Einstein requires letters of recommendation from each applicant.
- APPLICANTS WHO HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE: Applicants who have completed their
pre-medical coursework as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student at
a college or university where there is a Pre-Professional Advisory Committee
are required to submit a letter of recommendation from that Committee.
Students who do not submit such a letter will be asked to explain why on
their Supplemental Application. The COVID-19 Virus in the
spring of 2020 may prevent some Pre-Medical Committees from
writing a Committee letter. If that is the case for you, please have your
Pre-Medical Advisor submit a separate statement via the AMCAS Letter
Writer. Again, applicants who do not submit a
Committee letter and for whom COVID-19 was not the reason, must explain why
on their Supplemental Application.
- APPLICANTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE: Applicants who have attended a school at
which there is no Pre-Professional Advisory Committee must have at
least two letters of recommendation from
faculty members who have taught the applicant in the classroom setting. It
is required that one of these letters be from a faculty member in the
department of the applicant’s major, and the other from a science faculty
member (2 science letters from 2 different faculty members
in the same department are acceptable). Letters from teaching assistants
will not satisfy this requirement, although TAs may co-sign letters with
senior faculty. (Up to five letters, total, may be
submitted.)
- DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS: Advisors are asked to comment on
their school's disciplinary action policies and to note whether the school
has a "no tolerance" policy, or has a policy to allow a certain number of
warnings (please note how many) prior to the issuance of a disciplinary
action.
- LETTERS SHOULD INCLUDE: Applicants should direct their
advisors/letter writers to our website regarding competency-based admissions
so that letters of recommendation can touch upon both the
cognitive and non-cognitive requirements for the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine.
- LETTERS FROM CAREER SERVICES OFFICE: If letters
will be sent from a Career Services Office at an academic institution,
please indicate that on the Supplemental Application form in the space
provided for "Pre-Professional Advisory Committee." Letters of
recommendation from commercial educational consulting firms will not be
considered.
- LETTER OF UNDERGRADUATE GOOD STANDING FOR POST BAC/ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAM STUDENTS: Applicants whose
post-baccalaureate, pre-professional advisor does not provide a statement
regarding good standing (whether there is any disciplinary information
in the student’s record that would impact his or her application to our
school), at the undergraduate level, in their letter of recommendation,
must request a letter from the Dean of Students or Registrar at their
undergraduate college affirming good standing status; the letter should be
uploaded to the AMCAS Letter Writer
Application.
- OUT OF SCHOOL FOR 5 OR MORE YEARS: Applicants who
have completed all of their pre-medical requirements prior to five years
from the time of application must show evidence of participation in either
academic or work experience in the biological sciences. Academic experience
should include at least one course in a discipline such as cell biology,
molecular biology, genetics, immunology or neuroscience. Work experience may
include research in the biological sciences, and a letter from the
supervisor/principal investigator should be sent to the AMCAS Letter Writer
Application, together with the required 2
academic letters mentioned above.
- ADDITIONAL LETTERS: Applicants are invited to include
with their AMCAS letter packet one or two additional
letters of recommendation from individuals with whom they have worked
closely. These can be from faculty, employers, research mentors or volunteer
directors. Applicants applying to the MSTP must submit two letters of
reference from past research mentors.
- AMCAS LETTER WRITER: AMCAS has been authorized by
Einstein to accept letters of evaluation/recommendation through the
AMCAS Letter Writer
Application. This service enables us to receive all
letters electronically via AMCAS, and allows your references to send all
letters to be considered by schools participating in this service to AMCAS
rather than each school. There are several options through which your
references can send their letter to AMCAS. These include using VirtualEvals,
Interfolio, and sending the letter via the mail. In addition, letter writers
who currently mail letters can opt to upload letters directly to AMCAS
through the AMCAS Letter Writer
Application.
- OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD AND SIGNATURE: All letters must be on
official letterhead, and include signature. You will be notified if your
letters have been submitted either without letterhead or signature, and you
will be asked to contact your letter writers to make the appropriate
corrections, and to let us know when the letters have been submitted
correctly.
- INCOMPLETE UNTIL ALL LETTERS RECEIVED: Individuals who are
requested to write letters of recommendation should be notified that
applications will not be considered complete, and therefore not reviewed by the
admissions committee, until all letters and supporting documentation are
received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to arrange that evaluations
be submitted in a timely manner – no later than December 1.
The official Einstein policy document concerning recommendation letters can be
found here.
