med school application letter

• Medical School Application

How to Write a Medical School Letter of Intent

Plus sample letters of intent for med school.

Featured Expert: Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD

Learn how to craft an effective medical school letter of intent. This blog breaks down the purpose, structure, and strategic nuances of these critical documents with sample letters and expert advice to elevate your medical school application, whether you’re applying to medical schools in Canada or in the US.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 14 min read

What is a medical school letter of intent.

If you’re applying to medical school, you may have heard of a medical school letter of intent.

A medical school letter of intent is a document that specifically states that you will accept an offer of admission to a particular school, if one is extended, over and above any other schools to which you’ve applied or at which you’ve interviewed (or even accepted).

This is a single letter sent to one – and only one – school: your top choice. Your medical school letter of intent needn’t be verbose; it should be a brief (500-600 word, or roughly 1 page) document.

If you’ve interviewed at a school that is truly your #1 school, writing a letter of this kind allows you to show the school that you are a serious and enthusiastic candidate. Typically, this type of document is prepared and drafted if you have had your interview 1-2 months prior and haven’t heard back or have been waitlisted.

A medical school letter of intent may be especially important if you find yourself in a situation like our student Joe, who was eventually accepted to the New York Medical College, after being waitlisted for a few weeks:

“[I] only had one interview… that's a lot of pressure going into that interview… it really was. I spent my entire winter break of my senior year just preparing… going over the BeMo materials meticulously every day… so after gaining only one interview, I was accepted to New York Medical College after hanging around on the waitlist for a little bit. But it all worked out. Hey, one acceptance is all that matters as long as there's an acceptance in the bunch.” – Joe, BeMo Student, current student at the New York Medical College

If you find yourself in a situation like Joe, consider this the perfect opportunity to write the medical school letter of intent! This blog will help you understand what a medical school letter of intent should look like,  what its purpose is, and the fundamentals of writing a letter of intent that is eye-catching, specific, and persuasive. With the challenges presented by  medical school acceptance rates , every student wants to maximize their chances of admission. A medical school letter of intent is a key tool for doing precisely that.

Not sure what to include in your letter of intent? Our expert Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD and graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, explains:

“It can be easy to spot the “CV stuffers”. And these things… that seem like things you just do to pad your CV with. I would highly recommend participating in activities OUTSIDE of academics or medicine as these truly do make you seem well rounded and are amazing opportunities for you to look to for stories, or lessons learned. We love to see people who are passionate about medicine as well as things outside of medicine!” – Dr. Jaime Cazes, MD, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine

So while your medical school letter of intent can certainly focus on your academic achievements, but it can be so much more! Let’s dive into what you can and should not include in your letter of intent!

A medical school letter of intent and a letter of interest are both accepted ways of communicating your continued interest in a medical school, after you have submitted your primary application. Your primary application will have included your MCAT score and AMCAS or AACOMAS application with all components completed, such as your AMCAS personal statement ) You will have completed your secondary medical school essays through the relevant portal and interviewed at your chosen school prior to submitting your letter of intent too.

 There is a lot of overlap in terms of what is included in each of these letters. If you’re anything like our former BeMo student, Moriah, you may have multiple schools on your radar. “I believe I wound up applying to 19 schools... that's a lot of work.” If you’ve applied to multiple schools, you may, at some point, consider sending a letter of interest to your top few. However, sending a letter of intent to one school means you’ve concretely decided on ONE program. In Moriah’s case:

"I decided to go to the University of Massachusetts... I'm originally from Massachusetts, having that support system while I was really busy in med school would kind of be crucial .”

Whether you’ve confidently chosen one school as your go-to like Moriah, or, you’re applying to multiple programs and planning on making a decision later, there are some key differences between the two letters that every medical school applicant should know.

Some applicants may get confused about another purported variation of the letter of intent, namely, the update letter. While some may not recognize the update letter as a distinct category, this document has a purpose and outline other than what you would include in a letter of intent.

An update letter is  only  about achievements, awards, publications, or other notable changes in your profile since sending your application. A letter of intent includes this information  and  reaffirms your interest and commitment to the school in question.

When Should You Write a Medical School Letter of Intent?

The medical school application timeline may feel like a long one. A letter of intent is generally written toward the end of the timeline, after applying to medical school and about 1-2 months after your interviews, especially if you’ve been put on a  medical school waitlist  at your top-choice school (though you may certainly write a letter of intent even if you haven't been waitlisted). For example, our student Ray could send a medical school letter of intent in his case:

“I [was] waitlisted at one and then still waiting for an interview for the other [medical school]. In Australia, I got two interviews so far and I'm still waiting for the third one.” – Ray, BeMo Student

In Ray’s case, if his first choice was the school where he interviewed and got waitlisted, he could leverage his acceptance to try and get the attention of his top-choice school. He could send a medical school letter of intent to update his first choice with this news to see if this affects their decision.

As the letter of intent is meant to declare that this school is your #1 choice, this must be sincere, and the reasoning behind it must be clear and concise. For instance, you should refrain from stating that you're eager to attend one of the easiest medical schools to get into , or a medical school that accepts low MCAT scores . This letter should focus on what you have to offer and why this particular school and program is truly the best, and only, fit for you. (Don’t worry, we’ll share more on how to craft your medical school letter of intent later in this blog).

Later in the admissions season (after you’ve interviewed at multiple schools) you should start drafting your letter of intent. In doing this you can confidently demonstrate that you’ve legitimately considered all the options available to you and that you are certain that THIS school is the one for you. The reason you must wait a bit into the cycle is to show that you have given this serious consideration. So, be sure to only send such a letter after you’ve interviewed; not before.

Declaring your intentions to those making the admissions decisions indicates that you have given full consideration to the options in front of you and demonstrates that you will be an eager contributor to their program and campus community.

Sending a letter of intent before interviewing, or even immediately after interviewing, suggests that you may be making such a decision hastily, without fully and deeply considering all your options, which can reflect poorly on decision makers’ perception of your maturity. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to sit down with an interviewer, your letter will come off as disingenuous.

Medical schools want students who are eager to attend and expressing your enthusiasm and the priority you assign their specific program can go a long way – but it must be genuine. You cannot tell all the schools to which you apply that they are your “top choice.” Not only is this dishonest and unethical, but it will also make for a good deal of awkwardness if you are given multiple offers.

Our own expert, Dr. Sara Kleeb summarizes the ‘need to knows’ of your medical school letter of intent perfectly…

“Your letter of intent must only be sent to your top choice program. It is meant to be sincere, and the reasoning behind it must be concise. It is sent later on in the admissions season, after you’ve interviewed at multiple schools. This way, you can legitimately show that you’ve considered all the options available.”

A letter of intent isn’t a legally binding agreement, but it is a promise, and you must demonstrate integrity and keep your word. This speaks a lot to your morals, trustworthiness, intrapersonal skills and intelligence and your overall character, all of which are taken into account in the medical field.

It may go without saying, but if the school does NOT wish to receive ongoing communication or updates from applicants, then do not send a letter of intent. We recommend that you go through your past communications with the school, as well as any emails they’ve sent you, to see if there is anything indicating they do not want such letters. This is generally rare – most schools are open to receiving updates, but you need to make sure that this is the case, to avoid making a faux pas.

1. Tone and Address

The letter of intent should be a well-thought-out, formal letter, not a quick email. You must ensure your letter is grammatically impeccable, that you’ve spelled everyone’s names correctly, and that it is a polished, final product before sending it off. It must also be concise and backed by reasoning. If you’re currently enrolled in a pre-med undergraduate program, consider reaching out to your school’s Writing Center for assistance in ensuring your letter is as clear, precise, and direct as possible. If you’re not currently enrolled as a student, consider calling a local public library, as some may have services that can help you perfect your letter. You can also use our  essay review and consulting service  to help you develop a high-quality letter.

Your letter should be addressed to the Dean of Admissions or Director of Admissions – you’ll need to look this information up to ensure your letter is addressed appropriately and sent to the correct address. Schools may have a portal for communications or separate email addresses for letters of intent and others, such as  thank you letters after a medical school interview , so be sure to confirm the correct one.

Your letter of intent needs to be addressed to the individual making the admissions decision. Avoid starting your letter with “Dear Admissions Committee,” as this is too impersonal. If you can’t find a specific name online, you can call or email the school to find out to whom you can address the letter.

2. Length and Structure

Your letter of intent should be a maximum of one page (typically this means no more than 500-600 words) and should follow the formal structure of a proper letter. Do not send a letter that spans multiple pages. Remember, the person to whom you are writing has hundreds of other duties and, in a sense, you are asking a favor of them in asking them to review and consider your letter. Do not monopolize their time; be concise and to the point.

Reiterate your interests and offer sincere thanks for taking the time to review your letter. Close professionally with something like \u201cSincerely,\u201d \u201cAll the Best,\u201d or a similar formal closing. If you are a US applicant, you can include your AAMC ID number beneath your name in your closing. ","label":"Closing","title":"Closing"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

3. Additional Details

Unless you are required to use the school’s application portal, you can usually type your message into an email or attach the letter as a PDF. Don’t use a specialized format like .pages – ensure it’s an attachment type anyone can open.

In our experience, using aPDF is the safest bet, and this will ensure your formatting stays exactly the way you want it. The email subject line should be your full name followed by “Letter of Intent.” In your letter, ensure you include the date of your interview, and – if possible – the name(s) of those with whom you interviewed (this won’t be possible with a  multiple mini interview  or some types of  panel interview ).

Finally, if an advisor, professor, research supervisor, etc., is willing to write or call to emphasize your “good fit” for the school, that is also helpful and usually welcomed.

Do's and Don’ts for Your Medical School Letter of Intent

• Proofread your document

Your medical school letter of intent is designed to express your commitment to the school. You will need to use formal language to sound professional and trustworthy. Check your letter of intent for correct grammar and be sure to proofread it several times before you submit it. It can help to have  an expert  read it over for you; they can sometimes catch grammatical errors or make suggestions on what you should revise.

• Show enthusiasm

To show that you’re committed to the school, you need to show enthusiasm. Use a positive, eager tone when you discuss what excites you about the program you’re hoping to join. Using evidence from your employment, volunteering, and extracurricular history, show that your goals and values align with the school’s.

• Provide adequate detail

Simply stating that the school is your top choice isn’t enough. You must provide detail that supports your belief that its program is right for you. Talk specifically about what you admire about the school and the values they espouse that fit you well. You may reference the school’s mission or certain aspects of their curriculum.

• Illustrate who you are

Your letter of intent is a formal, professional document that should enclose your reason for making a written commitment to a school. This means you need to use an objective, straightforward tone to convince the admissions committee that you’re a dedicated candidate. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t reveal your personality – discuss your personal and professional experiences to convey individuality and passion.

• Repeat information

No doubt you will have included the most relevant details of your candidate profile in other documents like your personal statement and secondary essays. You should avoid mentioning anything you’ve already sufficiently covered in other parts of your application to avoid repetition. Your goal should be to accentuate pertinent details, specifically in terms of updates to your candidate profile.

You aren’t begging for an acceptance in your letter of intent; these letters are designed to communicate your priorities, goals, and preferences as they relate to program choices. While your letter should be persuasive, you should let your experiences and objective facts about your profile do the convincing. Show enthusiasm, but don’t overdo it.

• Send to more than one school

This has been said elsewhere, but to really drive this point home, we have to say it again: do not send a letter of intent to more than one school . This contradicts the purpose of this document, which is to say that regardless of where else you might get accepted, you will choose their program if they extend an offer.

• Use more space than necessary

Brevity is typically a rule for a letter of intent. Get straight to the point: state your enduring interest in the program and why you’re committed to taking their offer of acceptance if they extend one. Stick to the paragraph format outlined above and don’t exceed a page. If you go over that preferred limit, it’s a good indication that you have some revision to do.

With all of these tips in mind, it goes without saying that having a second set of unbiased (but professional) eyes help you throughout the process of writing your letter of intent. BeMo student Salma Latuke says:

“I really enjoyed the Letter of Intent review process. My reviewer was great at giving feedback and helped me concisely put myself forward as a candidate!”

If you’d like help preparing your letter of intent, we can help you just like we helped Salma!

Medical School Letter of Intent Samples

Medical school letter of intent sample 1, (533 words).

Dr. John Smith

Director of Admissions

XYZ University

Dear Dr. John Smith

My name is Sally Sparrow, and I am currently applying to XYZ University’s School of Medicine. It was my great honor to visit your campus, learn more about your osteopathy program, and discuss my career goals with Dr. Clara Oswald during my interview on October XX, 20XX. I am writing to inform you that the School of Medicine is my first choice for medical school and to provide an update to my application.

After the interview on your campus, I reached out to Dr. Sarah Jane from your Primary Care department to establish correspondence about my paper on the effects of nutritional deficiencies in postpartum care. She expressed interest in my research and shared some of her own findings from her ongoing study about dietary changes to treat postpartum muscular distention. This fruitful dialogue, and the insight she provided into the kind of research facilities your school offers, consolidated my intention to accept a place in your program, if I am offered one. I would love the chance to work under Dr. Sarah Jane and integrate my bio-medical research with her study, an opportunity I can only avail of at your school. I also deeply appreciate your school’s emphasis on student-based learning, exemplified by your state-of-the-art simulation labs and nutritional cooking kitchens. These facilities will provide the means to develop hands-on skills and receive specialized training that no other medical school offers.

Moreover, your school’s emphasis on nutrition as a treatment method and the use of innovative technologies to advance medical treatments perfectly aligns with my own background in cutting-edge bio-medical research in the area of medical nutrition therapy. I spent two years as a research assistant for a research project investigating the long-term effects of nutritional deficiencies on infertility and hormonal imbalances in post-pubescent females, led by Dr. Harvey Mendoza. This experience helped me develop my research skills, as I completed literature reviews, catalogued samples, interviewed subjects, and implemented data analysis models for the innovative medical treatments Dr. Mendoza was researching. Given my experience in working with the new treatment methodologies and my passionate interest in using the latest technological developments to address holistic patient care, I think I am a perfect candidate for your DO program.

I would also like to communicate a small update to my application materials. In addition to the 2 months of shadowing experience at a psychiatric facility that I mentioned in my primary application, I recently completed 3 months of shadowing experience at the NML Osteopathic Medical Center. While there, I shadowed Dr. Donna Goldberg, an osteopathic physician specializing in internal medicine. I got the chance to closely observe Dr. Goldberg’s implementation of non-invasive treatment therapies and her exemplary use of innovative diagnostic methods to prevent illnesses. The experience of shadowing her confirmed my desire to practice and research osteopathic medicine that prioritizes prevention, as well as cure, of illnesses.

Thank you for taking the time to review this letter. I hope that my application is favorably reviewed, and I can soon become a member of your excellent DO program. If offered a place at your school, I will accept without hesitation. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need further information from me.

Sally Sparrow

An honest letter of intent can absolutely influence your chances of acceptance – schools want students who are enthusiastic about being there. If you are certain that a specific program is the best for your particular needs, interests, and passions, then consider reaching out and making your preference known!

It's best to send your letter of intent approximately a month after your interview. You want to be able to show the Dean of Admissions that you have taken the time to really consider your options, and even though you may have interviewed elsewhere, you are still selecting their school as your number-one choice.

Please note that schools do want to see that you have actually thought through which school is your number-one choice. Sending this right after your interview may show that you are being hasty and not really reflecting on the other schools you applied to and interviewed at. So, don’t feel you have to rush and send this in immediately after your interview; rather, really take the time and ask yourself what your number-one choice is and why.

Whether you are applying to  DO or MD  schools, you can email your letter of intent to the Director or Dean of Admissions. In some cases, schools may provide a portal for students to upload their letters instead. Ensure that you check program requirements beforehand. Don’t just send it to info, as it may get lost in the countless emails a school receives every day; take your time to ensure you are sending it to the correct person.

