Free Medical School Letter of Recommendation Template

When writing a medical school letter of recommendation, you should know whether it’s for an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) program.

This distinction will help you know what information to highlight about a candidate. It will also determine which application service you upload your letters to. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) uses the AMCAS for MD programs, and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) uses the AACOMAS for DO programs.

Below, we outline the steps for writing a letter of recommendation for medical school, focusing on the AAMC letter of recommendation guidelines. You can adapt the steps as needed if you’re supporting a candidate for a DO program.

Step 1 – Address the Reader

Start by addressing the reader. The AMCAS application service lets you choose which letters go to which schools, so you can be more specific in your salutation. The AACOMAS does not allow you to choose which letters go to which schools, so it is best to keep your letters more generic for DO applications.

Step 2 – Explain Your Purpose for Writing

Explain that you’re writing to recommend the applicant for admission into medical school. You can state the specific program or keep it vague by stating your endorsement for their admission into a DO or MD program.

Step 3 – State Your Relationship to the Applicant

Provide context for your relationship with the applicant. State the following details:

• Your title
• The amount of time you’ve engaged with the applicant
• The general setting of your relationship

These details help explain why you’re qualified to make the recommendation. They also reveal the experience you’ve had seeing the applicant perform in school or work in a clinical setting.

Step 4 – Discuss the Applicant’s Competencies

Medical school admission committees want to know about an applicant’s competencies. The AAMC highlights 17 competencies, divided into three categories:

• Professional Competencies:
  • Commitment to Learning and Growth
  • Cultural Awareness
  • Cultural Humility
  • Empathy and Compassion
  • Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Oral Communication
  • Reliability and Dependability
  • Resilience and Adaptability
  • Service Orientation
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
• Thinking and Reasoning Competencies:
  • Critical Thinking
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Scientific Inquiry
  • Written Communication
• Science Competencies:
  • Human Behavior
  • Living Systems

Focus on two of these key competencies in your letter to keep it concise. Provide real-life examples to support the competencies you’re endorsing.

Avoid focusing on GPA or MCAT scores, as the admissions committee can easily refer to these documents. Instead, concentrate on applicant behaviors you’ve observed directly.

Step 5 – Clarify Your Endorsement

Conclude your letter by reiterating your endorsement. Proclaim that you’re confident that the applicant will perform well in the medical field. List your contact information so the admissions committee can reach out to you for more details.

Consider having the applicant waive their right to read the letter before submission, as this can increase its credibility.

Explore two examples of medical school letters of recommendation from two different writers:

Example 1: From a Science Professor

Here’s an example of a reference letter from a science professor who engaged closely with the applicant:

Dr. Laura M. Chen
Department of Biological Sciences, Greenfield University
2100 Westfield Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27606
[email protected]

October 22, 2025

Members of the Admissions Committee
Northeast College of Medicine
1450 University Drive, Boston, MA 02115
[email protected]

Dear Members of the Admissions Committee,

I am writing to enthusiastically recommend David for admission to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at Northeast College of Medicine. Having had the pleasure of engaging with David as his professor and research mentor for two years at Greenfield University, I have been impressed by his commitment to achieving and maintaining a high standard in all endeavors. This positions me well to attest to his suitability for this application.

During his tenure in biochemical research, David has consistently demonstrated quantitative reasoning. A notable achievement was his commitment to executing an independent research project that analyzed enzyme kinetics under variable pH conditions. In this project, he used statistical modeling to interpret reaction rate data and identify key outliers. As a result, his project earned the top score in our department’s undergraduate research symposium and was later presented at a regional scientific conference.

Moreover, David has shown remarkable scientific inquiry through his involvement in our molecular genetics lab, where he developed and tested hypotheses related to gene expression in bacterial cultures. Because of this, he demonstrated the ability to synthesize complex data into logical scientific conclusions, which is essential for success in evidence-based clinical practice.

To conclude, I am confident in recommending David for the MD program. I have no doubt that he will continue to make significant contributions in the field of healthcare.

I am happy to provide any additional information or discuss David’s journey further. I can be reached at [email protected]

Sincerely,

Dr. Laura M. Chen
Professor of Biological Sciences

Example 2: From a Doctor Whom the Applicant Shadowed

Here’s an example of a reference letter from a doctor whom the applicant shadowed:

Dr. Emily R. Lawson, MD
Riverbend Family Health Clinic
890 Cypress Road, Jackson, MS 39211
[email protected]

October 22, 2025

Members of the Admissions Committee
Midwest University School of Medicine
1250 Grant Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60607
[email protected]

Dear Members of the Admissions Committee,

I am writing to enthusiastically recommend Samantha Rivera for admission to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at Midwest University School of Medicine. Having had the pleasure of engaging with Samantha as her shadowing mentor for six months at Riverbend Family Health Clinic, I have been impressed by her commitment to achieving and maintaining a high standard in all endeavors. This positions me well to attest to her suitability for this application.

During her tenure in clinical observation and patient care, Samantha has consistently demonstrated empathy and compassion. A notable achievement was her commitment to comforting a nervous pediatric patient before a vaccination. She calmly explained the procedure and helped the child relax through breathing exercises. As a result, the patient completed the appointment with minimal distress. The family even personally thanked Samantha for her kindness and professionalism.

Moreover, Samantha has shown remarkable ethical responsibility to herself and others through her involvement in daily clinic operations. She always maintained strict confidentiality and demonstrated respect for every patient’s dignity. Because of this, our staff consistently commended her maturity and integrity.

To conclude, I am confident in recommending Samantha for the MD program. I have no doubt that she will continue to make significant contributions in the field of healthcare.

I am happy to provide any additional information or discuss Samantha’s journey further. I can be reached at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Dr. Emily R. Lawson, MD
Family Medicine Physician, Riverbend Family Health Clinic

View our free sample of a medical school letter of recommendation to learn how to phrase your statement. Then, customize your own with Legal Templates’s guided form. Download it in PDF or Word format, which you can later upload to the AMCAS.

If you’re a med school applicant and need to ask for a reference letter, follow these steps for success:

1. Know who to ask. Review the requirements of the schools you’re applying to. For example, Harvard requires letters from two science professors and one non-science professor. Yale is more flexible, as it requires three letters from anyone who can comment on your accomplishments.
2. Plan in advance. Make your request two to three months in advance to give the writer enough time to compose their letter. Consider asking the writer in person to gauge their willingness and make a more personal connection.
3. Provide necessary materials. Once your writer agrees to create a letter, provide them with materials to guide their writing. These may include your CV or resume, personal statement, transcripts, MCAT score, and submission instructions,
4. Issue a reminder if needed. Send polite reminder emails two to three weeks before the submission deadline. If you don’t receive a response, follow up weekly until they confirm the letter’s completion.
5. Write a thank-you note. After submitting the letter, send a sincere thank-you note. Let them know how much you appreciate their time and support. Keep them updated on your application progress.