AMCAS Letter Requirements at a Glance
3
Minimum letters
Most programs require at least 3
10
Maximum letters
AMCAS accepts up to 10 total
2–3
Science faculty required
At most MD programs
How Many Letters Do You Need?
AMCAS allows up to 10 letters of recommendation. Most applicants submit 3–5. The right number depends on your school list and what each letter adds to your application.
Most MD programs require a minimum of 3 letters, with at least 2–3 from science faculty. Some programs require a letter from a physician or a pre-med committee letter. Check each program's requirements before you finalize your list.
More is not always better. Four strong, specific letters outperform seven generic ones. Every letter you submit should add a dimension to your application that isn't already covered — a different setting, a different relationship, a different side of who you are.
Dr. Tomei's Perspective
Who Should Write Your Letters?
The most important criterion is not prestige — it's how well the writer knows you. A letter from a Nobel laureate who barely remembers your name is worth less than a letter from an assistant professor who mentored you for two years.
Science Faculty (Required)
A professor from a science course where you performed well and had meaningful interaction — office hours, research, TA relationship. Biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology preferred.
RequiredResearch Mentor / PI
If you did research, a letter from your PI or graduate student mentor is highly valuable — especially at research-focused programs. They can speak to your scientific thinking and work ethic.
Highly ValuablePhysician / Clinical Supervisor
A physician who supervised you in a clinical setting — shadowing, scribing, volunteering, or clinical research. Required or strongly preferred at many programs.
Highly ValuableNon-Science Faculty
A professor from a humanities, social science, or writing course who can speak to your communication, critical thinking, or intellectual range. Adds dimension.
Adds DimensionEmployer / Supervisor
If you worked in a relevant role — healthcare, research, education, service — a supervisor who can speak to your character and work ethic is a strong addition.
SituationalFamily Friend / Personal Contact
A letter from someone who knows you personally but has no professional or academic relationship with you adds nothing and signals poor judgment. Avoid.
AvoidWhat Makes a Letter Strong vs. Weak?
Admissions committees read hundreds of letters. They can spot a generic letter in the first paragraph. Here's what separates the ones that move the needle from the ones that don't:
Strong vs. Weak Letters — What Reviewers Actually See
Weak Letter
- ✗Describes the course, not the student — "This was a rigorous biochemistry class..."
- ✗Generic praise with no specifics — "She is one of the best students I have had."
- ✗Repeats the transcript — "He earned an A in my course."
- ✗Short (under one page) with no anecdotes
- ✗Writer clearly doesn't know the applicant well — "I had limited interaction with this student..."
- ✗Damning with faint praise — "I believe she has the potential to succeed in medicine."
Strong Letter
- ✓Opens with a specific memory or moment — "I remember the day she came to office hours with a question that went well beyond the syllabus..."
- ✓Describes the student's intellectual character, not just their grade
- ✓Includes a concrete anecdote that illustrates a quality — curiosity, resilience, empathy
- ✓Compares the applicant to peers — "In 20 years of teaching, he is among the top 5% of students I have mentored."
- ✓Speaks to medicine specifically — why this person, why now
- ✓Enthusiastic and unambiguous — "I recommend her without reservation."
Dr. Tomei's Perspective
The Pre-Med Committee Letter
Many undergraduate institutions offer a pre-med committee letter — a composite letter written by your pre-health advising office that summarizes your academic record, activities, and character, often incorporating excerpts from your individual faculty letters.
Some medical schools require a committee letter if your school offers one. If your school offers it and you don't submit it, you may need to explain why.
Committee Letter — Key Facts
Does my school offer one?
Check with your pre-health advising office. Most large universities do; smaller schools may not.
When do I apply for it?
Usually junior year, often requiring a formal interview with the committee. Start early — deadlines are typically February–April of your application year.
What does it include?
A narrative summary of your academic and extracurricular record, plus excerpts or summaries from your individual faculty letters.
What if my school doesn't offer one?
Submit individual letters instead. Note "committee letter not available" in AMCAS if prompted.
Can I submit individual letters too?
Yes — most applicants submit the committee letter plus 1–2 additional individual letters for programs that allow it.
How to Ask (With Email Template)
Ask early — ideally 2–3 months before your letters are due. Most faculty are writing multiple letters each cycle; giving them time is both courteous and strategic.
Ask in person first if possible. A face-to-face conversation signals that you value the relationship. Follow up with an email that gives them everything they need. If someone hesitates or seems lukewarm, take the hint — a reluctant letter is worse than no letter.
Letter Request Email Template
Subject: Letter of Recommendation Request — [Your Name], Medical School Application
Dear Dr. [Last Name],
I hope you're doing well. I'm writing to ask if you would be willing to write a letter of recommendation for my medical school application. I'm planning to submit my AMCAS application in [month], and letters are due by [date].