Yes, first, you should only be sending one letter of intent to your top-choice school. If at the end of the interview season you're not really sure which school you want to attend most, then it's better to not send a letter to any school. Most importantly, do not send multiple letters of intent.

Second, it's important that you check your school's requirements before you decide to send a letter of intent. While most schools accept letters of intent, some schools do not wish to be contacted at all after the interview season. In this case, you must follow the school's instructions by refraining from sending any correspondence.

Everything you do as a medical school applicant will reveal who you are as a person, and whether you're suited to becoming a doctor. Sending a letter of intent to multiple schools is both dishonest and unethical – remember you are giving your word that you will attend a program if you are accepted. Lying in any part of your application materials completely ruins your credibility, integrity, and trustworthiness. Plus, you never know which admissions committee members or deans are connected and may find out what you did. Even if you're not caught, what will you do if you receive multiple offers of admission and don't uphold your promise to attend these schools? Take our strong advice here; do not send multiple letters of intent!

Unfortunately, no, but it can certainly improve your chances of admission, and isn't it important to do whatever you can to do just that? The purpose of a medical school letter of intent is to let your top-choice school know that they're your top choice and that you will therefore attend their school if given the opportunity.

It's very difficult for medical schools to determine which candidates will accept their offers of acceptance and which will not. Sometimes, even by accepting waitlisted applicants, schools are left with spots unfilled for this very reason. So, sending a letter of intent may give you a competitive edge over other applicants because you're letting a school know that if accepted, you're a guaranteed student in their entering class.

Of course! Medical school letters of intent are not only suitable to send if you're on a waitlist, but they can also be sent after your interviews, even before you have received a response regarding admission.

This can be upsetting, but receiving rejections is a normal part of the application process. First, scrap the draft you were about to send. If you have already received a rejection, you should not send a letter of intent to that school. Instead, you can follow up with the admissions office and seek feedback on why you did not get accepted; some schools provide written or verbal feedback, while others do not.

Next, take the time to think through the other schools you have interviewed at and which would be your first-choice program now; re-draft a letter of intent to that program and send it in a timely manner.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar: How To Make Your Med School Application Stand Out

(and avoid the top 5 reasons that get 90% of applicants rejected).

Time Sensitive. Limited Spots Available:

We guarantee your acceptance to med school or your money back.

Swipe up to see a great offer!

Request Information

• Name * First Last
• Anticipated Start Term Year * Anticipated Start Term Year Fall 2024 Spring 2025 Fall 2025 Spring 2026 Fall 2026
• Country Code * Country Code +1 - USA +1 - Canada +91 - India +1 - Caribbean Nations +20 - Egypt +212 - Morocco +213 - Algeria +216 - Tunisia +218 - Libya +220 - Gambia +221 - Senegal +222 - Mauritania +223 - Mali +224 - Guinea +225 - Ivory Coast +226 - Burkina Faso +227 - Niger +228 - Togo (Togolese Republic) +229 - Benin +230 - Mauritius +231 - Liberia +232 - Sierra Leone +233 - Ghana +234 - Nigeria +235 - Chad +236 - Central African Republic +237 - Cameroon +238 - Cape Verdi +239 - Sao Tome and Principe +240 - Equatorial Guinea +241 - Gabon (Gabonese Republic) +242 - Bahamas +242 - Congo +243 - Zaire +244 - Angola +245 - Guinea-Bissau +246 - Barbados +246 - Diego Garcia +247 - Ascension Island +248 - Seychelles +249 - Sudan +250 - Rwanda (Rwandese Republic) +251 - Ethiopia +252 - Somalia +253 - Djibouti +254 - Kenya +255 - Tanzania (includes Zanzibar) +256 - Uganda +257 - Burundi +258 - Mozambique +260 - Zambia +261 - Madagascar +262 - Reunion (France) +263 - Zimbabwe +264 - Namibia +265 - Malawi +266 - Lesotho +267 - Botswana +268 - Antigua +268 - Swaziland +269 - Comoros and Mayotte +269 - Mayolte +27 - South Africa +284 - British Virgin Islands +290 - St. Helena +291 - Eritrea +297 - Aruba +298 - Faroe (Faeroe) Islands (Denmark) +299 - Greenland +30 - Greece +31 - Netherlands +32 - Belgium +33 - France +33 - Monaco +34 - Spain +345 - Cayman Islands +350 - Gibraltar +351 - Portugal (includes Azores) +352 - Luxembourg +353 - Ireland +354 - Iceland +355 - Albania +356 - Malta +357 - Cyprus +358 - Finland +359 - Bulgaria +36 - Hungary +370 - Lithuania +371 - Latvia +372 - Estonia +373 - Moldova +374 - Armenia +375 - Belarus +376 - Andorra +378 - San Marino +380 - Ukraine +381 - Serbia and Montenegro +381 - Yemen (People's Democratic Republic) +385 - Croatia +386 - Slovenia +387 - Bosnia and Hercegovina +389 - Macedonia +39 - Italy +39 - Vatican City +40 - Romania +41 - Switzerland +420 - Czech Republic +421 - Slovakia +423 - Liechtenstein +43 - Austria +44 - United Kingdom +45 - Denmark +46 - Sweden +47 - Norway +473 - Grenada/Carricou +473 - Montserrat +48 - Poland +49 - Germany +500 - Falkland Islands +501 - Belize +502 - Guatemala +503 - El Salvador +504 - Honduras +505 - Nicaragua +506 - Costa Rica +507 - Panama +508 - St. Pierre &(et) Miquelon (France) +509 - Haiti +51 - Peru +52 - Mexico +53 - Cuba +54 - Argentina +55 - Brazil +56 - Chile +57 - Colombia +58 - Venezuela +591 - Bolivia +592 - Guyana +593 - Ecuador +594 - French Guiana +595 - Paraguay +596 - French Antilles +596 - Martinique +597 - Suriname +598 - Uruguay +599 - Netherlands Antilles +60 - Malaysia +61 - Australia +62 - Indonesia +63 - Philippines +64 - New Zealand +65 - Singapore +66 - Thailand +670 - Saipan +671 - Guam +672 - Australian External Territories +673 - Brunei Darussalm +674 - Nauru +675 - Papua New Guinea +676 - Tonga +677 - Solomon Islands +678 - Vanuatu (New Hebrides) +679 - Fiji +680 - Palau +681 - Wallis and Futuna +682 - Cook Islands +683 - Niue +684 - American Samoa +685 - Western Samoa +686 - Kiribati Republic (Gilbert Islands) +687 - New Caledonia +688 - Tuvalu (Ellice Islands) +689 - Tahiti (French Polynesia) +690 - Tokelau +691 - Micronesia +692 - Marshall Islands +7 - Kazakhstan +7 - Russia +7 - Tajikistan +7 - Uzbekistan +767 - Dominca +809 - Anguilla +809 - Bermuda +809 - Dominican Republic +81 - Japan +82 - South Korea +84 - Viet Nam +850 - North Korea +852 - Hong Kong +853 - Macao +855 - Cambodia +855 - Khmer Republic (Cambodia/Kampuchea) +856 - Laos +86 - China (People's Republic) +869 - Nevis +869 - St. Kitts/Nevis +876 - Jamaica +880 - Bangladesh +886 - China-Taiwan +886 - Taiwan +90 - Turkey +92 - Pakistan +93 - Afghanistan +94 - Sri Lanka +95 - Myanmar +960 - Maldives +961 - Lebanon +962 - Jordan +963 - Syrian Arab Republic (Syria) +964 - Iraq +965 - Kuwait +966 - Saudi Arabia +967 - Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) +968 - Oman +971 - United Arab Emirates +972 - Israel +973 - Bahrain +974 - Qatar +975 - Bhutan +976 - Mongolia +977 - Nepal +98 - Iran +993 - Turkmenistan +994 - Azerbaijan +995 - Georgia +996 - Kyrgyz Republic
• Opt out of text Opt out of text Yes No
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
• Start Your Application
• Continue Your Application
• Submit Your AMCAS Application
• Submit Your AACOMAS Application
• Submit Your TMDSAS Application
• Submit Your OMSAS Application

• Crafting an Outstanding Letter of Intent for Medical School
• Blog & News
• Medical School

The journey toward becoming a doctor is more than just the rigorous years spent in medical school; it starts right from your undergraduate years. Even the earliest decisions, such as course selection , play a pivotal role in defining your path. Every milestone, every choice, adds a piece to the puzzle that shapes your professional future. 

Yet, even with years of dedication, your credentials may not fully convey the depth of your commitment or potential when it’s time to apply for medical school. In such scenarios, a well-crafted letter of intent can make all the difference.

✅ Request information on AUA's MD program TODAY!

YOUR PATH TO SUCCESS BEGINS HERE

• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Dive into this guide as we unravel the intricacies of composing a powerful letter of intent for medical school. We’ll guide you through the essential dos and don’ts and provide a sample letter to anchor your understanding. By the conclusion, you’ll be equipped to pen a persuasive letter of intent that resonates with the discerning eyes of medical school admission committees.

What Is a Medical School Letter of Intent?

A medical school letter of intent is a formal document that prospective students can write to express their interest in attending a particular medical school. Such letters are supplementary to the standard application materials, including forms, test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.

Such letters must be sincere, well-crafted, and concise, highlighting the applicants’ unique qualities, experiences, and aspirations that align with the values and offerings of the medical school of their interest.

If you’re still in search of the perfect medical school, one that truly resonates with your goals and merits the effort of composing a letter of intent, we invite you to explore our application guide and take the first step to joining our institution .

When and Why To Send a Medical School Letter of Intent

The timing of a medical school letter of intent is crucial for it to fulfill its purpose as a valuable tool to further showcase your commitment and enthusiasm for a particular institution. 

You need to be mindful of deadlines and carefully follow the specific guidelines set forth by the school to find a balance so you don’t send the letter too early or too late. Generally, we recommend you send it after having some form of interaction with the school, such as an interview or being placed on the waitlist.

For example, after an interview, you can take some time to reflect on the meeting, and that can help you write a detailed letter explaining why the institution is a perfect fit for your educational and professional goals. 

Similarly, this letter can be a powerful tool if you’re waitlisted, as it allows you to show your continued interest in the program and update the admissions committee on new accomplishments or experiences since your initial application.

Ultimately, it can make a significant difference, particularly if you are on a waitlist, as it demonstrates to the admissions committee that you are actively engaged and genuinely passionate about joining their program. It also distinguishes you from other candidates, showcasing your proactive approach and dedication to joining their academic community.

Key Components of a Successful Letter of Intent

To ensure your letter captures the admissions committee’s attention and highlights all that you can bring to the table, focus on the following components:

Addressing the right people

First, make sure that your letter of intent reaches the right individuals. Addressing it to the Dean of Admissions or the specific admissions committee members demonstrates your attention to detail and respect for their roles in the selection process.

If you’ve had prior interactions with faculty or staff members, consider mentioning them by name to personalize your communication further. Small details like that demonstrate that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in the institution.

Expressing genuine enthusiasm

It’s also essential to convey your excitement about the prospect of attending the school you’re interested in. Your eagerness to join them should be evident in your words, showing not only your passion for medicine but also your interest in that specific institution.

You can mention distinctive aspects of the program, faculty, or resources that genuinely resonate with you to give the reader a clear picture of your dedication and genuine desire to contribute to the school’s community.

Highlighting the fit

On top of everything, maintain focus on the “intent” of your letter of intent, which is to illustrate the seamless fit between you and the medical school. 

Mention how the school’s values, mission, and educational approach align with your aspirations and principles. Detail specific programs, research opportunities, or teaching methodologies that resonate with you. By emphasizing this alignment, you not only highlight your suitability but also showcase your potential to thrive and contribute positively to the institution.

Sharing accomplishments or updates

If you have had significant achievements or experiences since submitting your application, now is the perfect opportunity to share them. These could include academic awards, research contributions, or clinical experiences that prove your ongoing growth and dedication to the medical field. Each accomplishment demonstrates your potential as a valuable addition to their medical school community.

Concluding your letter of intent

As you approach the end of your letter, it is important to reiterate your enthusiasm for the medical school and your eagerness to become a part of their esteemed community.

End with a strong, positive note that leaves a lasting impression, expressing gratitude for the time and consideration of the admissions committee. Make it clear that you eagerly anticipate a positive decision while simultaneously emphasizing your understanding that the selection process is rigorous and competitive; therefore, you respect any decision they make. This balanced approach reflects your professionalism and mature perspective, qualities any admission committee values.

Finalizing your draft

Lastly, it’s crucial to thoroughly review and revise your writing before sending off your letter. Check for grammatical or typographical errors and ensure the language is clear, concise, and professional. Verify that all names and titles are correctly spelled and that the document is appropriately formatted.

At this step, you could also seek feedback from trusted mentors or advisors to gain another perspective and refine your content. Once you’re confident in the final version, submit it, knowing it represents your genuine passion and suitability for medical school.

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Letter of Intent for Medical School

Some other tips to keep in mind about what to do and what not to do when writing your letter of intent include:

• Customize your letter of intent for each medical school, highlighting specific aspects of the institution that resonate with your goals and values.
• Include a hook that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of the letter.
• Provide concrete examples of experiences, skills, and qualities that demonstrate your suitability for medical school.
• Highlight academic accomplishments, research experience, clinical exposure, and relevant skills that showcase your readiness for medical studies.
• Clearly state your reasons for pursuing a medical career, showing a deep understanding of the profession’s demands and rewards.
•  Illustrate your long-term commitment to the field by discussing your career goals and how the specific medical school aligns with them.
• Use an optimistic and passionate tone throughout the letter to demonstrate your genuine interest in joining their medical community. 
• Don’t let your academic achievements overshadow other valuable qualities and experiences.
• Avoid using a one-size-fits-all approach; each letter should be tailored to the individual medical school.
• Don’t exaggerate, but provide accurate information about your accomplishments and experiences.
• Avoid using excessive medical terminology that might be unfamiliar to non-specialists.
• Don’t ignore spelling or grammatical errors.
• Avoid critiquing other institutions or expressing doubt about your qualifications. Stay positive and focused on your strengths.
• Don’t exceed the recommended length.

Sample Letter of Intent for Medical School

Below, we will offer a sample of what a letter of intent might look like. Remember, it’s crucial to emphasize your personal experiences and accomplishments to make the letter truly your own.

Dear members of the admissions committee,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my continued enthusiasm for the opportunity to join the ranks of aspiring physicians at ABC Medical School. Since submitting my application, I have been further inspired by your institution’s remarkable achievements and distinguished faculty.

While I eagerly await a final decision, I am grateful for the chance to provide an update on recent endeavors. Since applying, I have had the privilege of leading a community health initiative to provide preventive care to underserved populations. This experience has reinforced my commitment to the field of medicine and underscored the critical role that compassionate and capable physicians play in patients’ lives.

As I reflect on my journey thus far, it is clear to me that ABC Medical School remains the ideal environment for my growth as a future physician. The institution’s dedication to fostering a culture of excellence and its emphasis on clinical exposure resonate deeply with my aspirations. The opportunity to collaborate with both the esteemed faculty and my accomplished peers is one I eagerly anticipate.

I understand the highly competitive nature of the admissions process, and I greatly appreciate the careful consideration given to my application. I remain committed to ABC Medical School and am prepared to join the incoming class should the opportunity arise.

Thank you once again for your time and attention. I look forward to the possibility of being a part of the academic community and dedicated healthcare environment at ABC Medical School.

The Bottom Line

The path to medical school, replete with dedication, effort, and significant milestones, is an intricate one. But beyond the academics, grades, and references, it’s the genuine intent and passion of an individual that truly stand out. 

This guide has meticulously broken down the importance, timing, structure, and nuances of crafting a compelling letter of intent for prospective medical students. Whether you’re an applicant awaiting an interview, placed on a waitlist, or someone still searching for that perfect medical school, remember that every communication, especially a well-written letter of intent, can provide a deeper understanding of your dedication and zeal. 

