Individual Letters of Recommendation

You should have at least three references for your medical and dental school applications. Two references must be academic. At least one of the two academic references should be from a science faculty member.

• References take time to be completed, so ask early and provide the Guidelines for Reference Writers and the Reference Release Form to the writer so that your references are submitted properly for you.
• All references should be on Letterhead, Signed, and Dated (Recently).
• You will need one Medical Studies Reference Release Form per individual letter of recommendation. Sign each form and provide one to each letter writer so that each author can submit a copy of the release form attached to your letter.

Pay close attention to the “Candidate’s Waiver Statement” where you must choose whether or not you want a “closed” or “open” letter, as well as whether or not you will allow your reference writer to disclose information contained in your academic record. This can include, but is not limited to, your grades, your thesis, any of your written academic work or research, and any evaluations of your work or research.

• Closed: A choice of a closed letter means you are waiving your right to read the letter. No Bates Center for Purposeful Work staff member or Medical Studies Committee member can divulge the contents, quality or tone of the letter to you. Writers of waived letters can write whatever they wish with the knowledge that their remarks will remain unknown to you.
• Open: The choice of an open reference letter means you can read and evaluate the letter to judge its appropriateness for your professional school search. Open letters may be viewed by some, particularly professional school admissions committees, as a less candid assessment of your potential.

Your references and release forms must be submitted to James Smith by March 1st.

Bates Medical Studies Committee Letter Release Forms

In addition to your individual letters of recommendation release forms, completed release forms are also required for your Bates Medical Studies Committee Letter.

Submission of your completed registration packet will prompt the Medical Studies Committee to send you the Medical Studies Reference Release Form for the Medical Studies Committee Letter. In addition, the Committee will send you the Registration Form to Open Reference File document, which is a release statement that “activates” your Committee Letter file. Read this form carefully:

• If you choose  “only at my request,” we will not send out copies of your references without your permission. You will maintain complete control of the disposition of your file.
• If you choose “at the request of myself and perspective graduate schools,” you have given the Bates Center for Purposeful Work permission to send your references upon the request of the programs to which you are applying.