Recommendation Letters: Who to Ask, When to Ask, and How to Make Them Strong
Table of Contents
Introduction
I wanted to talk about recommendation letters because they are an important aspect of the medical school application.
A recommendation letter is essentially a third-person perspective of you as an applicant. While your application shows admissions committees your grades, activities, experiences, and accomplishments, recommendation letters allow them to see another side of you that may not come across through your application alone.
A strong recommendation letter can definitely put you in a better position because admissions committees get to hear about you from someone who has worked closely with you. They can learn about your personality, work ethic, character, and qualities that only people who have interacted with you closely would be able to see.
At the end of the day, you cannot control exactly what someone writes about you. However, you can make the process easier for your letter writers and increase the chances of receiving a strong recommendation letter by building genuine relationships with faculty, mentors, and supervisors who know you well.
How Many Recommendation Letters Do You Need?
The number of recommendation letters required depends on the application service and school.
For AMCAS, which is used by most MD schools, applicants usually submit around 3–5 letters, although this varies depending on the school.
For TMDSAS, which is used by Texas medical schools, applicants are required to submit 3 letters.
Before asking for letters, make sure you check the specific requirements for each school you are applying to.
Who Should Write Your Recommendation Letters?
When deciding who to ask, the most important thing is not necessarily the person’s title or position.
The most important factor is whether they actually know you well.
A recommendation letter from someone who knows you personally and can speak about your character will always be stronger than a generic letter from someone who barely knows you.
Here are some categories of people you can consider asking.
1. Science Faculty
The first group of people you can ask are your science professors.
This includes faculty from courses such as:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Other science-related courses
Ideally, you want to ask professors who you worked with closely and who can speak about you beyond just your grade in their class.
One way to build this relationship is through becoming a Teaching Assistant (TA).
I personally recommend being a TA because it not only provides a leadership position, but it also demonstrates that you are passionate about teaching.
As physicians, you have to be able to teach your patients. You have to explain medical information in a way that patients understand and work together with them to create a treatment plan.
Because of this, having some type of teaching experience can be valuable.
Being a TA also allows you to work closely with faculty members, which gives them more opportunities to get to know you and write a stronger recommendation letter.
It becomes a win-win situation because you gain leadership experience while also building a relationship with a faculty member who may eventually write your letter.
2. Non-Science Faculty
The second group you can consider are non-science faculty.
These could be professors from courses that are not biology, chemistry, or physics, but where you still performed well and stood out among the class.
For example, maybe you had a smaller class where you participated often, built a relationship with the professor, or showed genuine interest in the subject.
If the professor knows you well and can speak about your character, work ethic, or other qualities, they can also be a strong recommendation letter writer.
The most important thing is the connection you have with the person, not necessarily whether they taught you a science course.
3. Research Supervisors
Research supervisors or principal investigators (PIs) can also be excellent people to ask.
This is especially true if you:
- Worked with them for a long period of time
- Were a research assistant
- Completed a project with them
- Presented a poster
- Published research
If your research mentor has worked with you closely, they can speak about your problem-solving skills, dedication, ability to work independently, and commitment to your project.
Again, the relationship matters.
A research supervisor who has worked with you for several years will likely be able to write a much stronger letter than someone you only briefly interacted with.
4. Physicians
Another person you can consider asking is a physician, especially if you personally know them or have shadowed the same physician multiple times.
A physician who has observed your work ethic, your interactions with patients, and your interest in medicine can provide another perspective on who you are as an applicant.
It can also be a bonus if the physician attended the same medical school you are applying to, but I do not think that is something that will make or break your application.
At the end of the day, any physician can write a strong recommendation letter as long as they actually know you well.
The connection you have with the person matters more than their title.
If you only shadowed a physician briefly or they do not really know you, then I would not recommend asking them just because they are a physician.
5. Volunteer or Extracurricular Supervisors
Another group of people you can ask are volunteer or extracurricular supervisors.
For example, if you held a leadership position in a volunteer organization or you volunteered with the same organization for a long period of time and developed a relationship with the coordinator or supervisor, they could be a great person to write your recommendation letter.