By focusing on the distinctiveness of the school, emphasizing alignment, sharing updates, and avoiding common pitfalls, you can position yourself in the best light, genuinely reflecting your commitment and desire to be a part of a prestigious medical community. 

Whether you’re starting on your medical journey or are somewhere in the middle, we hope this guide equips and inspires you to articulate your passion and potential effectively.

How long should a letter of intent be?

A letter of intent should typically be around one page in length.

How is a letter of intent different from a  personal statement or a letter of interest?

A letter of intent emphasizes the applicant’s interest in a specific program, while a personal statement is a broader narrative. Additionally, a letter of interest is a preliminary inquiry before applying, whereas letters of intent are typically sent later in the application process.

Can I send letters of intent to multiple schools?

Yes, you can send letters of intent to multiple medical schools , but make sure they’re tailored to each institution.

Do all medical schools value letters of intent?

Though many medical schools consider letters of intent, their importance may vary. Therefore, it’s best to research each school’s policies before sending.

How should I address my letter of intent if I don’t know the specific person’s name?

Address it to the members of the admissions committee or the appropriate department.

Is email or post better for sending my letter of intent?

Email is generally preferred for its speed and convenience, but follow the school’s instructions if provided.

I haven’t received a response, should I send a follow-up or another letter of intent?

Sending a follow-up email after a reasonable waiting period is appropriate, but avoid sending multiple letters of intent without new updates.

• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Why I Chose AUA:

“I was confident going into AUA because of their leadership. It was clear to me from the beginning that the staff and administration from top to bottom were pioneers and leaders in medical education. They showed a great deal of commitment by investing in constructing a brand new state of the art campus while I was there. Although the new campus opened shortly after I left the island, it was encouraging to watch its construction. It let us know that AUA was committed to investing back into its students, and are here to stay for years to come.”

lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est lorem ipsum dolor est

Sign up to our Newsletter

How to craft the perfect medical school letter of intent.

Introduction

Medical school letters of intent are important documents in the medical school admissions process. They allow you to demonstrate your eagerness to be admitted to a particular medical program. A strong, well-written medical school letter of intent can influence an admissions committee to extend an offer of admission to you.

This article will explain what a medical school letter of intent is, its purpose, what to include and what to leave out, and address some of the most commonly asked questions about medical school letters of intent.

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

What is a Medical School Letter of Intent?

A medical school letter of intent is a document written by you that states you will accept an admissions offer should one be made to you. It expresses your interest in that particular medical school over all other schools, so you should only send one of these letters to your top choice of school. 

A letter of intent consists of a few basic components, such as a clear statement of interest, why you want to attend the school, and your interest in faculty research or other work opportunities available through the medical school. As Princeton University noted , a letter of intent is also generally a short, one-page document, so you must consider carefully what is most pertinent to include.

Purpose of a Medical School Letter of Intent

The purpose of a medical school letter of intent is to very clearly express your intention to attend your #1 choice medical school, should they send you an offer of admission. It should also reiterate why you want to attend the school.

A letter of intent can be a strong addition to your application at your top choice of medical school. Not only does it express your interest in a particular school over all others, but it also demonstrates to the admissions committee your dedication to the school and desire to contribute to the program in a positive manner.

Although writing a letter of intent to your first choice of school will not necessarily give you a shoe-in, it could make your application more competitive and help it to stand out. Medical schools want to be able to predict their yield rates; meaning, out of all the applicants they admit, how many will actually end up attending (matriculating) the school.

This is easiest to do when they admit applicants who express a strong interest in the school. Predicting matriculation rates allows medical schools to adjust their tuition depending on whether their yield rates increase or decrease. High yield rates also make medical schools more competitive, and therefore more selective about who they choose to admit.

That said, every little bit helps when it comes to getting into highly competitive schools, especially when you consider that roughly only 41% of applicants get into the prestigious American medical schools. A letter of intent can help you stand out among the other people who also applied to your top choice of school.

A letter of intent can be sent when one of two scenarios happens during your medical school application process. You can send a letter of intent when you have finished all or most of your medical school interviews, including your interview at your #1 choice of school.

You can also send a letter of intent when you have been waitlisted at your top school after completing your interview.

What to Include in a Letter of Intent

According to Dr. Yoo Jung Kim , a letter of intent should begin with a clearly articulated statement of your intent to attend the medical school should they accept you. This is what should be in the opening paragraph of your letter of intent. Accompanying this statement should be a short introduction of yourself and the date of your interview, so the admissions committee member(s) reading it can locate your file.

The second section of your letter of intent should outline the main reasons why this school is your top choice. What about the school makes you want to go there? What sets it apart from other medical schools? Why would attending this program set you up for success, both academically and professionally? Your answers to these questions will provide the details you need to craft this section of your letter of intent.

Dr. Kim also recommends including your interest in the research and work opportunities the medical school offers to its students. If there is a faculty member conducting research that interests you and you would like to work with them, or if there are on-campus work opportunities in medical settings you want to work in, this should be included in this section. As with the previous section, explain why you want to be involved in the opportunity or opportunities offered by the medical school.

Lastly, describe what you will bring to the program. As Dr. Kim wrote, this can include your research and leadership experience. New publications you are lead author or co-author on and new volunteer work experiences are key pieces of information you should be sure to include in the letter of intent you write to your dream medical school.

According to Dr. Sarah Carlson , a vascular surgery resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, volunteer work is especially impressive to admissions committees, so if you have started volunteering at a new organization since your interview, it is a good idea to mention that in your letter of intent.

A medical school letter of intent is also a space for you to provide relevant updates about your personal, academic, and professional life since your interview. As previously stated by Dr. Kim and Dr. Carlson, these can include new research or volunteer experiences.

Be sure to only include experiences that are relevant and will bolster your application. These should also be relevant to what you wrote about in your primary and secondary applications, and what you discussed in your interview .

Top medical schools such as Harvard , Case Western, UC Davis, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and many more view your community work and lived experiences as fundamentally important as academic performance has always been viewed. This makes it all the more important to include new work experiences and its relevance to the medical school in your letter of intent.

The letter of intent is another opportunity for you to make a good impression on the medical school admissions committee, so it is crucial to display your professionalism throughout your letter. However, refrain from going into a ton of detail in this letter — again, it should only be a page long, so concision is key.

Your letter should also be addressed to the head of the admissions committee, so be sure to do your research to find out who you should send it to. One way to find the correct individual’s name and title(s) is through MSAR . If you connected well with one of your interviewers, Princeton says you may also include them when you send your letter of intent.

What to Avoid in a Letter of Intent

There are a few things to avoid when writing your letter of intent. To reiterate, a letter of intent should only be sent to a school if it is truly your top choice. Do not send multiple letters to multiple schools with the intention to receive multiple offers of admission. Doing so will reflect badly on you, and as Dr. Kim pointed out, medical schools talk to each other and it could be found out that you sent out letters of intent to more than one school. 

Additionally, sending multiple letters of intent is viewed as a dishonest and unethical practice. A letter of intent is you making a promise to attend a school, and it is not possible for you to fulfill that promise if you send a letter of intent to more than one school. A letter of intent demonstrates your commitment to a school and you cannot be committed to multiple medical schools.

As a general rule of thumb, a letter of intent should be about one page in length. Avoid stuffing your letter with information the admissions committee will have already learned about you from your interview. You want your letter of intent to be short and to the point.

The letter of intent will leave an impression on the admissions committee, and therefore should be free of grammatical, punctuational, and syntactical errors. It would be beneficial to you to have a trained professional review your completed letter of intent before you send it.

Though letters of intent are common, it is important to look into the specific policy of the school to which you wish to send them. As Johns Hopkins University notes , some schools do not want applicants to send letters of intent at all, and if your school is one of them, do not send them an unwanted letter as it may do more harm than good to your application.

Medical schools who do accept letters of intent sometimes have different methods of accepting them. Some schools may request letters of intent be sent through traditional mail, via email to a specific address, or may even have a space to upload them to the application portal. t is important to look into where you should send your letter of intent. Incorrectly sending your letter may reflect poorly on you.

The format of your letter also matters. Written text may be the only requirement for a letter of intent that you upload to the school’s portal, but emailed letters require additional considerations. Emailed letters should be added as an attachment to the email. PDF is the safest file type to use for your letter, as they are easy to open on all types of devices and your formatting won’t change.

If, for example, you write your letter using the newest version of Microsoft Office but the Dean of Admissions opens your doc. formatted letter in an older version of Microsoft Office, some elements may shift around and your letter won’t appear the way you thought it would.

Medical School Letter of Intent Example

This is Dr. Kim’s example of a sample letter of intent

Dear [name of the dean of admission]:

My name is Yoo Jung Kim. I am a medical school applicant who interviewed at the Stanford University School of Medicine this past October, and now that I have completed my interview season, I would like to express that Stanford is my No. 1 choice.

Stanford will allow me to pursue my goal of becoming a skilled physician-investigator through its resources in biomedical research and patient care. I am particularly drawn to Dr. X’s work on pancreatic cancer, and I hope to contribute my experience in pathway analysis to further the field of cancer development research by taking a research year through Stanford's MedScholars program. Furthermore, the Stanford Cardinal Free Clinics and the educational opportunities at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center will give me the skills to take care of underserved patients. Ultimately, I hope to become an academic physician that Stanford will be proud to call its own.

Finally, I would like to provide a list of peer-reviewed publications to which I have been accepted since I submitted my medical school application:

Julia M. Chandler, Yoo Jung Kim, Justin L. Bauer, Irene L. Wapnir "Dilemma in Management of Hemorrhagic Myositis in Dermatomyositis,” Rheumatology International, 12/23/2019.

Yoo Jung Kim, Gun Ho Lee, Bernice Y. Kwong, Kathryn J. Martires, "Evidence-based, Skin-directed Treatments for Cutaneous Chronic Graft-versus-host Disease," Cureus, 12/25/2019.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Best wishes,

Yoo Jung Kim

AAMC ID: [#######]

1. At what point in the application process should I send a letter of intent?

It is best to send a letter of intent after you have had your interview with your first choice of school, and have completed the majority of your interviews with other medical schools. This way, you can be sure your #1 choice is still at the top of your list.

Alternatively, you can also send a letter of intent when your top school has notified you that you have been waitlisted. Demonstrating interest in that particular school may improve your chance of receiving an offer of admission should other applicants choose to decline their admissions offers.

Medical schools are more receptive to letters of intent that are sent closer to the end of the interview season because it better demonstrates the interest a student has in attending a specific school and the careful consideration the student has taken in making this decision. Sending it too soon after your interview or after you have been waitlisted can come across as you seeming desperate rather than genuinely interested, and will not make an admissions committee more likely to accept you. ‍

2. Can I send a letter of intent before I’ve had my interview?

It’s best to wait until after your interview to send a letter of intent. Your interview experience will give you a very good idea of whether the program is still your top choice.

If you have a poor experience with your interviewers but have already sent a letter of intent, you may end up in a position where you have to decline an admission offer that you previously said you would accept. This will not reflect well on you, so it’s best to wait until you have at least had your interview. ‍

3. If my top choice of school does not want a letter of intent, should I send one anyway to show I want to go there?

No, it is unwise to send a letter of intent to a school that states they do not want to receive this type of correspondence. It would reflect badly on you in the same way that sending out multiple letters of intent would. ‍

4. Why should I send a letter of intent if I am on a waitlist?

Sending a letter of intent after being placed on the waitlist of your top school will demonstrate your ongoing interest in attending that school. If you send a letter of intent after being waitlisted, it will show the school you still want to go there, and may increase your chance of receiving an offer of admission later on. ‍

5. Can I email my letter of intent, or should it be sent via snail mail?

Normally letters of intent are sent using the postal service, but email submissions of letters of intent are becoming more common, so it is important to check with the school prior to sending your letter. ‍

6. Should I go into detail about all the reasons that make me a strong candidate for their medical school in my letter of intent?

No. The letter of intent is not an appropriate space to recap all of your achievements and all the reasons why the school should accept you. Only include new updates that have occurred since your interview and since you submitted your primary and secondary applications, along with a concise statement of why you are a good fit for the school.

Conclusion ‍

Letters of intent are important documents that, if crafted thoughtfully and with care, can have a positive impact on your application to your dream medical school. A letter of intent should be short and only contain the most pertinent information that will set you apart from other applicants.

If you have questions about medical school letters of intent, contact us here and we can help. Inspira's med school application advisors know the ins and outs of the entire med school process and will ensure each component comes together to paint the best picture of you!

Schedule A Free Consultation

You may also like.

Research for Medical School Admissions: What Do You Need to Know?

What you Need to Know About Medical Schools in Kentucky

Win $20,000 for med school tuition from Blueprint MCAT!

How Do Medical Schools Use Letters of Recommendation?

Like almost anything in this process, this will depend on the school. For the most part, medical schools don’t share the minute details of how they evaluate letters of recommendation. It also doesn’t serve you to waste mental energy trying to figure out exactly when and how medical schools will assess your letters of recommendation.

Who Should You Ask for Letters of Recommendation?

Each school will have a list of their letter of recommendation requirements, which can be found on their website. This can make the process more difficult because you need to research the requirements of each school you’re interested in. You don’t want to apply to a medical school only to find that you haven’t met their LOR requirements.

If you have letters of recommendation from two science professors and one from a non-science professor, you should be in good shape to fulfill the requirements for most medical schools. Some students may also include a letter from a physician they worked with or shadowed, but most schools do not require this. The best way to find out what each school requires is to check their website. If you are a nontraditional student who has trouble fulfilling LOR requirements check school websites or contact them to see what alternatives might be available.

You should also keep in mind who can write the strongest LOR. Ultimately, this will come from someone who knows you well. If you don’t have someone who fits the LOR requirements and knows you well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation, it’s time to develop that relationship .

Check out our post on this exact question for a more in-depth breakdown of deciding who to ask for LORs.

When and How Do You Ask for Letters of Recommendation?

You are bound to have changed throughout your college career and throughout the premed process. A letter written about you years ago is unlikely to capture who you are now accurately. That doesn’t mean that someone who first got to know you years ago can’t write you a high-quality letter. It does mean that you need to maintain that relationship or reconnect with a previous professor or another potential letter writer.

You can set the expectation that you will eventually ask for a letter of recommendation once you sense that you have a good relationship with this professor. This might be during the semester or at the end of the class. You might say something like,

Hi Dr. Taylor, I’m planning on applying to medical school in a few years. I’ve really enjoyed my time in your class (or lab, etc.), and was hoping to keep in touch with you during my college career so that when the time comes, you would be able to write me a strong letter of recommendation. 

If they say yes to this, make sure to hold up your end. It might be a good idea to send them an update email or have a quick meeting once a semester. If you have the opportunity to take another class with this professor or otherwise remain connected to their work on campus, that can be an easy way to maintain the relationship. Asking early helps you develop the relationship further and get a stronger letter than you would from a professor who’s only known you for one or two semesters. It also gives you time to find other options if they say no. If they do say no, don’t take it personally. Think of who else you might ask, and have a similar conversation with them.

When the Application Cycle Arrives

During the year you are going to apply to medical school, start formally asking your letter writers for a letter of recommendation no later than February or March. You should also keep in mind any special deadlines for your premed’s committee letter process if that’s something your school offers. Asking early gives your letter writer plenty of time, and allows for the possibility that they may procrastinate or need extra time without delaying your application. Most schools require that all of your letters be submitted before they will consider your application complete.

Do I Need to Finish My Personal Statement First?

Don’t delay asking for letters of recommendation because you assume that letter writers will want to see a draft or completed version of your personal statement. Many won’t. Even if you know they will want to see a draft of your personal statement during the process, you should still ask them early to get the process started.

Submitting Letters of Recommendation

When should you submit letters of recommendation.

