4 Answers About Medical School Letters of Intent
Around this time of year, medical school applicants often ask what they can do to increase their chances of admission to the school that is their No. 1 choice. If you have interviewed at a medical school and were wait-listed, writing a letter of intent can improve your chances of acceptance.
Let's review some basics about the letter of intent to understand what it is and why it can influence a prospective student's chances of being admitted to a medical school.
1. What is a letter of intent? A letter of intent expresses your interest in attending a particular medical school.
Learn more about [how to get off a medical school waitlist.]
2. When should I write and send a letter of intent? You should write a letter of intent after you have been wait-listed at a medical school -- allopathic or osteopathic -- that is your No. 1 choice school. This means that you would rather attend the medical school to which you are writing the letter than any other medical school to which you have been accepted or wait-listed.
In theory, you can write a letter of intent very early in the medical school application season, but writing a letter later in the season after you may have interviewed at several medical schools is more convincing. In other words, writing a letter of intent after the new year or later in the admissions season is more likely to convince admissions committees that you have carefully considered and researched your decision.
Decide [between multiple medical school acceptances.]
3. What should I include in a letter of intent? The most important -- and first -- element in your letter should be a clear statement that indicates that if accepted to the medical school, you will attend.
If you have other acceptances, you should mention this. For example: "Even though I have been accepted to other medical schools, your school remains my top choice and I will attend if accepted."
You then need to clearly state clearly why you are interested specifically in this particular medical school. The idea is to show that you have carefully considered why the school is a good fit for you.
Try to include as many details as possible. You could comment on aspects of the curriculum that interest you; opportunities in research, extracurriculars or other areas of interest such as global or public health; or benefits and highlights of the clinical training you will receive in the third and fourth years of medical school.
At the same time, you want to express how you will contribute to the medical school. You want to make it clear that through the opportunities the school offers, you will be actively involved as a medical student and will be an asset.
Finally, if you have any updates on your activities or achievements, explain what they are since you interviewed. For example, do you have any new grades or accomplishments to report?
Find out [how to show commitment on a medical school application.]
4. Why is it a good idea to write a letter of intent? Medical schools want to accept students who are eager about attending their school and, if possible, will accept only students who will enthusiastically and unequivocally attend.
This is why you want a school to know that you will absolutely attend if admitted. Keep in mind that you should write a letter of intent only if that school is your first choice -- do not send such a letter to multiple schools.
Jessica Freedman, M.D., is a former faculty member at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where she served on the medical school admissions committee. She is the founder of MedEdits Medical Admissions, a medical school admissions consulting company. She is also the author of four books on applying to medical school and for residency, including "The MedEdits Guide to Medical School Admissions."
