Guidelines and Guidance

The guidelines below may assist you in writing an effective letter and your letter will:

• be sent by us, at the applicant’s request, to professional programs to which the applicant is applying.
• remain strictly confidential. 

The most helpful letters…

• Provide an accurate assessment of the applicant’s suitability rather than advocate for them.
• Briefly explain the nature and duration of your relationship to the applicant and whether you are writing based on direct or indirect observations. 
• Provide comparison information that includes context, e.g. the comparison group and your rationale for the final comparison.
• Focus on the applicant rather than details about the course, lab, assignment, job or institution.
• Address some of the key areas of interest described below.
• Do NOT repeat information available within the application, e.g. grades, test scores, GPA, activities, unless you are providing context to help interpret them.

Key areas of interest

Unique contributions to the incoming class

• Obstacles that the applicant had to overcome and if applicable, how those obstacles led to new learning and growth.
• Diversity, broadly defined; background, attributes, experiences, etc.

Core competencies: identify how the applicant has or has not demonstrated any of these competencies important for future success.

• THINKING AND REASONING
• PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
• SCIENCE COMPETENCIES

For more guidelines and further details about the updated Pre-Med competencies, please review AAMC’s Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Evaluation.