Remember, if you are applying to medical school, you must use the forms provided by the Health Professions Advisory Board. These forms are used only for medical school applications, so if you are applying to a graduate school as well, you must use the forms supplied by your dean. It is advisable to request recommendations from your referees for graduate school or for employment simultaneously with those for medical school. In the event that your plans for a medical career should change, you will still have a permanent dossier at your college which may be used for any purpose. It is important that all such requests be made in writing.
Timing is crucial.
There is always a crunch at the end of the fall term to get letters out. You help everyone, yourself included, if you complete your placement file by December 1. As far as is possible, make all your requests of the administrative assistant at one time. If your directions are clear, most requests can be processed within one or two working days. Some institutions request students themselves to assemble all of their application materials, including letters of recommendation, and to mail them together to the institution as an all-inclusive packet in the same covering envelope.