You can submit your application without LORs, so you may need them slightly later than the rest of your materials. However, as stated before, most schools will not consider your application complete until the expected letters are received, so you don’t want to overly delay submitting your letters of recommendation. Many students begin submitting their secondary applications in mid-June, so it can be useful to have that time in mind as a firm deadline for submitting letters of recommendation. You still want to give your letter writers an earlier deadline than this like mid-May just in case something goes wrong.

How Do You Submit Letters of Recommendation?

For you and the letter writer, the stress doesn’t begin and end at requesting and writing the letter. You need to send a more formal request either through the application service or through a third-party letter service. Your writer needs to ensure their letter is signed, dated, and on official letterhead. You need to make sure that your letter writer is aware of these requirements before they have finished and submitted their letter.

Even though not every school requires these extra details, enough of them do that you should ensure all of your letters have them. The actual process of submitting your letters of recommendation will depend on where you submit your letters of recommendation. You can either submit them directly to the application service(s), or you can use a third-party letter service.

Our favorite third-party letter service called myLORs is available in Mappd Pro . myLORs allows you to easily request, store, and transmit your letters of recommendation. Mappd also checks your letters for the necessary details like letterhead, dating, and a signature to make sure medical schools don’t reject your letters for improper formatting. Your letter writers will also be able to easily send you messages within Mappd if they have questions for you throughout the process. You can also easily share documents with letter writers like a draft of your personal statement or your resume.

More Links and Resources

How to Get Letters as a Nontrad

The Premed Playbook Guide to the Medical School Application Process for even more information on letters of recommendation

More information on myLORs!

SEARCH SITE

RECENT POSTS

From Crohn’s Diagnosis to Medical School Triumph—Yvonne’s Journey

How Noor Conquered Her Fears and Crushed the MCAT

How Resilience Turned a Professor into a Medical Student

Navigating Challenges in the Premed Life on the Way to Hopkins

© Medical School Headquarters - All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Website by MAP

• (888) 381-9509
• [email protected]
• Book a Meeting
• student login
• Student Login
• Our Services
• Our Story How it started
• Our Team Meet Our Advisors & Tutors
• Our Services How we can help you
• Our Difference Learn why we stand out
• Success Stories & Testimonials Hear the stories
• For Parents Learn why you should trust us
• In the News Read Our Stories
• Frequently Asked Questions Find answers
• MCAT Tutoring One-on-One Personalized Help
• MCAT Go An Audio Learning Experience
• MCAT Practice Exams Boost Your Score
• MCAT Prep App Videos, Flashcards & Q-Bank
• MCAT CARS Mastery Top-Rated CARS Video Course
• Pre-Med Coach Early High School Roadmap Planning
• College Admissions 11th & 12th Grade Pre-Med Consulting
• Direct Med Advising BS/MD Application Support
• Interview Preparation BS/MD Candidates
• Pre-Med Coach Pre-Application Development
• Application Advising Med School Admissions Support
• Personal Statement Editing Refine Your Narrative
• AMCAS Editing Application Editing
• Secondary Editing Secondary Application Editing
• Interview Preparation Realistic Practice
• CASPer Preparation Simulation & Coaching
• Ontario Application Support OMSAS Application
• Residency Advising Complete Match Support
• Residency Interview Preparation
• ERAS Personal Statement Refine Your Story
• USMLE STEP 1 Pass Your First Step
• Shelf Exams Ace your rotations
• USMLE STEP 2 Shine on your boards
• USMLE STEP 3 Conquer your final hurdle
• COMLEX LEVEL 1 and 2 Score higher
• Institutional Partners Enhance your student offering
• Organizational Partners Provide value to your students
• For High School Students Plan Your Future
• For MCAT Preparation Boost Your Score
• For Med School Admissions Secure Your Acceptance
• For Board Exam Prep Sharpen Critical Knowledge
• For Residency Matching Secure Preferred Placement
• Extracurricular Activities Apply now!
• Guidebooks Learn at Your Own Pace

2024/25 AMCAS Application Guide (With Screenshots)

Posted in: Applying to Medical School

Table of Contents

The AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) is the centralized application system used by all allopathic medical schools (MD schools) in the United States . AMCAS is managed by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) in Washington, D.C. 

Important AMCAS dates and deadlines: 

• May 2, 2024 — AMCAS opens for the 2024/25 application cycle
• May 24, 2024 — Last recommended date to take the MCAT for this cycle
• June 21, 2024  — Last recommended date to take the Casper or AAMC PREview exam , if required by your institution (see the latest Casper schedule here and the PREview schedule here )
• August 15, 2024 — Latest recommended date for secondary submissions
• September 14, 2024 — Latest date to take the MCAT in 2024 (we recommend a test date in May or earlier, if possible) 
• January-March 1, 2025 — Application deadlines for most MD schools fall here (but we recommend applying much, much sooner)

Are you also applying to DO schools or any medical programs in Texas? Check out our guides to AACOMAS (osteopathic schools) or TMDSAS (Texas medical programs).

I’ll walk you through what to expect when submitting your primary application through AMCAS, including a step-by-step guide with screenshots.

Need help preparing your med school application? Get 1-on-1 support from a former admissions committee member.

Amcas application timeline.

The AMCAS application window opens the first week of May each year. However, there are actions you should take in preparation for the AMCAS application even before it officially opens. 

Medical schools typically use a rolling admissions process , which means applications are reviewed as admissions officers receive them. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible (the first week of June is ideal) to avoid delays in being verified.

Here’s the AMCAS timeline to follow:

September-December 2023:

• Plan a comprehensive MCAT study schedule and prepare for the exam.
• Check in with your pre-med advisor to ensure you’re on track to meet all the prerequisites you’ll need.
• Begin contacting evaluators you hope will provide you with letters of recommendation.
• Research the specific MD programs you want to apply to. Use our free MedSchoolExplorer to discover which programs are perfect for you!
• Consider any extracurriculars (including clinical work) you plan to complete before graduation to strengthen your application.
• Request your official transcripts from all undergraduate schools you’ve attended.

January-May 2024:

• Start drafting your personal statement and essay.
• Create an account on the AMCAS website. Log in or create your account here .
• Complete the Identifying Information , Schools Attended, and Biographic Information sections of the application.
• Fill out the Coursework & Official Transcript (s) section.
• In the Letters of Evaluation section, list your letter writers who will send in confidential letters about your character and competency. Check in with your evaluators to ensure they received the request via email. Schedule times to follow up with them after a period of time has passed if their evaluation hasn’t been submitted.
• Take the MCAT early enough to get your scores back by the end of June or earlier. Your MCAT scores are automatically released to AMCAS, so you don’t have to do anything extra to have the scores included with your application. (Keep in mind that this means you also cannot prevent previous MCAT scores from being included.)
• Schedule your Casper or AAMC PREview exam if required by your chosen school(s).
• Request your schools send your official transcripts directly to AMCAS. Resolve any holds due to financial or other issues as quickly as possible.

June-August 2024:

• Submit your application after filling out the remaining AMCAS sections.
• Keep an eye on your application’s verification status. Verification should take around 10 days to complete. If your application has a significant number of errors, it may be “undelivered” and sent back to you to correct.
• Download a completed copy of your primary application.
• When requested, submit secondary applications no later than the end of July or beginning of August.

From September 2024 through February 2025, you may receive requests to interview at one or more programs. Most schools operate on a rolling admissions process, meaning they accept students right away who successfully complete interviews. Others may wait until all interviews are complete before sending acceptance letters as late as March 2025.

Read Next: 2024/25 AACOMAS Application Timeline

How to Fill Out the AMCAS Application

Although you can spread your time across several months, filling out the AMCAS will take many hours. Pre-draft your personal statement and work/activities months in advance, and print out all your transcripts. That way, filling everything out will only take 2-6 hours. 

There are 9 AMCAS application sections:

• Identifying Information
• Schools Attended
• Biographic Information
• Course Work
• Work and Activities
• Letters of Evaluation
• Medical Schools
• Standardized Tests

You must fill out the Identifying Information and Schools Attended sections before you can proceed to other sections. The Medical Schools section can only be opened after you’ve completed the Biographic Information section.

Note: Some of these sections are simply informational, while others are used to assess you as a candidate on a personal, academic, and professional level. 

The AAMC defines core competencies that pre-medical candidates should demonstrate on their primary application. It’s a good idea to understand these competencies so you have the best shot at crafting an application that stands out from the rest.

Keep reading to learn more details about completing each section.

Setting Up Your Account

Set up your account with AMCAS so you can fill out their online med school application:

• Visit the Applying to Medical School with AMCAS® page on AAMC’s website.
• Click the blue “AMCAS Sign In” button in the upper right corner.
• On the sign in page, click “Create Account” on the right.
• Enter your personal information, initial questions, and account information as indicated.
• Check your email for a verification link.
• Once you’ve clicked the link in your email, you’ll receive a notification that your account has been verified, and you will be directed to sign in.

Select from available application cycles.

Pro Tip: Start early and go slowly, carefully checking every field of the application as you go. You can save and edit the application as many times as you want before hitting submit. Even the tiniest errors in grammar, capitalization, punctuation, etc. will reflect poorly on you with admissions committees.

Craft your AMCAS application with 1-on-1 help from a physician and former admissions committee member.

Follow the prompts to enter your identifying information, including:

• Birth country, state, and county
• Citizenship

Read Next: Supreme Court’s Ruling On Affirmative Action Impact On College Admissions

After filling out your name, click “Save & Continue to Application.”

You’ll be taken to an application main menu that shows your personal information, the 9 sections of the application (and whether they’re complete or not), quick links for help with your application, and your document statuses.

You won’t see an area to view your letters of evaluation/recommendation or transcripts since these are submitted directly to AMCAS.

Section 1: Identifying Information

Most of the Identifying Information data is pulled over from your profile creation. Complete any missing or inaccurate information in this section until a checkmark shows the section is completed. 

Section 2: Schools Attended

In the Schools Attended section, you’ll enter the information for your high school and colleges , including any attempted postsecondary, foreign/study abroad, or military education.

You will also have to state whether you have matriculated as a medical school student previously and whether you were ever the recipient of any institutional action by any college or medical school for unacceptable academic performance or conduct.

This is also where you’ll first see the notice that official transcripts are submitted directly to AMCAS from your school’s registrar. Once you enter a college’s information, you’ll have an opportunity to create a transcript request form.

Section 3: Biographic Information

Biographic Information is a hefty section with a ton of personal information and background. Go step-by-step and fill in the blanks as indicated. These prompts include: 

• Preferred and permanent address
• Alternate contact
• CItizenship
• Legal residence
• Self-identification
• Childhood information
• Military service record
• Military discharge status
• Felony and misdemeanor information
• Information about impactful experiences* 
• Parents and guardians, siblings, and dependants

*The “Other Impactful Experiences” question is a new addition to the section as of 2024. It replaces the “Disadvantaged Status” question seen in previous application cycles. You’ll be asked whether you would like to describe “challenges or obstacles in your life” in order to “provide additional information… that is not easily captured in the rest of the application”. 

If you answer Yes to the “Other Impactful Experiences” question, you’ll be expected to submit a narrative essay of 1,325 characters or less describing your experience and sharing how it “directly impacted your life opportunities.”

Section 4: Course Work

In Section Four, you must enter every course you took at each school — it’s tedious, so have your printed transcripts in hand and settle in for this section. 

You will have to complete multiple sections for each course:

Prior to entering your coursework , the AAMC encourages you to watch some brief tutorials that will guide you through the process: 

• Basic Course Work Tutorial
• AP Course Work/Credit Tutorial
• Current & Future Course Work Tutorial (no grade earned yet)
• Study Abroad Course Work Tutorial

Pro Tip: Course classification can be tricky. All courses are classified as BCPM science courses (biology, chemistry, physics, math) and AO courses (all others). AMCAS offers a Course Classification Guide that provides examples of how courses are often categorized. Ultimately, you are responsible for selecting the correct course classification, but AMCAS reserves the right to change classifications if the assigned classification clearly does not apply. Misclassified courses may delay the verification of your application. Working with an admissions advisor can ensure you classify courses correctly the first time.

Section 5: Work and Activities

Work and Activities (sometimes shown as Work/Activities ) is another hefty section where you get to show what makes you a strong applicant beyond your school work. 

There is space for up to 15 work and activity entries ( but it’s ok if you don’t have 15 ). You also have the opportunity to highlight the 3 “most meaningful” experiences to you.

There are 19 Experience Type categories you have to choose for each work/activity entry: 

• Artistic Endeavors
• Community Service/Volunteer – Medical/Clinical
• Community Service/Volunteer – Not Medical/Clinical
• Conferences Attended
• Extracurricular Activities
• Honors/Awards/Recognitions
• Intercollegiate Athletics
• Leadership – Not Listed Elsewhere
• Military Service
• Paid Employment – Medical/Clinical
• Paid Employment – Not Medical/Clinical
• Physician Shadowing/Clinical Observation  
• Presentations/Posters
• Publications
• Research/Lab
• Social Justice/Advocacy
• Teaching/Tutoring/Teaching Assistant

For each activity or work experience, you’ll enter the following information:

• Experience Type (i.e. Community Service/Volunteer)
• Experience Name (i.e. Nursing Home Volunteer)
• Completed Hours
• Anticipated Hours
• Whether it was repeated
• Organization name, location, and contact information
• Experience description
• Whether it was one of your most meaningful experience (Yes/No)

The Experience Description box is crucial. Admissions committees are not simply looking for what you did. They want to know the depth of your responsibilities and what you accomplished.

Read Next: Get the Most From Shadowing a Doctor: Advice for Pre-Meds

Admissions boards want to hear what qualities you demonstrated, how the experience reflected your values, and how you learned and grew from it — both personally and as it relates to your future career in medicine. 

Pro Tip: One of the keys to the Work & Activities section is to show that you’re well-rounded. Admissions committees want to hear about your hobbies and interests outside of your science background, as well.

You have just 700 characters to wrap that up in a nice package.

New for 2024-25, the AAMC AMCAS introduced a new experience type called “Social Justice/Advocacy”. This allows you to let admissions committees know how you’ve worked to improve the rights, privileges, and opportunities of a cause, group, or person.

“One of the main functions of physicians is to educate. If you can demonstrate you're well-rounded, it shows you’ll be able to find common ground with your patients beyond healthcare, such as sports, literature, or music.” Dr. Harvey Katzen, Med School Coach Associate Director of Advising

Section 6: Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation

For schools using the AMCAS Letter Service program , your letters of recommendation (LORs) are another item submitted directly to AMCAS and the medical schools you are applying to. 

Since AMCAS doesn’t require a student’s LoRs to verify their application, students may submit their application even if their letters have not yet arrived at AMCAS. The medical schools will receive the application and letters after the application has been fully verified.

Pro Tip: Your letters of evaluation are another way to really set your application apart. Generic LORs will not add value to your application. Get letters from professors, supervisors, and mentors that you had genuine relationships with — people who can speak to your character and accomplishments. Start asking letter writers for LORs 3-4 months beforehand. Check out this article on etiquette for approaching letter writers.

When adding a letter of evaluation or recommendation, you must include a letter title. Make this a meaningful title that you can remember, as you will later need to match letters and assign them to the medical schools you’re applying to.

For each entry, you must choose 1 of 3 types. Each letter type is considered 1 letter entry, regardless of the actual number of letters it contains.

Here are the definitions of the 3 letter types:

• Committee Letter: A letter authored by a prehealth committee or prehealth advisor intended to represent your institution’s evaluation of you. A Committee Letter may or may not include additional letters written in support of your application. The Committee Letter is sometimes called a Composite Letter.
• Letter Packet: A set of letters assembled and distributed by your institution, often by the institution’s career center. A Letter Packet may include a cover sheet from your prehealth committee or advisor; however, in contrast to a Committee Letter, a Letter Packet does not include an evaluative letter from your prehealth committee or advisor.
• Individual Letter: A letter written by, and representing, a single letter author. If you have already included an Individual Letter within either a Committee Letter or Letter Packet, you do not need to add a separate entry for that letter.

