter for a MD school?

 

[hopefuldoctor93]

IF the mD school requires a clinician LOR, and this is all you have, it will be fine.

Awesome. Thank you sir!

 

[7331poas]

That's a separate thing. DO (and a handful of MD) schools require a clinician LOR.

BUT, this can be sent to the pre-med committee too!

And you would prefer that it be in the committee letter as well?

 

[Goro]

It's one less separate letter for me to read

And you would prefer that it be in the committee letter as well?