I've thought carefully about who I wanted to ask, and I'm asking you because [specific reason — the research project we worked on, your course where I developed X, the clinical experience you supervised]. I believe you know my work well enough to write a strong, specific letter.
If you're willing, I'd love to meet briefly to discuss my application and give you any materials that would be helpful — my CV, personal statement draft, and a summary of what I've been doing since your course. I want to make this as easy as possible for you.
Please let me know if you have any questions or if there's a better time to connect. I'm grateful for your mentorship and would be honored to have your support.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Phone] | [Email]
Ask in person first, then send this as a follow-up. Give at least 6–8 weeks lead time before the deadline.
What to Give Your Letter Writers
Most faculty write dozens of letters each cycle. The more you help them, the better your letter will be. Don't make them work from memory — give them a complete packet.
What to Send Every Letter Writer
Your CV / résumé
Full academic and extracurricular record — GPA, MCAT (if available), research, clinical hours, activities, awards.
Personal statement draft
Even a rough draft helps them understand your narrative and avoid repeating what you've already said.
A "brag sheet"
A 1-page summary of your specific work with them — the project, the course, the moments you want them to remember. Make it easy for them to be specific.
Why medicine paragraph
A short paragraph explaining why you want to be a physician. Helps them frame their letter around your goals.
Deadline and submission instructions
The exact AMCAS letter deadline, how to submit (AMCAS letter portal link), and any program-specific requirements.
A thank-you note after submission
A handwritten note or sincere email after they submit. It matters — and they'll remember it when you ask for a residency letter in 4 years.
How Letters Work in AMCAS
AMCAS uses an online letter system. Here's how it works:
AMCAS Letter Submission — Step by Step
Add letter entries in AMCAS
In the Letters of Evaluation section, create an entry for each letter writer. You'll get a unique AMCAS Letter ID for each.
Send the Letter ID to your writer
Your writer (or their assistant) needs this ID to submit through the AMCAS letter portal. Include it in your request packet.
Writer submits directly to AMCAS
Letters are uploaded through the Interfolio-powered AMCAS portal. Your writer does not email the letter to you.
Assign letters to schools
Once letters are received, you assign them to individual programs. You can send different letter combinations to different schools.
Track status in your AMCAS dashboard
You can see when each letter has been received. Follow up with writers if letters are approaching the deadline and haven't been submitted.
Should You Waive Your Right to Read?
AMCAS asks whether you waive your right to view each letter. The answer is almost always yes — waive it.
Admissions committees know that applicants who don't waive may have influenced their letters. A non-waived letter is viewed with more skepticism, even if it's genuinely strong. Waiving signals confidence and gives your letter writers the freedom to be candid.
The one exception
If you have a specific reason to believe a letter writer may say something inaccurate or harmful — and you've already asked them and they've confirmed they'll write positively — you can choose not to waive. But this is rare. If you're uncertain about a writer, don't ask them.
Common Mistakes
✗ Asking too late
Asking in May for a June deadline gives writers 4–6 weeks. Ask in March or April. Great letters take time.
✗ Choosing prestige over relationship
A letter from a famous professor who barely knows you is weaker than one from an assistant professor who mentored you for a year.
✗ Not giving writers materials
Expecting a strong letter without providing your CV, personal statement, and a brag sheet is unfair to your writer and hurts your application.
✗ Submitting redundant letters
Three letters that all say "she is a hard worker and got an A" add nothing. Each letter should cover different ground.
✗ Ignoring program requirements
Some programs require a physician letter or committee letter. Check requirements for every school on your list before you finalize your packet.
✗ Not following up
Letters get forgotten. Check your AMCAS dashboard 3–4 weeks before the deadline and send a polite reminder if a letter hasn't been submitted.
✗ Not waiving your right to view
Non-waived letters are viewed with skepticism by most committees. Always waive unless you have a specific reason not to.
✗ Forgetting to say thank you
A handwritten note after submission costs nothing and means everything. These relationships matter for residency letters too.
Key Takeaways
- 1Submit 3–5 letters. More is not better — every letter should add a new dimension.
- 2Choose writers who know you well, not writers with impressive titles.
- 3Ask early — at least 6–8 weeks before your deadline. Ask in person first.
- 4Give every writer a complete packet: CV, personal statement draft, brag sheet, and submission instructions.
- 5Always waive your right to view your letters.
- 6Check your AMCAS dashboard and follow up if letters are approaching the deadline.
- 7Send a thank-you note after each letter is submitted.
If you want a second set of eyes on your letter strategy — who to ask, what to send them, and how your packet reads as a whole — the MedTrack Mentors team reviews this as part of full-application advising.
Continue the Playbook
Research Experience for Medical School
What counts, how much you need, where to find it, and how to talk about it in AMCAS and interviews.
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