Each medical school has a different requirement for letters of recommendation. For example, schools may require a committee letter or letter packet — or 2 letters from science professors plus 1 non-science professor plus 1 to 2 others, including physicians. Check each medical school’s website for their specific requirements.

Before completing this section, you will need confirmation from your letter writers. You will add an entry for each letter you’re expecting with the author’s contact information and letter title. AMCAS will then assign an ID number for each letter that the letter writer must include.

After you add each entry, you will be prompted to create a PDF AMCAS Letter Request Form that you will provide to the author.

Dossier services like Interfolio or VirtualEvals can be a great way to store and release confidential letters like these — just be sure to submit only evaluations for the current application cycle.

“Great letters are an absolute must. I was really surprised to find out how seriously committee members take these letters. The fact is, there are so many worthy applicants with great credentials, academics, and activities. They're looking for distinguishing factors, and the quality of your letter is important for a really competitive application.” Dr. Ed Lipsit, MedSchoolCoach Associate Director of Advising

Section 7: Medical Schools

In the Medical Schools section, you’ll select all the medical schools you’re applying to . 

How many medical schools should you apply to? Admissions advisors from MedSchoolCoach recommend you apply to 25-40 schools, including both in-state and out-of-state schools that you feel are a good match.

You don’t need a full school list at this point; you only need to apply to one school to “submit” your application, which gets most of the heavy lifting out of the way. You can come back and add more schools later, but this first submission of your application is what gets the verification process started.

For each school you add, select a program and declare whether you’ve previously applied to that school. You will be able to see whether or not the school participates in the AMCAS Letter Service and the AMCAS-facilitated Criminal Background Check.

If you have entered letters of recommendation, you will also have the opportunity to assign a letter to each school at this point.

As you add schools, you will have a helpful dashboard where you can see each med school, the program you’re applying to, and the transcript and application deadlines. Here, you’ll also see your application fees start to add up.

How many schools can I apply to with AMCAS? You can apply to as many schools as you want with the AMCAS, as long as they accept the application service.

The fee is $175 to send your application to the first school and $46 for each additional school.

While it’s wise to apply to multiple schools, a lot of thought should go into cultivating your school list. In-state tuition is almost always going to be cheaper than out-of-state, but you also need to consider factors like the mission of the school (is it focused on primary care or research?), proximity to family, and preference for culture and climate.

Schools should also be an academic match and best suited to your professional experience.

"Definitely cast a wide net. However, also try to be smart about the list you create. There are a lot of factors that go into creating a solid school list – how competitive an applicant you are, what aspects of medicine you’re interested in, the financial impact of applying to many schools. I would encourage you to work one-on-one with an advisor to create a smart, practical school list that maximizes you chance of success.” Dr. Ed Lipsit, MedSchoolCoach Associate Director of Advising

Section 8: Essays

Your personal statement , which is within the Essays section, is arguably the most important part of the application. 

A strong medical school personal statement speaks volumes about your potential to succeed in medical school. It can demonstrate to admissions committees your potential as a future physician and how you’ll contribute to their school. Additionally, it helps to distinguish you from other applicants with similar GPAs and MCAT scores.

Likewise, an un impressive personal statement can ruin your chance of getting an interview . A poorly-written personal statement with typos that lacks content is pretty much a deal breaker when admissions committees have hundreds of applications to review.

The challenge with this section is how deceptively simple it looks on the AMCAS application: “Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school.” And you have 5,300 characters — or around 500 words to do it. No pressure!

If you click the link provided in this section, AMCAS does give you a bit more guidance for what to write about.

Advice for writing a standout personal statement: 

• Start writing the first draft 3-6 months early.
• Be authentic.
• Demonstrate your passion for medicine.
• Stick to a central theme.
• Include personal stories — show, don’t tell.
• Share your vision for the future.
• Give it some personality.
• Carefully navigate emotional topics.
• Don’t rely on ChatGPT to write for you. 

That last point about using AI to write is really important. One of the few changes between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 AMCAS applications is the addition of the instruction here: “This essay should reflect your personal perspectives and experiences accurately and must be your own work and not the work of another author or the product of artificial intelligence .” 

Seriously, just don’t do it.

Things NOT to include in your personal statement:

• Your MCAT & GPA — they are included in another section of your application
• Typos, grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes
• Name-dropping
• Made-up stories
• A duplicate of your CV
• Third-person writing
• Irrelevant stories
• Explanations for one bad grade

It may help you write your personal statement if you break it into smaller, manageable chunks. In general, think about your essay containing 4-5 components: 

• Introduction (1 paragraph) — Introduce your narrative/theme by tying it to a personal story or anecdote.
• Body (2-3 paragraphs) — Highlight pivotal experiences and how they drove you to pursue medicine.
• Conclusion (1 paragraph) — Tie everything together and share how you envision yourself impacting the field of medicine in the future. 

Begin as early as December/January if you plan to apply in May/June.

Get opinions from others. Have others read your essay, but be selective about who you ask. A professor, work colleague, or a medical student are likely better options than a family member. 

Some personal essay ideas to think about:

• Significant/formative life experiences: Include events that have greatly influenced your life, how you conduct yourself, your outlook on the world, or your impactful decisions.
• Significant people: People that impacted you (positively or negatively) and how that affected your journey to medical school.
• Characteristics and skills: Use stories to demonstrate the positive traits you have that will help you succeed as a physician. 

Check out outstanding personal statement examples here .

Section 9: Standardized Tests

Standardized Tests is the final section. Congratulations on making it this far! 

If you have already taken the MCAT, your scores are automatically released to AMCAS and will be visible here. If you haven’t taken the MCAT yet, or if you plan to retake it and have a test date scheduled, you can indicate that here and your latest test score will be updated when released.

After the MCAT details, you’ll be able to see previous or upcoming AAMC PREview exam dates and your scores, if you’ve already sat for this situational judgment test.

Below the AAMC PREview details, you can add details from other situational judgment tests (like Casper). This is also where you have the opportunity to enter any additional standardized test scores, such as GRE, LSAT, or GMAT.

Boost your MCAT score with expert coaching from our 99th-percentile tutors.

Final submission and payment.

From your main application menu, you have the opportunity to go back into every section and make changes. Check and double-check everything.

CAUTION: If you have completed the AMCAS sections in order, and each section on the left has a check mark circle next to it, then as soon as you save your standardized tests sections — you will be asked if you want to submit your application.

WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU SAY NO. It’s always a good idea to go back and carefully review each section to check for errors, accuracy, and completion.

When you’re ready, click “Submit Application.”

Once your review is complete and you’re ready to submit, the application will walk you through a few final steps, beginning with pre-submission checks and certification. AMCAS does a great job of telling you what you still need to do in the Pre-Submission Checks, such as assigning letters of recommendation to medical schools. Remember, letters can be added and assigned at a later date as you get confirmations from letter writers.

From here, you will complete the following to officially submit your application:

• Certification
• Criminal Background Check

Certification:  This acts as your legal signature to certify everything on your application is accurate. There are 13 statements to read, check, and agree to on this page.

Password: Under this section, you’ll have the opportunity to print your application. Even if you don’t physically print it, the file will open as a PDF and you can read through it. 

The PDF form is exactly what medical school admissions committees will receive. We highly recommend you save or print this PDF form. If you find any errors, you can still go back and edit your application before continuing the submission process.

When you’re satisfied with your application, you will enter your AMCAS password to certify that you understand that you may not change, correct, or update selected parts of the application as outlined in the AMCAS Applicant Guide once it has been submitted to AMCAS.

CBC (Criminal Background Check): This page informs you that AMCAS partners with Certiphi Screening, Inc. to perform criminal background checks. Upon your initial, conditional acceptance by a participating medical school, Certiphi Screening, Inc. will send an email with additional information to your preferred email address to start your background check.

Payment: The final section is where you’ll pay your application fees.

For students who need financial aid for fees, AAMC offers a fee assistance program .

Once your payment is confirmed, your application is officially submitted. 

To submit an Academic Change Request, select one of the following reasons and include an explanation:

• Re-compute the following GPA/hours
• Re-verify the following courses
• Add the following courses
• Delete courses that were added by AMCAS Verifications team (based on errors or omissions compared to applicant official college transcripts)
• Update the following school information

Verification

The verification process can range from a few days to a few weeks. This process can be delayed if there are errors on your application, such as misclassified coursework.

In order for your application to be placed in the queue for verification, the following are required:

• Work/Activities section
• Personal Statement section
• Official transcripts and grades received by AMCAS

These items are not required for verification and they will not delay the verification of your application:

• Letters of recommendation
• Medical schools (except the first one required to submit)

Once you submit your application, you’ll want to closely monitor its verification status. On the top right corner of your main menu, you will see a blue status. You can also click “View Application Status History” at any time to see a record of updates.

It’s important to understand the meaning of each status so that you can track your application and know if you need to take some action: 

• Not Submitted to AMCAS: AMCAS has not received your application.
• Submitted to AMCAS: Waiting for Transcripts: AMCAS has received your application. Required transcripts have not been received for review.
• Submitted to AMCAS: Ready for Review: AMCAS has received a copy of all required transcripts and has placed the application in line to be reviewed by an AMCAS verifier.
• Submitted to AMCAS: Under Review: A verifier is reviewing your application. You will be notified if there are any additional transcripts needed for processing.
• Submitted to AMCAS: Financial Hold: You have certified and submitted your AMCAS application. However, AMCAS cannot process your application until you resolve the financial hold associated with your application.
• Submitted to AMCAS: Incorrect Coursework : You have certified and submitted your AMCAS application. However, your application is on hold due to incorrect coursework in your application.
• Submitted to AMCAS: Incorrect Documents: You have certified and submitted your AMCAS application. However, your application is on hold due to incorrect documents associated with your application.
• Returned to Applicant: The application has been returned to you for missing coursework or failing to enter an original grade for a repeated course.
• AMCAS Processing is Complete: The application has been made available to your medical school designations.
• Withdrawn from AMCAS: You have withdrawn your AMCAS application. This step is final, so you are no longer eligible to apply for the current application year.

What Information Can I Add After Submitting?

You can edit the following types of information after submitting your AMCAS:

• Name and contact information
• Your date of birth
• Your gender
• Your next MCAT and PREview exam date
• The release of application details to your prehealth advisor
• Additional medical schools

Costs & Financial Assistance

The AMCAS application costs $175 to send your application to the first school and $46 for each additional school.

To be eligible for AAMC’s financial assistance, you must have a US-based address, and your total family income for 2023 must be under 400% of the national poverty line for your family size.

Below are the benefits of AAMC’s 2024 fee assistance program:

• A waiver for one cycle of AMCAS application fees
• A reduced MCAT registration fee — $140 instead of $335
• Online MCAT preparation and study products
• A waiver for the AAMC PREview exam fees
• 2-year subscription to the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) database

The AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service) is the application for osteopathic medical schools outside of Texas. You’ll fill this out if you’re pursuing DO schools as part of your medical school application process. 

The AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) is the application for allopathic medical schools outside of Texas. All prospective students interested in MD schools will use this application.

The TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service) is used for all medical programs in Texas. The Texas legislature has a strict 10% cap on non-resident medical students, which means 90% or more of the matriculants to Texas medical programs are in-state residents.

Read Next: DO vs. MD

The good news is that most of the information on your AMCAS application will remain the same when you reapply . Here are the sections reapplicants should consider updating: 

• Work/Activities: If you added any relevant experience during the year that you originally applied, or if you took a gap year or earned a post-baccalaureate certificate , update this section of your application.
• Letters of Evaluation: While you can reuse letters of recommendation, you must resubmit them as AMCAS does not retain letters from previous application cycles. However, you may want to request new letters if you worked with a new mentor in the past year.
• School List: You can absolutely reapply to the same medical schools again, but reevaluate each with a critical eye and be honest with yourself about how competitive you are. In many cases, students miscalculate which schools are truly a good fit for them, resulting in no acceptances. Try Prospective Doctor’s Medical School Chance Predictor to understand which programs are right for you!
• Personal Statement: Schools expect reapplicants to write a new essay. While you can certainly still use the same theme, personal attributes, and reasons for wanting to become a physician, the stories and anecdotes should change. You may even want to use this section to emphasize how you have grown since your last application.

If you struggled with your AMCAS application the first time, expert admissions advisors can help you prepare for your reapplication, increasing your chances of acceptance .

Advisors with prior admissions committee experience can provide honest feedback on your qualifications and help you update your application to improve your chances of getting into the medical school of your choice.

Eligibility and financial aid differ for international students, and English language proficiency is required at almost all US medical schools. International students cannot submit international transcripts that are not accredited by an American, US territorial, or Canadian post-secondary institution.

Read Next: Medical Schools That Accept International Students

Applicants who matriculate to allopathic medical school via AMCAS have an average GPA of 3.77 and an average MCAT score of 512. If your metrics are lower than these, don’t worry — there’s definitely still hope. A high GPA can offset a low MCAT score, and vice-versa. 

According to AAMC data, those who score a mere 506 on their MCAT can still achieve more than a 50% chance of acceptance, provided their GPA is high enough. Likewise, those with a 3.20 GPA can raise their odds above 50% by scoring well on the MCAT.

Check out the AAMC’s acceptance rate table to find your odds of admission at your current GPA and MCAT score.

Avoid these common mistakes on the AMCAS application:

• Spelling and grammatical errors
• Miscategorized coursework or work/activities
• Underwhelming personal statement
• Meaningless filler content
• Lies or unethical claims
• Late submission

Yes, you can add new medical school choices and designations even after you’ve submitted your application, as long as the deadline for that program’s application has not passed. You will need to pay an additional fee for each added school.

You must access your online AMCAS application to check for status updates.

If you are considering early decision, talk to an advisor or someone with great familiarity with the admissions process. Early decision programs are usually only recommended for a select group of students with specific credentials.

Also, applying early decision means you can’t apply to more than a single program. If you are denied, you may not be able to apply elsewhere in time to get accepted during this application cycle.

The 2024-2025 AMCAS deadline for submitting is 11:59 p.m. EST on the deadline date. The deadline date for each medical school is different. Some schools require submissions as early as September, but others allow submissions as late as January.

The early decision deadline is August 1, 2024.

Note: Don’t wait until near the deadline to submit your application! The overwhelming majority of students accepted to medical schools apply earlier in the cycle. That’s why we recommend submitting your primary application no later than the first week of June, if at all possible.

Secondary applications (supplemental applications) are school-specific forms sent to applicants after the primary application is submitted.

Med schools’ secondary applications gather additional information about students to evaluate whether they’re a good fit for that institution.

We Can Help You Craft a Standout AMCAS Application

Looking to craft a stand-out application and ultimately achieve your dream of becoming a physician? MedSchoolCoach can help. Our admissions experts work with hundreds of students each year, providing step-by-step guidance throughout the admissions process.  

This 1-on-1 mentorship is why 92% of MedSchoolCoach clients get accepted into medical school – double the acceptance rate for the average applicant.

Ready to 2x your odds of med school acceptance?

Learn more about our Application Advising Services or schedule a free consultation to see how we can help you.

Renee Marinelli, MD

Dr. Marinelli has practiced family medicine, served on the University of California Admissions Committee, and has helped hundreds of students get into medical school. She spearheads a team of physician advisors who guide MedSchoolCoach students.

See How We Can Help

Search for:, recent posts, medschoolcoach, dr. ken tao, recent blog posts.

What to Do After Getting Accepted Into Medical School

Congratulations! All your years of hard work have paid off. You’ve finally gotten into medical school. What now? Read on.[...]

January 14, 2021

Medical Schools in Florida

Check our our list of the medical schools in Florida to find median GPA and MCAT, and tuition rates to[...]

October 24, 2023

Medical School Acceptance Results

MedSchoolCoach Advising Student Acceptances See Medical School Acceptances See BS/MD Acceptances What results are shown below? At MedSchoolCoach, we believe[...]

