Thank you for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of a URI Pre-Health applicant taking part in the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) this Spring.

In preparing its evaluation, the Committee considers remarks from recommenders along with the applicant’s academic record, relevant experiences, and personal attributes. Your letter will be included in a packet of recommendations for this applicant in support of their evaluation from the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC).

Please follow the guidelines below:

In your letter, please use the following guidelines for content: 

• Include which program the applicant is pursuing (for example: Medical School)
• Comment as specifically as possible on what you have directly observed in your experiences and interactions with this candidate. 
• Your observations about any or all of following attributes are especially helpful:
  • Work ethic 
  • Responsibility and professionalism 
  • Character 
  • Intellect and/or Analytical abilities 
  • Motivation 
  • Dedication 
  • Interpersonal communication skills 
  • Ability to accept feedback and incorporate it into his/her work 
  • Resilience (or, “distance traveled”)
• Admission committees appreciate any ranking you might assign to this applicant if you have taught them in a class, or even a general ranking of this individual among the many you have worked with over time

For more information on competencies expected of medical school applicants, please visit the AAMC website.

When submitting your letter, please use the following guidelines for formatting: 

• Length: at least one full page but not more than two
• Format: In order to verify letter-writers, admissions committees require that all letters of recommendation are:
  • Submitted as a PDF file
  • Written on institutional or organizational letterhead
  • Include a formal or official signature 
• Address: please address your letter: “To the Admissions Committee,”
• Accuracy: we know that evaluators are busy professionals, so we greatly appreciate the time you take to write your letter and carefully proofread it. Letters free of typos and other errors enhance applicants’ chances of admission.