MDadmit: Medical Admissions Advice from a Harvard/Stanford MD

Medical School Admissions Recommendations: How Do I Ask?

Asking for recommendations is an art that takes preparation and practice. Here’s a step-by-step approach to asking for a recommendation:

1. Set up a face-to face meeting
2. Bring your current resume, transcript copy, personal statement (if complete), recommendation deadline (two to three weeks before the actual deadline), instructions on how to submit recommendation
3. Ask for a strong recommendation
4. Once you have obtained a resounding “Yes, it would be my pleasure to write you a strong recommendation for medical school,” be sure to give appropriate thanks. Obtain updated contact information from the recommender so that you can check with them as the deadline nears and send a thank you note. Recommenders miss deadlines more than you’d like to think, and this is why I suggest giving a deadline two to three weeks before the actual deadline.

For step-by-step advice on how to get into medical school and more recommendation tips, check out The Medical School Admissions Guide: A Harvard MD’s Week-by-Week Admissions Handbook. If you’d like to communicate directly with Dr. Miller, medical school admissions expert, please email info@MDadmit.com or call 415.939.5251.