November 18, 2021

The Pre-Med Journey: What it Takes to Get into Medical School

Thinking about applying to medical school? Discover what high school students need to know about obtaining a career in medicine.

Successfully Planning for the USMLE Step 1 and 2 CK

Get ready for the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 with this free guide to study planning and resource utilization.

100 MCAT Study Tips

Taking the MCAT? These 100 tips and tricks will help you ace the MCAT.

Call us at (888) 381-9509

Call Us Now

Or, Schedule a Meeting Below

How to Write a Letter of Interest for Medical School

• By Med School Insiders
• September 28, 2021

After submitting your medical school primary application and secondary application , or after attending medical school interviews , there are two ways to express your continued excitement about joining your top choice programs—the letter of interest and the letter of intent. A letter of interest for medical school is an excellent yet noncommittal way of letting an admissions committee know how enthusiastic you are about joining their program.

Learn more about the medical school letter of interest, including the differences between a letter of interest and a letter of intent, how to write a letter of interest, and letter of interest FAQs.

Letter of Interest vs. Letter of Intent

Both a letter of interest and letter of intent should include the reasons why you love the medical school, why you are qualified, how you would specifically contribute to the student body, etc. The difference has to do with the level of commitment you’re expressing.

A letter of interest is akin to a Valentine’s Day card. You can send a letter of interest to as many programs as you like, as at no point in a letter of interest do you commit to attending the program if you’re offered acceptance. A letter of interest should include why you’re excited about attending the program and why the program should be interested in having you attend—just make sure you don’t make any sort of commitment.

A letter of intent , on the other hand, signifies your commitment to attend the program if you are accepted. For this reason, a letter of intent should only be sent to one program. A letter of intent is you giving your word to a school that if they accept you, you will attend that program. If you break your word or give your word to multiple schools, it’s a very bad look.

Schools care about both of these letters because of what it means to the school’s prestige and matriculation yield. Out of the students they accept, the higher the number of acceptances in return, the better it is for the school’s ranking and exclusivity.

If an admissions committee views two identical candidates and only one has sent a letter of interest or intent, they will likely give preference to the candidate who did, as they demonstrated a stronger interest in attending that program. If they’re considering two identical candidates and one has sent a letter of interest and the other has sent a letter of intent, they will very likely choose to accept the latter.

Learn more about what differentiates a Letter of Intent vs. Letter of Interest .

How to Craft a Letter of Interest

There are a few important components that make up a letter of interest. It’s important that you keep the letter formal while clearly expressing why you’re interested in attending the school, why they should be interested in accepting you, what you feel you can specifically contribute to the student body, and any relevant updates. A letter of interest should be concise, so keep it to one page or less.

A letter of interest must include:

• A thank you to the admissions committee for their consideration
• A review of what you specifically like and appreciate about the program
• Any relevant updates to your experience, academics, or extracurriculars
• How your updates relate to what the program offers
• What you hope to contribute to the program
• A conclusion that reiterates how much you appreciate their consideration

1 | Make Your Letters Specific to Each School

Since you may send several letters of interest and follow a template, it’s imperative that you take the time necessary to tailor each letter to the program you’re writing to. Admissions committees receive thousands of letters of interest, so they know how to spot a generic letter.

Do ample research into the various offerings of each of the programs so that you can be specific about what you will contribute to the student body, curriculum, extracurriculars, or initiatives. Clarity and specificity are key in making sure your letter doesn’t sound generic.

Share reasons why you will make a good fit, whether that’s because of your experience, research opportunities, the values of the school, etc. This doesn’t have to be a significant challenge; after all, you know why you want to attend the program.

2 | Share Updates on Significant Accomplishments

Don’t be afraid to flaunt your accomplishments. Now is not the time to be humble or downplay all that you’ve achieved since sending in your primary and secondary applications or interviewing at the school.

Have you won any new academic honors? Were you chosen to sit on a committee? Did you publish an important article? Highlight your accomplishments, and if there were any weaknesses in your application, mention all of the ways you have strengthened those areas. Have you acquired more volunteering hours? Joined another extracurricular activity? Devoted more time to research? If you have achieved anything that makes you a more attractive candidate, mention it.

3 | Use it as an Opportunity to Stand Out

Take the letter of interest as an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the crowd, as it may be your final opportunity to connect with your top schools before they make a decision. Don’t be afraid to be yourself, and don’t hold back when speaking about how excited you are to attend the program. Admissions committees want to see enthusiasm, excitement, and dedication, so let your passion shine through.

Use your uniqueness to your advantage. If you’re funny, don’t be afraid to put a humorous spin on the letter—just keep the jokes clean and refrain from using any self-deprecating humor. Now is not the time to be modest. Just like you did with your personal statement , find a narrative that will help you stand out.

This could be your final chance to sell yourself to your top schools before they decide the future of your medical education. Save the last-ditch efforts for your letter of intent, but if you’ve received offers from other schools, you may want to mention it in your letter of interest. Highlight the fact that even though you’ve already been accepted to other schools, you’re still more interested in attending their specific program.

4 | Carefully Edit and Review

While a letter of interest can certainly improve your odds of acceptance, sending a poorly crafted, informal letter that’s rife with spelling and grammar mistakes is a surefire way to ensure rejection. Proofread your letters of interest carefully. Utilize editing apps like Grammarly and Hemingway Editor , but don’t rely on these alone, as spelling and grammar bots lack a human being’s understanding of context.

As you’re reviewing, watch out for any generic language that doesn’t convey anything new or useful or doesn’t specifically relate to the program. Ask trusted friends, family members, or mentors to review your letters, and make sure your reviewers understand they need to be as harsh as possible—because the admissions committee certainly will be.

Medical School Letter of Interest FAQs

How many schools can i send letters of interest to.

You can send a letter of interest to as many schools as you applied to, but it could be difficult to deeply research so many different programs. Sending a generic or rushed letter of interest is worse than sending no letter at all.

However many letters of interest you choose to send, make sure that each one is a quality letter that includes the elements we outlined above.

Can I Send a Second Letter of Interest to the Same School?

Yes, you can send multiple letters of interest to the same program, but it is not required. You might send a second letter of interest if a significant amount of time has passed without receiving any reply to your first letter.

You might also send a second letter if there have been any important updates to your academic or clinical experiences or any changes to your qualifications that could make you a more appealing candidate. Or, you might send a second letter of interest if you have been placed on the waiting list and haven’t received any update to your status.

Can You Send a Medical School Letter of Interest Before Interviews Begin?

Yes, you can send a letter of interest before interviews begin, but not before submitting both your primary and secondary applications. If it’s been a month or two since you submitted your secondary application and you haven’t heard anything or have been waitlisted for the program, it’s a good idea to send a letter of interest to remind the admissions committee of your candidacy, enthusiasm, and qualifications.

How Long Should a Letter of Interest Be?

A letter of interest should be no longer than one page, with one-inch margins, and written with 11-point font or higher. Keep in mind that admissions committees have to read thousands of these kinds of letters and essays, so the more concise and unique you can make yours, the better.

Maximize Your Impact

Med School Insiders offers thorough and effective editing and advising services to maximize the impact of your letters of interest and letter of intent. We’ll help you make all of the right decisions to reach your full potential.

Learn more about our suite of services designed to get you accepted at your ideal medical schools.

Med School Insiders

Medical School Waitlist FAQ — 18 Questions Answered

Get the answers to 18 medical school waitlist FAQs, including questions about the waitlist procedure, how to get off waitlists, and what to do while you wait.

How to Get Off Medical School Waitlists — 7 Strategies

You’ve prepared a stellar medical school application—you received a decent MCAT score, your personal statement has a strong narrative, you’ve acquired great letters of recommendation,

5 Tips for Writing a Letter of Intent

A carefully crafted letter of intent can maximize your chances of acceptance. Read our five tips for writing an impactful letter of intent for medical school.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

How to Write a Med School Update Letter That Actually Works

“Sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing.”

Years ago, I had a student open his personal statement with this line, and it has always stuck with me (kudos to him).

It certainly applies to the waiting game period – the span of several months when pre-meds have already turned in secondaries or gone to interviews, and now all they can do is hope, pray, and stew in their feelings of self-consciousness.

Pre-meds are not very good at sitting around idly and waiting. I think that’s why they’re so drawn to the idea of update letters. They want to do everything in their power to help their situation.

But how effective are update letters, really?

That’s a hard question to answer. But I can say that every letter, regardless of its quality, serves at least one important function: it reminds the schools that you exist and that you’re interested. However, you’re a Savvy pre-med, so let’s try to push beyond what’s standard and acceptable.

How can you write an update letter that actually works? Or in other words, how do you write an update letter that actually gets you a second look, an interview, or maybe even that bump off the waitlist?  

*PLEASE NOTE – some schools don’t accept update letters, so make sure you understand each school’s rules before you take action! Don’t piss off your admissions readers before they even hear your message.

Let’s start by looking at an example of a pretty average (not terrible ) example of an update letter:

Average Example:

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Joe Pre-med, and I am a current applicant for XYZ School of Medicine’s class of 2024. Since several months have passed without any news from your admissions office, I wanted to reach out to provide an update on my activities and express how great of a fit I’d be for your incoming class.

Since submitting my secondary application on the first possible day (7/3/2019), I have remained avid in improving my candidacy. I have continued my job as Chief Scribe, where I train younger inexperienced scribes and serve as the catalyst that holds our clinical workflow together. At times, I’ve pointed out key information about patients and their histories that the physicians had overlooked. I feel like this job is giving me a full and accurate look into what my future career will entail, and I’m happy to be getting a valuable headstart that will separate me from my cohort in medical school.

Outside of scribing, I’ve been training for two boundary-pushing physical challenges: a full marathon and a bodybuilding competition. While working with my friend who is a personal trainer, I have been cutting seconds and cutting fat every day. I’ve always been a natural athlete, but these endeavors are testing my limits and elevating me to a new level.

Lastly, I’m currently planning a detailed sailing adventure with my friends, where we’ll be taking a rented boat from Catalina Island all the way up to Portland, with several ports along the way. This will be a great way to escape from all the stress of applications while also testing our self-sufficiency and seafaring abilities. We’ve already started a social media page for our trip, @___________, where we’ll be recording our voyage and making connections with people at different ports. It’s going to be awesome, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it at an interview!

Hope to hear from you soon, especially since I’ve heard that your school tends to send out its second wave of II’s around this time! If you grant me one of these spots, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Very excited to finally meet you,

Joe Pre-med

AMCAS ID: 123456789

Revising Your Med School Update Letter

Before we get started, go ahead and make a short list of things you might want to correct about the average example.

Done? Here’s what I came up with:

* the tone is arrogant and lacks self-awareness

* there isn’t very much “trackable progress”

* there is no connection to the school itself

These three bullet points will guide our revision of the letter, but let’s break down the average example piece by piece:

The Salutation:

In my opinion, using “To Whom It May Concern” is never a great idea. Yes, you don’t know exactly who will be reading it, but putting something like “Dear XYZ School of Medicine Admissions Committee” looks and sounds a lot better.

The Intro and Conclusion:

Avoid comments about the school’s admissions timetable:

“Since several months have passed without any news from your admissions office…”

“Hope to hear from you soon, especially since I’ve heard that your school tends to send out its second wave of II’s around this time!” These sentences don’t help your case at all; they convey that you’re “playing the admissions game” rather than showing genuine attraction to the school.  

Be humble and polite:

“…how great of a fit I’d be for your incoming class.”

“…I can’t wait to tell you all about it at an interview!”

“If you grant me one of these spots, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!”

It’s good to be confident, but not at the expense of decorum or courtesy. Some letters sound like they’re desperately groveling, which isn’t good either, but you can’t risk any tones of entitlement or self-aggrandizing.

Include something personal about the school:

The more specific, the better. Maybe you read about them in the news, or really liked one of the sample student research projects on their website. It’s nice if you can include some small personal note as part of the impetus behind the letter. If you can personalize it right away, they’re far more likely to finish reading it.

See the example below for reference.

The Body Paragraphs:

Don’t try to impress; show your value to others:

Read the Chief Scribe paragraph again – does it sound like someone you’d want to work with? Sure, he’s in charge of training people and he’s giving doctors important information, but it screams of insecure self-importance.

Cut down on the personal endeavors or hobbies:

It’s great that he’s running a marathon, and the bodybuilding competition and sailing trip could actually stand out as unusual gap year activities. BUT they take up WAY too much space, and they’re given exaggerated importance. They’d actually have more power if they were kept to a line or two.

Show your trackable progress:

Most things in the current letter are either continuations or plans. It’s better if you can show an “after picture” of something you brought up in your application – an event you organized, a publication, a completed project – anything to show your follow through and ability to leave things better than you found them.

Connect your gap year activities to the school’s mission/opportunities:

Right now, for the most part, this letter could be sent to all schools without making changes, which is a bad sign. Yes, you can template your update letter from school to school, but you MUST distinguish the school’s program and show your “fit.”

Strong Example of a Med School Update Letter That Actually Works

Dear XYZ School of Medicine Admissions Committee,

My name is Joe Pre-med, and I am a current applicant for XYZ School of Medicine’s class of 2024. Yesterday I read an exciting news article about the breakthrough CRISPR research going on at XYZ. As someone who’s been involved in genetics research, this gave me yet another reason to be excited about your program. I’m sure your office is incredibly busy this time of the year, but I wanted to provide an update on my activities and express my continued interest in your school. .

Since submitting my secondary application in July, I have continued my job as Chief Scribe, where I train younger scribes and coordinate with staff members to improve clinical workflow. With permission from the hospital, I altered our training program to ensure that new scribes were prepared for different providers’ preferences, while also establishing small informal workshops where we review documentation for hypothetical complex cases. This job is honing my leadership, communication, teamwork, and conscientiousness as a co-worker and future provider. Many of our patients are low-income or underserved, giving me a deeper appreciation for XYZ School of Medicine’s commitment to social justice and health equity.  

Outside of scribing, I’ve been training for a full marathon and a bodybuilding competition, while also planning a sailing trip with my friends from Catalina Island to Portland. These were all personal milestones that I didn’t have enough time for during my undergraduate years, so it’s exciting to be taking action and actualizing these goals in my time before matriculation. I believe these activities are strengthening my discipline, self-sufficiency, and sense of follow-through, all important traits for a medical student and doctor.  

The more I learn about XYZ, the more excited I become by the prospect of potentially interviewing and joining such an amazing program. As mentioned earlier, my past genetics research aligns with some of the pioneering studies taking place at XYZ, and it’d be thrilling to build off my past work among such brilliant faculty and like-minded scholars. Based on my time as Chief Scribe in an underserved clinic, I would love to get involved in your student-run free clinics and take part in your outreach programs that revolve around education and prevention for populations with cost restrictions. Many of our patients have mental health or addiction problems, which are also common problems in the areas surrounding XYZ. In the future, I’d love to collaborate with my cohort of medical school classmates to establish needle exchanges and other social services. Overall, I feel like XYZ is a community where I could thrive and make meaningful contributions on multiple levels.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter. I really appreciate your continued consideration of my candidacy. Please let me know if I could provide any further information. I hope to have the chance to share more about my experiences.

Kind regards,

To re-cap, here are the qualities of strong update letters:

* creates a personalized narrative, cannot be used verbatim for another school

* shows knowledge of the school right away

* maintains humble tone with no hints of entitlement or expectations

* includes your “trackable progress” of accomplishments and improvement

* makes connections to the school’s mission and opportunities

Keep these points in mind, and you won’t go astray! Hopefully it’s the right combination to get you noticed!

What this guide helpful? Do you have any other questions about update letters? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll respond to you personally!

Upcoming Online Classes

All work on this site is our own. The content for the Savvy med school search was found on the webpages of the respective medical schools.

