Career Planning > The Residency Application Process > Letters of Recommendation

Letters of Recommendation

General recommendations:

• Most programs require three letters of recommendation. Be sure to check with each program, to verify this.
• Most programs would like to see one letter from someone in their field.
• Some programs would like a letter from a core rotation, i.e., a third year clerkship.
• Some programs require a letter from the Chair of the Department.
• If possible, choose a letter writer with an academic title.
• If possible, choose someone who knows you well over someone who doesn't.
• If you do an away elective, plan on asking for a letter of recommendation from someone at that program.
• Allow about one month from the time you request a letter; start the process now.
• Please provide your letter writer with a copy of your cv.

Waive or not: You should let your letter writer know whether or not you waive the right to view their letter. The writer, in turn, should indicate this preference in their letter. There is a form, available via ERAS, which you may use to hand to your letter writers to indicate this. Please note that it is not necessary for your letters of recommendation to include your AAMC ID number.

Where to send them: If you are applying to residencies through ERAS, the letter writer should send (or you can deliver) one copy of their letter of recommendation to the Office of the Registrar, Attn: Sheryl High, 1015 Walnut Street , Room G-22, Philadelphia, PA 19107 . Your letters of recommendation will be scanned into your electronic application.

DEADLINE: ERAS letters of recommendation should be received in the Office of the Registrar by October 7, 2005. Some residency programs will not offer interviews until your application is complete, which includes all three letters of recommendation.

Non-ERAS programs: If your program is not an ERAS participant, you must supply a list of the non -ERAS programs to the person writing your letter of recommendation. They will send the letters directly to the programs you have identified. Be sure to include in your list:

• program director's name
• program name
• hospital
• address with zip code

The Registrar's Office is only responsible for sending out letters of recommendation for programs that are using the ERAS System. Please note that no other office, i.e, Student Affairs and Career Counseling or Dean's Office, will send out your non-eras letter. Only the faculty that you requested can send out those letters.

Advanced Match programs: Letters of recommendation should be placed in a sealed envelope, signed by the letter writer across the seal, and returned to you. You will paperclip a label to each envelope and mail it with the rest of your CAS application. Please refer to the CAS Instruction Manual for more details (www.sfmatch.org).