Recommendation Letters and Thank you notes

[ambitiousMED]

I read some forums about this before but I read mixed comments. I apologize for creating a new thread for this.

I asked 2 professors of mine to write me recommendation letters. The haven't been received by AMCAS/AACOMAS yet. But I was wondering if I should write them a thank you note as soon as the letters are received or after I get admitted into medical school? Also, with the thank you note, do I have to put in a gift card of some sort? I don't see the point of giving a gift card when I haven't been accepted into medical school yet. Also, without acceptance, I am not sure what else to write in the thank you note other than a basic one-liner thanking them. Any thoughts?

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[Doctor Strange]

It is common courtesy to write a thank you note once they have submitted their letter regardless of the outcome.

 

[ambitiousMED]

Did you type out your thank you letter or buy a thank you note? Which is better? Do I send another thank you note when I get accepted?

 

[allantois]

Did you type out your thank you letter or buy a thank you note? Which is better? Do I send another thank you note when I get accepted?

I can imagine that you can send a thank you note after they write a letter and just send them an update after you are accepted

 

[lobo.solo]

Did you type out your thank you letter or buy a thank you note? Which is better? Do I send another thank you note when I get accepted?

I sent them an email to a couple of my letter writers and called my mentor. A thank you card should be sufficient after they write your letter.

 

[gettheleadout]

It is common courtesy to write a thank you note once they have submitted their letter regardless of the outcome.

Not to seem weird but I find the whole custom of physically mailing thank you notes to be really odd. I express my gratitude to my professors and others that help me all the time, adding this sort of gesture seems so superfluous to me.

 

[allantois]

Not to seem weird but I find the whole custom of physically mailing thank you notes to be really odd. I express my gratitude to my professors and others that help me all the time, adding this sort of gesture seems so superfluous to me.

I think it depends on one's personality. Some guys are just too tough to be mailing out thank you cards.

 

[gettheleadout]

I think it depends on one's personality. Some guys are just too tough to be mailing out thank you cards.

I'm not certain if I'm supposed to take that as a jab at me or not lol

 

[LizzyM]

I'm not certain if I'm supposed to take that as a jab at me or not lol

I think that was a jab at Jimmy Fallon who writes thank you notes on Fridays...

Having been on the receiving end, a nice thank you note is a gift in itself.... I do remember getting a $10 Starbucks card in one once and that was nice (for a grad student I'd written a LOR for) but I also remember the cards that didn't have a gift card. A email can suffice but snail mail has become so rare that getting a blank card in the mail with a handwritten note inside is a special day.

Med school applicants do write thank you notes to their interviewers. I'd say the numbers were off this year; maybe about 40% of interviewed applicants and about 70% were email. It used to be 50% sent them and 50% of those were email so things are changing a bit. They do impress some interviewers enough that they'll mention it at a meeting but it doesn't necessarily have an influence on admission decisions.

 

[Catalystik]

I asked 2 professors of mine to write me recommendation letters. The haven't been received by AMCAS/AACOMAS yet. But I was wondering if I should write them a thank you note as soon as the letters are received or after I get admitted into medical school? Also, with the thank you note, do I have to put in a gift card of some sort? I don't see the point of giving a gift card when I haven't been accepted into medical school yet. Also, without acceptance, I am not sure what else to write in the thank you note other than a basic one-liner thanking them. Any thoughts?

I prefer a thank you note after acceptance so I know the outcome of the application cycle, especially if a student isn't someone I see regularly. A gift card isn't necessary. That you bothered to write a letter and express appreciation is enough. Like LizzyM, I am old-school enough to enjoy a hand-written card more than an email, but either will do. It need not be long and flowery.

 

[masaraksh]

I wrote thank you notes to everyone. I updated the profs/PIs who knew me well or who I worked for once I got my acceptance. No gift cards or anything.

 

[ColoradoHkyMom]

Not to seem weird but I find the whole custom of physically mailing thank you notes to be really odd. I express my gratitude to my professors and others that help me all the time, adding this sort of gesture seems so superfluous to me.

Writing a handwritten thank you note seems to be a thing of the past, but I taught my children who are now adults that a handwritten thank you note was an important thing to do. And now, they as adults continue to do this. I hope you will change your mind about this custom being "weird".

 

[sazerac]

I emailed thank you's to my professors, and kept them updated on my progress.

I made a gift basket with hand-written thank you and a bottle of scotch (among other things) to my physician LOR. He likes scotch.

 

[claduva94]

I used hand written notes and personally delivered them in addition to sending emails.

 

[el_duderino]

I sent an email thanking them, generally after thanking them in person for agreeing.

Once I was accepted, I emailed each of them (except for one, who I speak to regularly and called) letting them know and thanking them again.

 

[LizzyM]

It is always nice to hear from former students after they've been admitted to a med school. Easier than creeping them on Facebook.

 

[el_duderino]

It is always nice to hear from former students after they've been admitted to a med school. Easier than creeping them on Facebook.

Every now and then....... you scare me.

 

[Czarcasm]

It is always nice to hear from former students after they've been admitted to a med school. Easier than creeping them on Facebook.

And this right here is one reason why I deactivated my Facebook, lol.