These individuals may be able to speak about your dedication, reliability, leadership, and commitment to serving others.
Again, the key factor is that they personally know you and can describe your involvement beyond just listing that you participated.
6. Employers
Your employer can also be someone you consider asking.
Maybe you worked a front desk job, were a TA, worked as a supplemental instructor, or had another type of job where you developed a strong relationship with your supervisor.
If your employer knows you well and can speak about your work ethic, responsibility, and character, they can also provide a valuable perspective.
At the end of the day, recommendation letters should come from people who know you very well in different settings.
Who Should You NOT Ask?
This is pretty much common sense, but please do not ask your family or friends to write your recommendation letters.
They are not appropriate letter writers because there is an obvious personal bias.
I also do not recommend asking doctors who do not know you well or professors who you have only talked to once just because you feel like you do not have anyone else to ask.
Having a recommendation letter does not automatically make your application stronger.
A weak or generic recommendation letter can actually hurt your application because it shows that the writer does not truly know you.
A letter from someone you barely interacted with will often only include very general statements that could apply to any student.
For example, they may only be able to write about your grade in their class or that you were a good student.
While those are positive things, they do not really help admissions committees understand who you are as a person.
A strong recommendation letter should be written in a way where someone reading it immediately knows that they are talking about you.
It should highlight your unique experiences, personality, and character traits.
That is what makes a recommendation letter meaningful.
My Recommendation Letter Template
For those who are my subscribers, I have created a recommendation letter template that you can use when requesting recommendation letters from faculty.
This is a template that I personally created, and the professors I have shared it with really loved it because it made the process much easier for them.
Many professors are happy to write a recommendation letter for you, but if they do not know you very well, they often do not know what to write.
The result is usually a very generic letter that does not really help your application.
Recommendation letters are incredibly important because they show admissions committees who you are from someone else’s perspective.
A strong letter can strengthen your application, while a weak or generic one can actually hurt your application.
That is exactly why I created this template.
The template helps you organize:
- Experiences you have had with the letter writer
- Achievements you had while working with them
- Presentations or posters you completed
- Qualities you want them to highlight
- Your personality traits
- Other important information they can use when writing your letter
I also include the list of AAMC core competencies that medical schools value so that you can think about which qualities you want your letter writer to highlight.
The template is free for my subscribers. There is genuinely no catch to it — I created it because I want to help make this process easier for future applicants.
I just want to make it exclusive to my subscribers because I appreciate the support.
How to Build Relationships Before You Need a Recommendation Letter
One of the biggest things you can do early in your undergraduate years is genuinely build relationships with your professors.
You do not want to wait until application season to suddenly reach out to someone you barely know and ask for a recommendation letter.
You can start building these connections as early as freshman year.
I know not everyone enters undergraduate school 100% committed to medical school, and many people figure out their path later. However, as soon as you start thinking about medical school — or even if you are still unsure — it is always a good idea to build connections with your professors.
These relationships can help you throughout your medical journey, and they can eventually lead to strong recommendation letters because the person already knows you well.
Start with Small Steps
Building relationships with professors does not have to be complicated.
You can start with small steps.
For example:
- Ask questions at the end of class
- Introduce yourself
- Go to office hours
- Talk with them about your interests
- Ask about their experiences
Even something as simple as introducing yourself and mentioning that you are interested in medicine can help professors recognize you.
You do not have to force a relationship immediately.
Over time, consistent interactions allow professors to get to know you beyond just being another student in their class.
Go to Office Hours
Office hours are a great opportunity to connect with faculty.
You can go if you have questions about the class material, but you can also use that time to get to know your professor.
You can ask about their experiences, their research, or their advice about your future goals.
Many professors are also looking for students to become involved in their work, so office hours can be a good opportunity to ask about research or other opportunities.
Look for Opportunities to Work Closely With Faculty
One thing I recommend is looking for opportunities where you can work closely with faculty members.
For example, becoming a Teaching Assistant (TA) can be a great opportunity.
Not only does it provide you with a leadership position, but it also allows you to develop a stronger relationship with the faculty member.
The same applies to research.