Medical School Update Letter & Medical School Letter of Interest: What, How, Why, When

• Cracking Med School Admissions Team

The medical school interview season is well underway, and many of you may be in the position of balancing interview invites in the midst of your busy day-to-day life. However, if you still haven’t heard back from your top medical schools — or any medical schools —fear not! Good things come to those who wait…right?  Good things come to those who wait, but good outcomes happen to those who hustle . And if you want to do anything and everything you can to get an interview offer at your favorite medical school, then you can consider sending a medical school update letter and medical school letter of interest . Later in the medical school application cycle, after your med school interviews, you might be wondering if there’s anything else you can do to get an acceptance?  One common tip we give our mentees is to send their top school a medical school letter of intent . Note that letters of intent are different from medical school update letters.

However, we want to stress that it’s important to be strategic and make sure you send update letters and letters of interest at the right time. The most common mistake medical school applications make is to send an update letter for medical school too early. Read more below about when to send your med school update letters and med school letter of interest. 

In this blog post, we will go over:

• What is a medical school update letter, a medical school letter of interest, and a medical school letter of intent
• How to write a medical school update letter – worthy updates vs. unworthy updates  
• How to write a letter of interest to medical schools
• Medical school update letter + medical school letter of interest EXAMPLE
• When should you send your medical school update letters and letters of interest? How about letters of intent?
• Update letter and Letter of Interest format 

Download our sample Medical School Update Letter example here . 

Read more to make sure you are sending QUALITY med school update letters at the correct, strategic times of the application cycle. We will be focusing on how to write a STRONG update letter to medical school.

What are Medical School update letters and Letters of Interest?

What is a medical school update letter vs. medical school letter of interest vs. medical school letter of intent what’s the difference.

In brief, a medical school update letter and medical school letter of intent are short letters of correspondence, usually less than one page in length, that are addressed to the Dean/Director of admissions or the admissions committee. The key distinction between update letters and LOIs are that:

• Update letters disclose updates on achievements, awards, and endeavors to the admissions committee, whereas
• A letter of interest or a letter of intent (LOIs) reaffirm and strengthen your interest in the school. These letters should explain why you want an interview or acceptance at that particular medical school. They are almost like a “Why this medical school” essay.
• However, a medical school letter of intent specifically tells the medical school that it is your #1 choice AND that you will matriculate to the medical school if accepted. Hence, you have the “intention” of matriculating to the medical school if you are accepted. 

Do not get bogged down between the differences of med school update letters, med school letters of interest, and med school letters of intent. There is no distinct line that separates the three letters, and the content in both of these letters can be similar. In fact, it is perfectly fine to write a letter that incorporates updates on your application AND your interests of going to that specific medical school. Typically, we advise students to do a hybrid letter of interest / update letter. The key factor is whether you have notable things to update.

Get our proven update letter Examples

Get off the waitlist today!

How To Write A Medical School Update Letter

Noteworthy Updates:

Information in update letters should be noteworthy updates that you have not yet written about in your medical school applications, including your primary application or secondary essays. Meaningful updates include: 

• Job promotions
• Research publication acceptances
• Poster presentations not previously mentioned in your AMCAS or AACOMAS
• Leadership positions or milestones
• Extracurricular activity milestones. For example, you organized a health fair on your college campus.
• Expansion of extracurricular activities.  For instance, you expanded the after school program you do tutoring at from 2 middle schools to 4 middle schools. 

It is important that these updates are all new and you have not mentioned them in your AMCAS application or secondary application.

Unworthy Updates:

• MCAT Scores – these are automatically sent to AMCAS, which distributes it to the medical schools. Unnecessary to mention in the update letter, UNLESS you have taken the MCAT a second time and there is drastic improvement between the scores.
• Grades from ongoing courses – As with above, this is not worth mentioning UNLESS it portrays a drastic improvement in your GPA.
• Minor changes in your research or job. 
• Starting a new job.
• Weak updates from your extra-curricular activities.

Why are medical school update letters useful?

A medical school update letter is an extra bit of you for the admissions committee to read and learn about. A medical school update letter or  medical school letter of intent  gets added to your file, and many (but not all) schools will re-examine your application upon receipt of these documents. As such, they should be written with the same level of care and formality that you would use in a personal statement or secondary essay.

Not all applicants send a medical school update letter.  In fact, a majority of applicants do not send the med school admissions committees an update letter. But if you do, it demonstrates a measure of persistence on your part, a proactive element in which you are putting the extra effort to make sure your application is getting in the door. Granted, there’s a risky line between persistent and pestering. So, use your best judgment.  

If you have questions about writing medical school update letters, including whether you should send them or not, contact our Cracking Med School Admissions advisers at [email protected] .

Send a medical school update letter or medical school letter of intent to deepen your narrative as a candidate . Your accomplishments should back up your attributes in leadership, persistence, or innovation. Did you get a job promotion with more responsibilities? Highlight that in the letter, and tie it back to the school and why you would be a great fit. Were you invited to a research conference to present your findings? Disclose it, along with your enthusiasm to bring that energy to the school. Did your transcripts from your supplementary courses return with high grades? Write about how this is a byproduct of your persistence to excel, in spite of poor grades in the past.

If your medical school update letter can further add to who you are, what you offer, and what you will bring to the school, then it will be noticed, and it will improve your chances of hearing back from the school.

Download a medical school update letter example below. 

How To Write A Letter of Interest to Medical Schools

What is a letter of interest for medical school.

A medical school letter of intent and medical school letter of interest explains WHY you want to go to that medical school. When the admissions committee reads your letter, they need to be convinced that you will thrive at the medical school and take advantage of all the medical school’s resources! Out of all prospective students, why should the committee admit you to its medical program?

Convince the school that you want to go there by writing strong, specific reasons you want to attend

This is going to be very important – we commonly read first drafts of medical school letter of interests that are weak. Why? The letters of interest  are not specific enough . 

So, how do you write a more convincing medical school letter of interest and medical school letter of intent? Give specific professors you want to work with, classes you want to take, and activities you want to pursue. Talk about how the mission of the school is aligned with your interests and how you are a great fit for the medical school’s culture.

The approach to write strong letters of interest is similar to writing strong supplemental application essays in your secondaries.

Read our Cracking Med School Admissions team’s blog posts and examples how to write a strong “ why this medical school ” paragraph using these resources, including sample paragraphs.

• 3 examples of different applicants and “why this medical school.”
• How to answer “Why this medical school?” and how to answer it well

Download a medical school letter of interest example .

Are you on the medical school admissions wait list of waiting for an interview? 

GET HELP WITH YOUR UPDATE LETTER​

Update Letter & Letter of Intent Edits

Our team will help you:.

• Brainstorm content of our update letter
• Edit your update letter
• Use our formatting expertise so your accomplishments and letter will stand out

We have gotten people accepted off the wait list. Your acceptance can be just one letter away…

Medical School Update Letter Example & Medical School Letter of Interest Example

When Should I Send My Medical School Update Letter & Letter of Interest?

One way med school update letters, letters of interest, and letters of intent is the timing of sending them.

Medical school update letters and medical school letters of intent are best optimized if sent around the following timeline:

• Starting mid-November. For medical schools you really want to attend, but you haven’t heard back for an interview
• 1-2 weeks after you’ve been placed on hold for interview at the school.
• 1 month after you’ve interviewed at the school but have not yet received a decision.
• After you’ve received a waitlist decision from the school. The optimal timing to send an update letter is a case-by-case basis based on: the specific medical school that put you on a waitlist and when you interviewed.  Contact us if you are in this boat, and we can help you strategize when to send a medical school update letter or medical school letter of intent.

Over the past few years, our rule of thumb for sending updates letters to medical schools has been this: the optimal timing for sending med school update letters is on a case-by-case basis.

There are NO strict deadlines or number of weeks after secondaries that you should be sending update letters. Nevertheless, the most common question we get from medical school applicants is, “when should I send my update letter to medical schools?” So, we’ve come up with general guidelines. Again, if you have any questions about when you should send your med school update letters, feel free to contact us . 

Medical school applicants get nervous while waiting in the applicant cycle. So, starting in October, we start receiving questions about update letters. Which brings us to another common question:

When is it appropriate to send an update earlier than November?

Remember, you do not want to be a nuisance to the admissions committee. 

Here are times when we thought it was appropriate to send an update letter. We want to stress that it’s all about the context and timing, so if you have questions about your case, please email us at [email protected]. 

• A major life event or disaster that may affect the dates you are available for an interview. For example, some students in the past have had to travel abroad to visit a sick grandparent during interview season. 
• Awarded a prestigious award, such as a Fulbright, Marshall, or Rhodes Scholarship.
• First-author publication in a major journal or a feature in a major newspaper, such as the  New York Times . 
• A new, much higher MCAT score.
• When you think the update will significantly improve your application.

Download our sample medical school update letter. 

Can you send a medical school letter of interest before interviews?

If you are still waiting for an interview invite from a medical school, then you can definitely send an update letter  if you have significant updates. You can send a medical school letter of interest to medical schools you are waiting to hear back from, but like we stated above in the timeline, the earliest we would send pre-interview invitation letters of interest to medical schools is mid-November.

We do not recommend sending a medical school letter of interest if you already received a med school interview invite and you have not completed your interview yet.

Should you send a medical school letter of interest after you interview?

Yes! We encourage students to send a med school letter of interest to medical schools they’ve already interviewed, especially if the admissions office says that they would like to “keep in touch” during the interview day. Make sure that the medical school accepts letters of interest.

There are certain schools that only want BIG update (i.e. international fellowship awards, new publications) or letters of intent. Contact us if you have questions on whether you should send medical school letters of interest.

How to send a medical school update letter and medical school letter of interest

How to send updates & interest letters to medical school.

Your correspondence with the admissions committee should look like and sound like a formal letter . 

• Address the letter to the Admissions Committee or Dean of Admissions. Look up online or call ahead to inquire the name of the medical school dean, director, or admissions coordinator. Then, address your update letter specifically to that person. It will show that you’ve gone the extra mile than just addressing the letter to “Admissions Committee” or “To Whom It May Concern.” Be polite and cordial: each medical school has a point of contact for all admissions inquiries, and if you are crafting a letter of intent to your top school, being warm and affable will make a positive difference. And everyone in admissions talks! Your attitude—both good and bad—will be noticed.
• Make sure to add your name + AAMC ID in the first paragraph of the med school update letter and med school letter of interest. The reader should not wait until the end in your signature to see who is sending the letter! 
• If you already interviewed at the medical school, write the date of your interview

We often get requests from applicants about how to write an update letter for medical school.  You can download a template of a medical school letter of interest and medical school letter of intent here .  Our Cracking Med School Admissions team can help you with edits !

Should I send separate med school update letters and letters of intent?

We suggest sending a single letter that includes both your updates (if you have any) and letter of intent. 

You do not want to send too many update letters, and as we stated earlier, we typically suggest students only sending 1 letter throughout the application cycle. 

How to send a medical school update letter

We advise students to send their letters of interest to medical schools via email. Sometimes, there is an “upload” button for extra documents in the school’s application portal. Most of the time, students email their update letters to the admissions office and the Medical School Dean of Admissions (if email address is available). 

KEY TIP: Before you send a medical school update letter or medical school letter of interest, do your homework.

Make sure you are allowed to send additional materials: .

• Some medical schools explicitly note that they do not want medical school update letters, medical school letters of interest, or additional materials. If that is the case, DO NOT send them any additional materials. These policies are pretty strict, and rather than viewing your letter as the exception, the committee might perceive it in a negative light.
• While the general framework for the medical school update letters can be used for multiple schools, make sure that each letter is tailored specifically to each school. If the school can tell you have been copying and pasting the letter of interest but changing the school’s name, this is an indicator that your medical school letter of interest is not strong enough.

Timing of Letter of Interest to Medical Schools

Timing and frequency of sending continued letters of interest go medical schools is important. Read our entire section on when to update letters to medical school.

Contact Us. We're Excited to Help!

• Leave Us a Message or Question!

Start typing and press enter to search

Applying to Medical School

When do students take the mcat.

The timing in which you take the MCAT is dependent upon your timeline for applying to medical school. Your advisor can help you get a better idea of when you should plan to complete the MCAT based on your individual goals. For students looking to matriculate straight into medical school after graduating from Northwestern, this typically means taking the MCAT during spring quarter of junior year at the latest. Those looking to take one or more gap/bridge years will have more flexibility with their MCAT timing.

When should I start studying for the MCAT?

Application timeline, when should i apply to medical schools, how do i decide what schools to apply to.

HPA recommends getting access to the   AAMC Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) database   in the winter of the year you intend to apply to med school .

• The MSAR is updated every spring and provides information and data of each medical school.
• Applicants may also use the 3 year acceptance/matriculate handout to see medical schools by region and get a sense of where NU applicants have been accepted and matriculated over the past 3 cycles.
• Applicants should also note in-state preferences, GPA and MCAT ranges and aspects of each med school.
• Beyond using geography and GPA/MCAT ranges to choose a school, they should also be able to articulate why they are choosing to apply to that school (a common secondary and/or interview question).
• Please also ask your health professions advisor for a Selecting Medical Schools handout. 

Do most students take a gap/bridge year?

Letters of recommendation, does northwestern offer a committee letter, when do i need letters of recommendation, who should write letters of recommendation.

First, review the requirements for letters for each school you’re interested in or planning to apply to. How many letters are required and who should they come from? Letters from faculty (STEM or non-STEM), physicians, PI’s, supervisors, etc. are frequently permitted/required from medical schools.

Ideally, those writing letters for you will know you well enough to write a strong letter. However, letters shouldn’t come from family members. The same can be said for family friends unless you worked for that individual or you have a professional relationship that they can speak to in a letter.

What should I provide my letter writers?

• Updated resume. See Northwestern   Career Advancement   (NCA) for a resume review.
• Personal statement
• The AAMC Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Evaluation
• A Thank You for supporting you

LGBTQ Student Applications

Should i be "out" on my application.

It is entirely your decision whether or not to share your sexual orientation or gender identity on your medical school application. Additionally, there is no right or wrong answer. This should be a personal decision that you feel good about.

If you decide to be “out” on your application, it is also up to you just how out you want to be. Some applicants may decide to check a box (if offered) on a secondary application indicating an LGBTQ identity and say nothing more about it. Other applicants may decide to share their identity as part of their narrative in a personal statement. Still others may share their identities as part of an extracurricular description. Be as out as you are comfortable being on your application, and if you are not sure how out you want to be, seek out a trusted advisor or mentor to discuss your decision.

If you decide to share your LGBTQ identity prominently on your application, it can be advantageous to demonstrate clearly to medical schools how your identity and the perspective you have gained from it will contribute to their diverse medical community.

Questions you might consider or discuss with an advisor include “What is the relevance or significance of your identity to the overall story you are trying to tell on your application?” and “What is your comfort level discussing your sexual orientation or gender identity with an interviewer in the event it comes up?” Remember: Anything on your primary or secondary applications is fair game for interview discussion (if the school makes your application available to interviewers).

Some LGBTQ applicants decide not to share their identities on primary applications, which are sent to all the medical schools to which they choose to apply, and then selectively share their identities to certain schools they trust with that information on secondary application, which are only sent to the specific school that provided it.

Note:   It is inappropriate for a medical school interviewer to ask you your sexual orientation or gender identity if you have not disclosed it.

If I decide to be "out," how should I share my identity during application?

