Information For:

Applicants

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- Letters of Recommendation
- Google Classroom
- Applicant Resources

Overview of the Application Process with HCA

The decision to apply to medical or other health career programs is the culmination of your self-reflection, academic preparation and engagement in activities that inform your career choice (clinical leadership, research, and other activiites). When you are ready to apply, Health Careers Advising is here to spport you throughout the process. If you are planning to apply in 2024 for the incomng 2025 class, follow the steps outlined below. Please note that all of the information, instructions, and documents will be in the Google Classroom site!

  • Step 1: Attend or watch the recording of the Appyling with HCA workshop and review the slides.
  • Step 2: Join the Google Classroom site (access code stfyhcb) where all of the detailed information and documents can be found
  • Step 3: Complete the Health Careers Advising Dossier by February 9th
  • Step 4: Schedule and attend your Comprehensive Advising Appointment
  • Step 5: Work with the Writing Specialists to strengthen your essay and activity descriptions
  • Step 6: Have your Letters of Recommendation sent to Health Careers Advising
  • Step 7: Complete your Application and Request your Letter Packet
  • Step 8: Complete your Secondary Essays (with the support of the Writing Specialists)
  • Step 9: Schedule and attend your Mock Interview Appointment
  • Step 10: Interview at the health professional schools, gain acceptance and attend!

Current students and graduates within five years of graduation are eligible to receive the services of Health Careers Advising 

Letters of Recommendation

Health Careers Advising staff collects all letters of recommendation for each applicant and bundles them into a packet along with a standardized cover letter that explains Brown’s practices (S/NC, concentrations, course sequence, etc.) We will then upload this packet into the central application portals (AMCAS, TMDSAS, AACOMAS, etc.) for you. 

Requirements of individual programs may vary, but in general applicants to any health professions program should secure three to four letters of recommendation:

  • Two letters from Brown faculty/instructors who have taught or supervised you in teaching, research or another capacity
  • At least one of these should be from a professor who has taught you in a STEM class (BIOL, CHEM, PHYS), but some schools will require two STEM faculty so be sure to check the requirements for the schools to which you plan to apply. This is the onely way to ensure you are meeting the requirements for each of your chosen schools.
  • A third letter from another individual (can be a supervisor, coach, mentor but not a relative or peer)
  • Optional and encouraged: A fourth letter from another individual
  • For MD/PhD applicants: You may provide up to five letters in total. A minimum of two should be from research mentors. If you are applying to both MD and MD/PhD programs - ensure your letters indicate what degree(s) they support you for, and the Health Careers Advising staff will create two separate packets

Potential applications are encouraged to begin to identifying and connecting with potential recommenders between October 2023 and January 2024. Letters of recommendation are due to our office by May 24, 2024. Recommenders will upload thier letters directly into Brown's UFunds portal which will launch in March of 2024. More information is provided in the Google Classroom site.

Google Classroom

The Google Classroom page includes advising resources, forms to be collected and additional information for applicants. If you are consdiering applying to medical or other health professional schools in 2024 for matricultion in fall 2025, you will need to join the Google Classroom site and follow the directions listed there. Note, you must use your brown.edu or alumni.brown.edu account for this site.


Applicant Resources