How are letters of recommendation submitted?

• All letters of recommendation MUST be submitted through AMCAS. AMCAS has several ways to allow for successful integration of letters of reference into your application. If you have not completed the "Letters of Evaluation" section of your AMCAS application, please contact AMCAS to determine the best way to upload letters. Please visit the AMCAS letters webpage for additional information. 

• Do NOT have your letters mailed directly to USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, they will not be accepted. 

• Be sure you have completed all the steps in AMCAS to release your letters to USF Health MCOM. 

• Often times students do not check off the appropriate boxes to submit their AMCAS application and therefore letters do not populate correctly to their application. If your letters do not populate to your application, your application cannot be considered.

How many letters of recommendation are required?

USF Health MCOM requires applicants submit three (3) letters of recommendation.

• While five (5) letters of recommendation are recommended, applicants are REQUIRED to submit three (3) letters of recommendations with one (1) letter from a science faculty* who have taught you in a formal course: *TA (Teaching Assistant) is not considered faculty.
  
  • Letters can originate from basic science faculty. Science faculty includes but is not limited to: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

• Additional letters of recommendation can be non-science faculty letters or character letters from individuals who can speak of your abilities and attributes outside of an academic setting. Character letters should not be from a family member, peer or a relative. Character letters should corroborate your experiences in AMCAS. They should include but are not limited to: Physicians you’ve shadowed, Research Mentors, Volunteer Coordinators/Supervisors, etc.
  • Non-science faculty includes but is not limited to: Math, Psychology, English, Humanities, Anthropology, History, etc.

PLEASE NOTE: If you submit one (1) letter of recommendation, your application will not be complete and cannot be considered. Please check the status of your application to ensure you have completed the USF Health MCOM Secondary Application Requirements.

What about a Committee letter packet?

Some schools will offer a Committee Evaluation letter or a Letter Packet to compile your individual letters. See Option 1 or 2 below for more information on this process. However, some schools will not offer Committee letter packets, and in that case the applicant is expected to seek out a minimum of one (1) science faculty letters. The applicant will have these two (2) separate letters sent to AMCAS from the recommenders. For additional information on how to submit letters to AMCAS, please visit www.aamc.org/amcasletters.

Options to fulfill the Letters of Recommendation Requirement

Option 1: If your school has a Letter Packet that includes the letters

• Submit the pre-professional Letter Packet from your undergraduate institution directly to AMCAS
  
  • No further Letters of Recommendation are needed

Option 2: If your school has a Committee Evaluation Letter

• Submit the pre-professional Committee Evaluation Letter from your undergraduate institution directly to AMCAS
  
  • No further Letters of Recommendation are needed

Option 3: If you submit individual letters

• Submit a minimum of one (1) science faculty letters of recommendation (see criteria above)

For Non-Traditional Applicants

If you have been out of school for more than two years, and can no longer get letters from a science undergraduate professor or faculty, you may submit letters from a lab supervisor or an employment supervisor. You still must submit at least 2 letters of recommendation.