There are several ways you might share your identity during the application process, should you choose to do so. There is no single approach that will work for everyone, and your approach should be one with which you feel comfortable. A few examples:

• “Check box”   – The AMCAS and AACOMAS primary applications currently provide an optional space to share gender identity and personal pronouns (but not sexual orientation) by simply checking a box. Some schools’ secondary applications offer a similar space to optionally share an LGBTQ identity. It is OK to do this without discussing your identity further.
• Personal Statement   – You may discuss, be it briefly or at more length, your identity in your personal statement, particularly if your identity is relevant to your decision to pursue a career in medicine. Perhaps you want to serve the LGBTQ community as a medical professional. Or maybe an experience related to your identity motivated you to pursue medicine.
• Work & Activities   – Some applicants may discuss an LGBTQ identity in relation to an extracurricular activity, such as volunteering or a student organization. Other applicants may be more comfortable simply listing involvement with an LGBTQ-related organization without discussing their own identity.
• Secondary Application Essay   – Many schools ask applicants on their secondary applications how they would contribute to the institution’s diversity. Some applicants take this opportunity to discuss their identity and related experiences, often after having not shared their identity on the primary application (if you have already written about your identity on the primary, only do so again here if you have additional context or something new to add). Other secondary essay questions (such as describing a challenge you have overcome) may present opportunities to share identity as well. Secondary applications also often include open-ended questions like “Is there anything else you want to discuss or would like the committee to know?”
• Interview   – Some applicants wait until the interview phase to discuss an LGBTQ identity, after they have had the chance to learn more about the school and get an in-person sense of how welcoming the school might be to LGBTQ students.

If you share your identity in one of these written forms, consider having a friend or advisor read what you have written. Ideally, this person would already understand your motivation for coming out on the application and focus on language and tone.

Does my identity have to be related to my decision to pursue a career in medicine for me to share it on my application?

If i decide to share my identity on my application, how will schools use that information.

How a school uses the information you share about your identities will vary. Some schools are restricted by law to not include identity (particularly race and ethnicity) in their considerations. Others may limit their considerations of identity in the admissions process to race and ethnicity as they work to craft a diverse class of students. Further, some schools take a broad approach to diversity and will consider LGBTQ representation an important component of a diverse medical school class. A   2013 study examined   how some U.S. medical schools approach definitions of diversity in admissions and programming.

Some schools will use LGBTQ identity disclosures to connect applicants with opportunities at their institution, including the chance to meet with or talk to current LGBTQ students, the chance to interview with a similarly identified faculty member, or an invitation to a diversity event during interview day.

If your identity has played a role in your overall narrative or trajectory and you choose to share it, schools may consider that identity as part of their holistic review the same way they might consider the role race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, life experiences, and other aspect contribute to an applicants’ journey to the point of application.

Are LGBTQ applicants considered underrepresented minorities or underrepresented in medicine?

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)   currently defines underrepresented in medicine   as “those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population .”   Thus, by definition, LGBTQ applicants are not considered underrepresented in medicine by the AAMC. However, some medical schools adhere to their own institutional definitions. A   2013 study showed   about one-third of participating institutions considered diversity factors beyond the AAMC’s definition.

A small number of schools,   including the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, publicly state sexual and gender minorities are considered underrepresented in medicine by the institution.

The AAMC also   does not currently consider   LGBTQ applicants underrepresented minorities for the purposes of admissions. Again, individual schools may take a different approach, even if they do not say so publicly.

Could I be discriminated against if I am “out” on my application?

While the vast majority of U.S. medical schools have a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity (and in some cases gender expression), some LGBTQ students still experience discrimination during the application process, be it directly or more subtly.

In a 2019, Northwestern IRB-approved study conducted by an HPA advisor (submitted for publication), 9.5 percent of respondents said they had experienced discrimination while applying to medical school. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) also shows a small percentage of graduating medical students   report discriminatory experiences   based on sexual orientation or gender.

In rare instances, LGBTQ applicants may face overt discrimination, such as intrusive or inappropriate interview questions. More often, LGBTQ students report facing subtle discrimination, such as heteronormative or cis-normative interview questions or a lack of gender-neutral facilities.

Some students see being out on their application as a way to determine if they would feel safe and supported at a school. If a school were to discriminate based on an LGBTQ identity, it is not likely a place an LGBTQ student would feel comfortable and happy learning.

The bottom line: Though it is prohibited and not common, discrimination on the basis of LGBTQ identities still occurs, just as it does on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, disability, and other attributes. Consider how you might handle an instance of discrimination, both in the moment and after the fact. Being prepared will help you handle discrimination if you encounter it.

What do I do if I feel I have been discriminated against? / How do I report discrimination I have experienced during application?

If you feel like you have experienced discrimination or bias, you have a right and a responsibility to report it. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), medical schools are responsible for establishing procedures by which applicants can report discrimination confidentially, and those procedures should be shared with applicants prior to interviews. The AAMC offers more insight on this, as well as examples of inappropriate interview questions and ways you might want to respond .

If a medical school did not share its confidential reporting procedures with you, the AAMC recommends reporting the incident to an admissions officer during the interview day, if possible, or afterward by email. Further, the AAMC also says   you have a right to request another interview   in order to receive an unbiased evaluation of your candidacy.

If you are concerned about reporting an incident of discrimination or bias, particularly if a school does not have a confidential process, consult with a trusted advisor or mentor on your options for what to do next. While some students may choose not to report incidents out of fear it will have a negative impact on their application, doing so helps schools address problems and prevent future incidents for other applicants.

What resources are available to me as an LGBTQ applicant?

As you go through the application process, there are several resources that may be helpful. Consider the following:

• Out Lists   –   Some medical schools   have an “Out List,” a publicly available and voluntary listing of LGBTQ-identified faculty, staff, and students that have chosen to make themselves available as a resource to applicants, students, and community members. These individuals will likely be able to provide good insight from an LGBTQ perspective about their medical school. Some schools may also have an “Ally List” of self-identified LGBTQ allies. Look for these on medical schools’ websites or doing a search with a school’s name + “Out List.”
• Student Groups   – Most medical schools have an on-campus LGBTQ student affinity group. Reaching out to the leaders of these groups could be another way to get a similarly-identified student’s perspective on the medical school’s culture, inclusiveness, and your fit.
• Interview Day Hosts   – For students with an interview offer, many schools provide the opportunity to stay with a current medical student during your interview visit. When offering this opportunity, some schools will ask applicants if they would like to be hosted by a similarly-identified student. If a school where you are interviewing offers the chance to stay with an LGBTQ student, this could be another chance to get relevant perspective.
• Diversity & Inclusion Offices   – Medical schools increasingly have an office within them dedicated to diversity and inclusion. These offices are a good place to look for programs, initiatives, and resources aimed at supporting LGBTQ students.
• Undergraduate Resources   – If your undergraduate institution has an office or an individual that works with LGBTQ students, they may be a good source of support as you navigate the medical school application process.
• For Northwestern students:   HPA is developing an alumni network of past LGBTQ applicants in medical school now that are willing to be a resource. Ask your advisor about this!
• National Organizations   – Professional and student organizations like the   American Medical Student Association   (AMSA) and   GLMA   have resources oriented toward current LGBTQ medical students.
• HRC Healthcare Equality Index (HEI)   – The   Human Rights Campaign’s HEI   “evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of the LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.” Factors evaluated include patient and employee non-discrimination, visitation rights, training in LGBTQ patient centered care, and transgender inclusive health insurance.
• Point Foundation   – The   Point Foundation   “empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential,” and has provided   scholarships to LGBTQ medical students .  

How can I tell if a medical school will be supportive of my identity?

Give Feedback!

Bienvenue dans le nouveau site Web de l’EMNO. Même si nous sommes en train de créer un site complètement bilingue, veuillez noter que seulement certaines pages existent en français en ce moment.

Bien que le site Web de l'EMNO soit bilingue, offrant une version française et anglaise de chaque page, tous les cours et programmes offerts par l'EMNO sont enseignés uniquement en anglais.

• Expense Reimbursement
• myAssesments
• myCurriculum
• Resident On Call Claims
• Self-Service
• Colleague UI
• myAssessments
• Promo Item Catalogue
• Self-Service (WebAdvisor)
• ROMEO Research Portal
• Human Resources
• Archived Webcasts
• IT Helpdesk

• Accessibility
• Financial Assistance
• Tuition & Fees
• Addressing Learner Mistreatment
• Policies and Procedures
• MD Program Accreditation
• Postgraduate Education Office
• Resources for New Residents
• Policies, Procedures & Forms
• Goals & Objectives
• Resident Wellness
• How to Apply & FAQs
• Clinical Fellowships
• PGME Program Accreditation
• News & Events
• Application Streams
• Application Information
• Preceptor Handbook
• Learner Handbook
• Annual Preceptor Awards
• Clinical Job Postings
• Become a Preceptor
• Alumni Stories
• Summer Student Jobs
• Upcoming CPD Events
• Accredit Your Program
• Program Development Toolbox
• Event Management Services
• About Dietetic Practicum Program
• Become a Registered Dietitian
• Resources for Current Learners
• Dietetic Preceptors
• Spotlight on Dietetic Alumni
• Contact Dietetic Practicum Program
• Clinical Electives Catalogue
• For Communities
• For Applicants
• Accreditation
• Master of Medical Studies
• Physician Assistant Program
• Become a Standardized Patient
• Book a Standardized Patient
• Information for Current Standardized Patients
• Rural Generalist Pathway
• Funding and Awards
• ROMEO Research Resources
• Northern Health Research Conference
• Research Newsletter
• Research Gatherings
• Health Research Town Hall
• Indigenous Health Research
• Research Chairs
• Dr. Gilles Arcand Centre for Health Equity
• NOSM University Research Toward Health Hub (NORTHH)
• Medical Education Research Lab in the North (MERLIN)
• Research Homepage
• Research Ethics/ Animal Care
• NOSM Laboratory Facilities
• Health Research Partners
• Spotlight on Research
• Indigenous Applicants
• Youth Initiatives
• Stories & Inspiration
• Indigenous Affairs Office
• Commitees, Community Relations and Partnerships
• Indigenous Community Partnerships and Community Profiles
• Territory Acknowledgement
• History, Vision, and Goals
• Resources and Reports
• French Language Communications
• Francophone Reference Group
• Francophone Symposia
• Community Consultation (2009)
• Francophone health
• Francophone Features
• Visit NOSM University
• Community Profiles
• Interactive Indigenous Community Map
• Northern Ontario Physician Workforce Data
• Addressing the Gaps
• Join the conversation
• Academic Health Sciences Centres
• Host Universities
• Hospital Partners
• Local NOSM Groups
• High School Students
• University Students
• Military Medical Training Program (MMTP) & Medical Officer Training Plan (MOTP)
• International Global Health Partnerships
• Global Health Engagement Hub
• NOSM University Student Council
• Conferences
• Northern Ontario Summer Studentship Program
• Alumni Benefits
• Alumni Awards
• NOSM University Frames
• Order Transcripts
• Joint and Stipendiary Faculty Promotion Application
• Faculty Handbook
• Awards of Excellence and Scholarship
• Division Head / Section Chairs
• Faculty Listings
• Opportunities
• Appointment Application Information
• Coaching and Mentoring in Northern Ontario (CAMINO)
• Faculty Publications
• Faculty Listings & Biographies
• Appointment Application Information HS
• Faculty Biographies
• Appointment Application Information MS
• How to donate
• Contact Advancement Office
• Vision, Mission, and Values
• The NOSM Challenge: Strategic Plan 2025
• Our Visual Identity
• Compliance, Policies and Resources
• Office of the President, Vice Chancellor, Dean and CEO
• Executive Group
• Office of the Provost and Vice President, Academic
• Office of the Vice President, Administration and Chief Operating Officer
• Office of External Relations
• Facilities Services
• Information Technology
• Board of Governors
• Media Portal
• Archived Media Releases
• President's Report & Strategic Plan Status
• Inclusiveness
• Social Accountability
• Learner Support
• The NOSM University Store
• Current Learners
• Future Learners

• Indigenous Admission Stream

Applicants applying through the Indigenous Admission Stream must meet the admission and application requirements outlined on the Application Information & Admission Requirements page  and submit all required application documentation for their application to be considered.

As a key to increasing the Indigenous physician workforce, NOSM University designates a minimum of six (6) seats each year to Indigenous students who have significant living experience and/or a cultural connection to Northern Ontario. This is an indication of our commitment to recruiting Indigenous students; however, this is a minimum, not the total number of Indigenous students that we will admit.

Persons who identify as Indigenous may choose one of the following options:

1. Self-identify as Indigenous and apply to the General Admission Stream only or 2. Apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream.

The Indigenous Admissions Subcommittee will review the stream-required documents for all applicants who apply through the Indigenous Admissions Stream, meet the minimum requirements, and provide all the required stream documentation. Applicants reviewed by the Indigenous Admissions Subcommittee may receive a higher context score.

Applicants who do not meet the requirements or do not submit all required documentation to support their application to the Indigenous Admission Stream will be considered through the General Admission Stream.

Applicants who want to self-identify but do not apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream are not required to submit any documentation and will not be considered for admission through the Indigenous Admission Stream.

Indigenous Admission Stream Requirements

Persons of Indigenous ancestry (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) who apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream must submit the following documentation:

Personal Letter

In the personal letter, applicants must tell the Indigenous Admissions Subcommittee about their background and their involvement with and contribution to their Indigenous community. The letter should include:

• Why the applicant would like to be considered as an applicant in the Indigenous Admission Stream
• Details about the applicant’s cultural and personal background. Applicants should provide specific information about their background and how they are involved with their Indigenous community. Indigenous communities could be First Nation, Métis, or Inuit, Treaty community or organizational affiliation, such as a Student Centre, Friendship Centre, or a Volunteer Organization that supports Indigenous people and communities.
• Examples of how they are culturally connected to their Indigenous community (activities, ceremonies, celebrations, traditions, language, etc.)

The letter must not be longer than one thousand (1,000) words.

Recommendation Letter

Applicants must provide a recommendation letter that attests to their connection to the Indigenous community. This letter can be provided by a diverse Indigenous community/organization. For instance, the letter could come from a First Nation Band Council, Métis Community Council, recognized Indigenous leader, community Elder, Indigenous academic scholar, school counsellor, or Indigenous organization.

The letter’s author should know about the applicant’s connection and contribution to the Indigenous community. Applicants should choose someone who knows them well and can speak to their community connection. If the Band/Community leadership does not know the applicant well, a Spiritual Leader/Elder/Senator might be more appropriate. The letter should not be from a family member.

In the letter, the author must include their:

• telephone number and
• email address.

the author must answer the following questions:

• What is your relationship to the applicant?
• In what capacity do you know the applicant?
• How many years have you known the applicant?
• Describe the activities supporting the applicant’s connection and involvement with the Indigenous community. The following details would support your letter: Nature of the activity, the frequency or the duration of said activity/activities.

NOTE: We will accept only one (1) letter of recommendation. Additional letters will not be considered.

Declaration of Ancestry Documentation

Provide documentation regarding First Nation (status and non-status), Inuit, Métis, Band Council, Tribal Council, Treaty, community, nation or organizational affiliation.

Photocopies should be clear, showing all information, and include the front and back of documents.

Acceptable documentation may include:

• A copy of a Status or Treaty card
• A copy of a Nunavut Trust Certificate card, roll number or any other proof accepted by Inuit communities
• A copy of a membership card in a Métis registry recognized by the Métis National Council (the Métis Nation of Ontario, Manitoba Métis Federation, Métis Nation – Saskatchewan, Métis Nation of Alberta and Métis Nation British Columbia)
• Proof that an ancestor’s name has been entered in the Indian Register according to the Indian Act, on the band list of an individual band or the Inuit roll
• Written confirmation of Indigenous ancestry from the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
• Written confirmation of membership in a band council that has its own membership code
• Other acceptable documentation

Applicants wishing to apply to the Indigenous Admission Stream must submit these three (3) required documents to OMSAS via Secure Applicant Messaging (SAM) by the application deadline .

Information regarding supports and resources available to Indigenous students at NOSM University can be found by visiting the Indigenous Medical Education webpage .

Admission Streams

• General Admission Stream
• Francophone Admission Stream
• Black Admission Stream
• Military Medical Training Program (MMTP) Stream

Innovative Education and Research for a Healthier North

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is a not-for-profit corporation which serves as the faculty of medicine for both Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury.