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How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Medical School
Admissions
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Writing letters of recommendation for medical school is
a time-consuming but important task. As you probably know, the
admissions process for medical school is extremely competitive. In any
given year, only around 40% of the students who apply are accepted. Even
students who have strong grades and standardized test scores need
excellent and convincing letters of recommendation in order to help them
gain admission. The perspective you provide in your letter can be
influential in determining whether a student has a successful
application.
Therefore, we have put together these guidelines to help
you think about the task before you.
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When a student asks you to write a letter of
recommendation, know that you are not obligated to do so, and decide
whether you can write enthusiastically enough to be helpful to the
student. Since the vast majority of recommendations are positive,
those that are neutral are interpreted as negative and can impair a
student’s chances for admission. If your honest evaluation may
handicap a student, and if you are uncomfortable writing favorably,
you have every right to decline a student’s request for a letter.
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In writing, please be as specific as possible. General
descriptions of a student’s positive qualities are not as useful as
detailed examples that illustrate the student’s
abilities and achievements. A statement like “John is a brilliant
thinker” is quite flattering, but it becomes more convincing if more
details are added: “John is a brilliant thinker. For my class at Penn,
he submitted an extraordinary fifty-page term paper on women and
medicine in early modern England. After determining what practices
were available to women in that period, he analyzed the
representations of female physicians in the drama of the English
Renaissance. His literary interpretation was original and elegantly
written.”
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This same level of specificity is important in
discussing non-academic matters too. Take, for instance, the following
statement: “John’s commitment to the Narberth Ambulance Squad and to
the people we serve is extraordinary.” The medical schools would find
this assessment all the more useful if more information were added,
such as: “John’s commitment to the Narberth Ambulance Squad and to the
people we serve is extraordinary. While most of our volunteers live
within the township, John commutes 45 minutes each way from
Philadelphia by bus and by train for each of his shifts. And his
record of attendance is perfect. This conscientious behavior is
typical of the way he conducts himself.”
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Try to compare the student to others you have known in
a similar capacity. Statements like, “In terms of intellectual talent
and drive, John ranks in the top 10% of all undergraduate students I
have taught over the past seven years,” can help an admissions
committee place your recommendation into a broader context.
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Admissions committees often interpret omissions of
relevant information as implicitly negative. For example, if you
praise a student’s academic work but say nothing about him/her as a
person, an admissions officer may conclude that the student is smart
but socially inept. Therefore, it is ideal to try to touch on the
following topics in any letter of recommendation: the student’s
intellectual strengths, level of motivation, personal character,
commitment to medicine, and interpersonal skills. Of course, your
ability to comment on these topics will vary depending on how you know
the student.
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Statements that are negative or refer to problems can
jeopardize a student’s candidacy. A comment like, “John is sometimes
abrasive, but I don’t think he ever means to be rude,” or “John worked
hard but his exams were never quite up to snuff,” can give an
admissions committee pause. If you have serious concerns about a
student, whether of an academic or personal nature, then it may be
better to ask the student to look elsewhere for a recommendation.
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Please omit references to the student’s appearance, as
they trivialize the recommendation. If you want to discuss personal
charm, which is frequently a relevant asset, describe its effect on
others. For example: “John’s warmth and sense of humor naturally draw
others toward him and help make him a welcome participant in our
laboratory’s weekly meetings.”
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Federal law stipulates that students can see letters
of recommendation unless they waive their right in advance. The
student’s decision as to whether your letter will be confidential or
non-confidential will be designated on the form he or she gives to
you. Most students choose to waive their right, since the medical
schools generally find confidential letters to be more convincing and
compelling. However, if you, as the author of a confidential letter,
wish to show a copy to the student, that is absolutely your right.
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