If you are interested in a professor’s work, ask if they have opportunities for research assistants.
I will make a separate post about research and how to get involved because there is a lot more I want to discuss about that topic.
Overall, these experiences are beneficial because you are not only gaining experience, but you are also creating opportunities for someone to get to know you well enough to write a meaningful recommendation letter.
When Should You Ask for Recommendation Letters?
When it comes to asking for recommendation letters, I recommend giving your letter writers a couple of months of notice.
Personally, I notified my professors about three months before I planned on submitting my application.
I think this timeline worked well because it gave them enough time to decide whether they were able to write the letter and then complete it.
However, I think the perfect time is around two and a half months before your deadline.
This gives you time to:
- Reach out and wait for their response
- Prepare the information they need
- Give them time to write the letter
- Send reminders if necessary
Remember, professors and supervisors are busy, so you want to give them enough time rather than asking at the last minute.
What to Do After They Say Yes
Once someone agrees to write your recommendation letter, make sure you provide everything they need.
Do not just ask them to write a letter and leave them to figure out the rest.
Send them:
- The recommendation letter template
- Your résumé or CV
- Any important experiences you want them to know about
- Instructions on how to upload the letter
The template I mentioned earlier can make this process much easier because you can provide them with your experiences together, achievements you had while working with them, and qualities you hope they can highlight.
This helps them write a more personalized letter instead of starting completely from scratch.
Follow Up With Your Letter Writers
Another important thing is to follow up with your letter writers.
Do not feel bad about sending reminders.
More often than not, they are not ignoring you — they are simply busy and may have forgotten.
Of course, you do not want to spam them, but if you have not heard back in a while, it is completely reasonable to send a polite follow-up email asking if they have any questions or need anything from you.
Especially as the deadline approaches, a reminder can help make sure everything gets submitted on time.
Always Thank Your Letter Writers
When someone agrees to write a recommendation letter, always thank them.
They are taking time out of their schedule to support your medical school application, and that is something you should appreciate.
After your letter has been submitted, continue updating them about your medical school journey.
For example:
- Whether you received interviews
- Whether you received acceptances
- Where you decided to attend medical school
They supported you through this process, and many people genuinely want to know how your journey progresses.
Keeping them updated also helps maintain those relationships for the future.
Ask More People Than You Need
One final tip I have is to ask more people than you actually need for your application.
For example, if you are applying through TMDSAS and need three required letters, I would not recommend only asking three people.
Instead, consider asking five or six people who you think could write strong letters for you.
The reason is because things can happen unexpectedly.
Someone may become too busy, something may come up, or they may not be able to complete the letter by the deadline.
Having backup letter writers prevents you from panicking at the last minute.
It also allows you to have options and choose the strongest letters for your application.
It never hurts to ask more faculty members or supervisors, especially if you have already built strong relationships with them.
If Someone Seems Hesitant, Do Not Force It
When you ask someone for a recommendation letter, pay attention to their response.
If someone seems hesitant when you ask, do not force them.
A recommendation letter should come from someone who genuinely knows you and feels comfortable speaking positively about you.
Trying to convince someone who does not feel confident writing your letter will likely not result in the strongest recommendation letter.
It is better to ask someone else who knows you well and can speak more positively about your experiences, personality, and character.
Final Thoughts
Recommendation letters can seem intimidating because they are one part of the medical school application that you do not have complete control over.
You do not get to see what someone writes, and you have to trust another person to represent you.
However, the best way to prepare for strong recommendation letters is to start early.
Build relationships with your professors.
Go to office hours. Get involved in their research. Look for leadership opportunities like TA positions. Work closely with supervisors and mentors.
At the end of the day, a strong recommendation letter comes from someone who genuinely knows you.
Do not wait until application season to think about who can write your letters.
The relationships you build throughout your undergraduate years are what will eventually become the foundation for your recommendation letters.
I hope this guide helped answer some of your questions about recommendation letters and made the process feel less overwhelming.
If you are preparing for the medical school application cycle, good luck! The application process can feel stressful, but taking steps early — including building meaningful relationships — can make the process much smoother.
