Letter of Recommendation (LORs) requirements vary by health professional schools. For many health fields, HPA recommends two lecture-based science instructor recommendations (this excludes research PI), one lecture-based non-science instructor, and additional letters from your co-curricular experiences. This can include a research PI, mentor, volunteer coordinator, professional you shadowed, etc. Ultimately, your specific school list will determine what letters you may actually need.
The best types of LORs are able to attest to the students’ attributes as a person and future health professional. Check out the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)’s Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Evaluation for a Medical School Applicant. These guidelines are applicable for letter writers of any health professional field.
Admissions committees are looking for more than a letter about grades - they want insight into who you are as a student and future professional. This means that from the very beginning, you should actively cultivate meaningful relationships with peers, instructors, and mentors. Being proactive and engaged increases the likelihood of finding individuals who can guide you and, eventually, serve as strong letter writers. This should always be done respectfully and professionally, focusing on building genuine mentorship rather than simply requesting a letter.
Obtaining Strong Letters of Recommendation
Before
When students have chosen individuals to ask for a letter, beginning drafting a very professional and edited email asking for a meeting. Students should speak with letter writers in person or on the phone when asking. Before meeting, students try to should have:
- Typed directions for submitting a letter including website details (such as centralized application service or graduate application portal), steps to submitting, and due dates
- Typed description of student’s plan on their projected dates to submit their own material
- Application essay or personal statement if they already have a draft of it
- Resume
- Transcripts and scores (if applicable)
- Suggestions for writers to highlight. This might include: specific courses, projects, or research experiences that were particularly meaningful, personal qualities, skills, or competencies that you demonstrated, any relevant extracurricular or clinical experiences, long-term career goals and motivations for pursuing your chosen field.
It is important to present the highest level of professionalism when interacting with letter writers. Students can receive a stronger letter the better they present themselves during the process of obtaining a letter.
During
When showing up to the meeting with the letter writer, students should be dressed nicely and slightly professionally. Shake their hand and thank them for their time. Students should then tell what they plan to do such as when they plan on applying for health professional school.
Students can then ask, "Would you be willing to write a strong letter of recommendation to support my application?" Pay attention to their response! If that person demonstrates that they would be unable to write a positive letter, let that person know that a letter of recommendation is not needed. If students have any doubt in your mind about that person's feelings about them, they should probably think about other options.
If your meeting goes well, students may be asked to answer additional questions or provide additional documents.
After
Soon after the meeting, students should send a well-written email thanking the letter writer for their time and offer to write a letter. Include any information they may have requested. Be sure to mention the deadline and offer to answer any questions.
If the deadline is a week away and letter writers have not communicated, students are encouraged to send another well-written email thanking them again and reminding them how to submit the letter. If the deadline has passed and students haven’t heard anything, send another email thanking them and asking if they will be able to submit by a given date.
Letters of Recommendation Workshop
Health Professions Advising hosts panel-based workshops composed of UC Davis faculty members to give students advice on how to build relationships and ask for letters of recommendation. Stay connected and visit our Events page for updates.
Deadlines
Health professional schools have varying deadlines. Some health professional schools require all materials be submitted at once, including letters of recommendations, while other schools have deadlines for student materials versus letters of recommendations. Regardless, students are encouraged to check with the schools they are interested in applying to and be aware of such deadlines. Schools will not read the application until all required material is submitted. It is important that students give letter writers plenty of time to submit so that the application becomes complete within an appropriate timeframe. The worst case is having an otherwise complete application but missing one letter. It is the student's responsibility to ask the letter writers far enough in advance.
Best practice is to ask two to three months before the deadline as to respect the letter writer's time and commitments.Often, writers will not be able to write letters within a month after asking.
Letter Collection Services
These are options to consider if you plan on taking gap year(s). If you plan to apply to multiple programs (MD/DO, etc.) this is a convenient way to have all of your letters in one place. Interfolio is a Letter Collection Service option.
Disclaimer: Some programs may not accept LORs from Interfolio. Students should check with the programs they are interested in applying to first before using Interfolio.
Letter of Recommendation Frequently Asked Questions
- How many letters of recommendations do I need?
Letter of recommendation requirements will vary for each health profession and each program. Health Professions Advising recommends students strive for four letters of recommendations: two lectured-based science instructor recommendations, one lecture-based non-science instructor recommendation, and additional letters from your co-curricular experiences.
For some programs, the teaching assistant (TA) is an acceptable letter writer. When appropriate, always ask if the faculty member/professor can co-sign the letter.
- What is a committee letter/packet?
Many colleges across the U.S. offer what is called a committee letter or composite letter. Very few California universities offer a committee letter due to the size of their applicant pool.
UC Davis does not offer a committee letter. Applicants will need to gather individual letters for their applications. Students should focus on building strong relationships with faculty, mentors, PIs, and supervisors in health-related experiences to acquire letters that reveal character and experiences.
What do I do if I am close to graduation and do not have any letters of recommendation prospects?
HPA services continue to be available to UC Davis alumni, no matter how long after they have left the institution. Students are encouraged to meet with a HPA Staff Advisor to discuss their options.