After interviews, medical school applicants send three kinds of letters: update letters with new information, letters of interest, and letters of intent that promise to attend if admitted. Some schools welcome them, some limit them to a portal, and some won’t read them at all. Here is what named schools say on their own pages, two example letters, and how to write yours.
From the AAMC and schools’ own admissions pages2026-27 cycleChecked October 29, 2026
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Jump to:Three kinds of lettersWhat schools sayWhen to sendHow to write oneExamplesMistakesFAQ
Update letter, letter of interest, or letter of intent?
- Update letter. New information since you applied: grades, a publication, a new role. The AAMC quotes Toledo’s admissions officer: make sure the update “adds significant new information to your file” (AAMC).
- Letter of interest. Tells a school you still want to attend. You can send these to more than one school.
- Letter of intent. Tells one school you will enroll if admitted. USF puts it plainly: “A student may submit a letter of intent if they are certain they will matriculate to USF MCOM if they are accepted off the waitlist.” (USF)
What schools say
The AAMC’s advice for waitlisted applicants comes down to one line: “It is important that you familiarize yourself with the school’s policies and follow them exactly.” (AAMC)
| School | Accepts letters? | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| UCLA Geffen | No | “No, we do not consider letters of intent.” “Any follow-up letters or messages to admissions will not be considered.” |
| Albany Medical College | No | “Please note that updates and letters of intent are not accepted by the MD Admissions office at any point in the season.” |
| Washington State (Elson S. Floyd) | No | Its admissions dean, quoted by the AAMC: “we do not accept any outside updates or letters of interest/intent to ensure equity.” |
| Georgetown | Through the portal | Waitlisted applicants may send letters of interest through the online portal. Updates only from applicants selected to interview; mailed or emailed items are not added to the file. |
| Emory | Through the portal, text only | One update box with a 1,000-word limit that “will apply regardless of how many updates you submit.” |
| Michigan | Through the portal | Updates are appreciated, but “the number of contacts made with our office will not impact our waitlist decisions.” |
| Tufts | By email | New material is welcome but “unlikely to change the outcome of your application.” “Letting us know that you remain interested and available is most helpful, especially after July 1.” |
| USF Morsani | By email (letter of intent) | A letter of intent “will not increase the likelihood of being accepted nor influence an acceptance decision.” |
| Toledo | Varies | Its admissions dean, quoted by the AAMC: “letters of intent rarely provide us with any certain, actionable information such that they would sway our admissions decisions.” |
The AAMC notes that schools typically share these policies when they tell you that you’ve been placed on the waitlist or alternate list. If that notice says not to send anything, don’t.
When to send them
- Updates: when something real happens, and only where the school accepts them. Georgetown takes updates only from interviewed applicants (Georgetown).
- Letters of intent: once you’re sure. AAMC protocols ask applicants to hold no more than three acceptances by April 15 and to choose one school by April 30 (AAMC protocols), so waitlist movement picks up around then.
- Letters of interest: late spring and summer at schools that want them. Tufts says interest is most helpful after July 1 (Tufts).
How to write one
- Check the school’s policy first. Then use its channel: portal, email, or nothing.
- Lead with the point. An update letter opens with the update. A letter of intent says in the first two sentences that you will enroll if admitted.
- Be specific. Name what you saw on interview day: a person, a program, a clinic. Generic praise reads the same at every school.
- Keep it short. Kellaway at UT Health San Antonio says letters “should be honest and limited.” (AAMC) One page is plenty, and Emory caps all updates at 1,000 words combined.
- Send one letter of intent, ever. If two schools admit you after you promised both, you’ve broken a promise to one of them.
Example letters
We wrote these as teaching examples; they are not real applicants’ letters. Names, schools, and details are placeholders.
Example: An update letter after the interview
Dear Dr. Okafor and the Admissions Committee,
Thank you again for my interview on November 12. I’m writing with three updates since then.
Research. The paper from my lab work on sepsis biomarkers was accepted by a peer-reviewed critical care journal in January. I’m the second author.
Coursework. I finished my final semester with a 3.9, including an A in biochemistry, which my file showed in progress.
Clinical work. I’ve kept volunteering at the free clinic on Saturdays and now run its intake desk, which means training the new volunteers.
Talking with second-year students on interview day about your longitudinal clinic made me more certain [School] is the right fit. I remain very interested in joining your class.
Sincerely,
Priya Raman
AAMC ID 12345678
Example: A letter of intent to one school
Dear Dr. Lindqvist,
I am writing to tell you that [School] is my first choice, and that if I am accepted I will withdraw from all other schools and enroll.
I grew up two hours north of your campus, in a county with one obstetrician. My mother drove me to that office for every appointment I had until I was twelve. On my interview day, a fourth-year student told me about her rural track rotation in a town smaller than mine. That conversation is the one I keep coming back to.
Since my interview, I’ve completed my EMT certification and started working weekend shifts with the county ambulance service. Most of our calls are thirty minutes from the nearest hospital.
I know a letter like this doesn’t change what’s in my file. I wanted you to know where I stand.
Respectfully,
Caleb Northrup
Common mistakes
- Writing to schools that don’t accept letters. UCLA and Albany say so plainly.
- Sending often. Michigan says the number of contacts won’t affect waitlist decisions.
- Using the wrong channel. Georgetown doesn’t add mailed or emailed items to your file.
- Calling it a letter of intent when it isn’t. If you aren’t certain you’d enroll, write a letter of interest instead.
- Repeating your application. Use the letter for what’s new and what’s specific to that school.
Get help with your update letter or letter of intent. Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor, helps applicants write their own update letters, letters of interest, and letters of intent: what to include, what to cut, and how to keep them short. She never writes them for you. Working with Lauren is $275 an hour, or $1,250 for 5 hours, and consultations are free.
Contact LaurenOr call or text 951-395-4646.
Still in the application stage? See our medical school personal statement examples, secondary essay prompts, and medical school interview guide. Applying to law or business school? See letter of continued interest examples. Headed to the Match? See residency letters of intent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a letter of intent and a letter of interest?
A letter of intent tells one school you will enroll if admitted. A letter of interest says you remain interested, without that promise. USF says to send a letter of intent only if you are certain you will matriculate.
Do medical schools read letters of intent?
Some do and some don’t. UCLA does not consider them, and Albany does not accept updates or letters of intent at any point. Georgetown accepts letters of interest from waitlisted applicants through its portal.
Will a letter of intent get me off the waitlist?
Usually not by itself. USF says a letter of intent will not increase the likelihood of being accepted, and Toledo’s admissions dean told the AAMC that letters of intent rarely give the school actionable information.
How long should a medical school update letter be?
Short. One page is plenty. Emory accepts text updates in one box with a 1,000-word limit across all updates.
When do waitlisted medical school applicants hear back?
Movement often follows the AAMC dates: applicants hold no more than three acceptances by April 15 and choose one school by April 30. Some schools, like Tufts, keep admitting through the summer.
Every policy and quotation on this page comes from the AAMC or the school’s own admissions page, linked where it appears. Policies change; your waitlist email takes precedence. Last checked October 29, 2026.