Skip to Main Content
A-Z Index
College of Arts and Sciences
twoColumn twoLeft

Biomedical Pre-Professional Letters of Recommendation

General Information

Letters of recommendation are an essential part of the application for any professional program. Professional schools use letters of recommendation to better understand the applicant in terms of character, motivation, and sincerity.

Each student applicant should meet with the Pre-health Professions Advisor to determine the appropriate letter writers for him/her. It is important to choose writers who will likely provide strong, supportive letters.

Generally, professional programs ask for letters from

  • science professors,
  • non-science professors,
  • research mentors,
  • supervisors,
  • and/or health care professionals.

The UNF Biomedical Pre-professional Program offers a composite letter service for student applicants. Each applicant will ask individual letter writers to complete an evaluation form and generate a signed, dated letter, preferably printed on official letterhead. Both the evaluation form and the letter are then delivered to the Biomedical Pre-professional Program office by the letter writer.

Once all letters of recommendation for a student applicant are received by the Program office, a composite (summary) of the evaluation forms is generated. That composite is compiled with the individual evaluation forms and letters in a PDF format and submitted on behalf of the student applicant.

To download the appropriate forms go to the Student Resources Page.

Medical

Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, a letter packet consisting of five letters is suggested.

The packet should include letters from:

  • two science professors
  • one non-science professor
  • a supervisor (work, research, voluntee)
  • physician.

Use the Academic Evaluation form for professors for any letter writer who taught you in a classroom setting. Use the Academic Evaluation form for mentors for all other letter writers.

A letter transmission form must be completed and submitted to the Biomedical Pre-professional Program office for each letter packet to be generated.

Allopathic Medicine: AMCAS will assign a letter ID for each packet to be submitted. Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter, Ph.D. should be listed as the submitter of the letter packet. The applicant then determines which allopathic medical schools receive a particular packet through the AMCAS application service.

Osteopathic Medicine: AACOMAS now uses a centralized letter submission service. Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter should be listed as the submitter of the letter packet in the AACOMAS application service. The applicant then determines which osteopathic medical schools receive their packet through the AACOMAS application service.

Dental

Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, a letter packet consisting of three letters is suggested. The packet should include letters from science professors and dentists. Use the Academic Evaluation form for professors for any letter writer who taught you in a classroom setting. Use the Academic Evaluationform for mentors for all other letter writers. In addition, a letter transmission form must be completed and submitted to the Biomedical Pre-professional Program office. Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter, Ph.D. should be listed as the submitter of the letter packet in the AADSAS application service.

Optometry

Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, a letter packet consisting of three letters is suggested. The packet should include letters from science professors and optometrists. Use the Academic Evaluation form for professors for any letter writer who taught you in a classroom setting. Use the Academic Evaluationform for mentors for all other letter writers. In addition, a letter transmission form must be completed and submitted to the Biomedical Pre-professional Program office. Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter, Ph.D. should be listed as the submitter of the letter packet in the OptomCAS application service.

Veterinary medicine

Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, a letter packet consisting of at least three letters is suggested. The packet should include letters from science professors, supervisors, and veterinarians. Use the Academic Evaluation form for professors for any letter writer who taught you in a classroom setting. Use the Academic Evaluationform for mentors for all other letter writers. In addition, a letter transmission form must be completed and submitted to the Biomedical Pre-professional Program office. Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter, Ph.D. should be listed as the submitter of the letter packet in the VMCAS application service.

Pharmacy

Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, a letter packet consisting of three or four letters is suggested. The packet should include letters from science professors, supervisors, and pharmacists. Use the Academic Evaluation form for professors for any letter writer who taught you in a classroom setting. Use the Academic Evaluationform for mentors for all other letter writers. In addition, a letter transmission form must be completed and submitted to the Biomedical Pre-professional Program office. Dr. Beth Stotz-Potter, Ph.D. should be listed as the submitter of the letter packet in the PharmCAS application service.

Physician's assistant

Letters must be directly submitted by the letter writer to CASPA. The UNF Biomedical Pre-professionals Program cannot submit these letters on behalf of the student applicant. Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, letters from science professors and physicians/physician's assistants are requested.

PhD and Masters

Letters must be directly submitted by the letter writer to the individual schools to which you will apply. Check individual schools for specific instructions. Generally, letters from science professors and research mentors are requested.