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Medical and Health Profession Schools / Apply to Medical/Health Profession Schools / Store Letters of Recommendation

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How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter

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GECD Credential Service Instructions

Store Your Letters of Recommendation
via the GECD Credential Service

 

GECD Credential Service
Credential Service Policies
Steps to have letters sent to schools and programs

What is the GECD Credential Service?

The GECD Credential Service is organized by MIT Prehealth Advising for MIT students and alums applying to health profession programs, schools and health profession-related scholarships.  The GECD Credential Service:

  • Collects and stores letters of recommendation for health-related schools, programs, and scholarships
  • Reviews each letter submitted to ensure quality and accuracy, and contacts the letter writers to request revisions as deemed appropriate and necessary.
  • Makes applicant materials, including letters of recommendation, accessible to the Prehealth Advisory Board for the purpose of writing the Prehealth Advisory Board Letter. (if applicable)
  • Sends recommendation letters, including the Prehealth Advisory Board Letter (if applicable), electronically or via FedEX to health profession application services, schools, and related scholarships.

How do I open a Credential Service Account?

Applicants intending to apply for 2014 entry to a health profession school should open a GECD Credential Service Account in January 2013.  This includes applicants who are eligible for a Prehealth Advisory Board Letter as well as Credential Service users only.

Credential Service Policies

  • There is a $100 non-refundable, annual fee to use the GECD Credential Service.  This fee will be collected at one of the following times:

    • Individuals who are eligible for a Prehealth Advisory Board Letter: the fee will be collected at the time you request the Prehealth Advisory Board Letter
    • Individuals who are not eligible for a Prehealth Advisory Board Letter: the fee will be collected at the time you submit your GECD Credential Service account, prior to your letters being sent to schools.
  • Storing letters of recommendation:
    • 2013 and future application cycles - Letters of recommendation, which were submitted via the online GECD Credential Service, will be held in PDF format by Prehealth Advising for three years.
    • 2012 and earlier application cycles - Paper files are maintained for two years in-office after the date of the applicant's anticipated entry year into a health profession school.  Following this, files are transferred to MIT Archives and are subject to archive policies. Prehealth credential files are shredded after a four (4) year time period in MIT Archives.
  • Recommendation letters may only be used for applying to health profession schools and related scholarships, not for programs or scholarships unrelated to health professions.
  • Applicants must obtain additional consent from the author of each recommendation letter that is one year or older, in order to be used in an application. We recommend that letters that are one year or older be updated to best reflect recent accomplishments and reflect the current relationship with the recommender.
  • Applicants must provide a signed letter of consent to transfer files to credential services at other institutions.
  • When an applicant waives a letter of recommendation (i.e. waiving their right to view), the letter is then considered confidential and will not be provided to the applicant.

What are the steps involved for having my letters sent
to medical and health profession schools and programs?

Applicant Responsibility:

  1. Follow instructions provided in the AMCAS Q & A workshop slides for entering letter information in the AMCAS application. [Applicants applying to non-AMCAS schools are encouraged to contact Prehealth Advising for instructions.]

  2. Request and track the receipt of letters of recommendation via the GECD Credential Service.

  3. Submit all required information, essays, transcripts, and letters of recommendation to the GECD Credential Service by May 10th if receiving a Prehealth Advisory Board Letter.

  4.  If applying to more than one type of health profession school, contact the Prehealth Advising office to make specific arrangements. (Ex. Osteopathic schools, dental schools, etc.) 

Credential Service Responsibility:

  1. Review letters for minor errors and contact letter writers to request minor revisions to be made.

  2. Create the MIT Core Packet of Letters, which includes individiual letters of recommendation and the Prehealth Advisory Board Letter if applicable, for submission to schools and application services.

  3. Send letter packets to the ACMAS Letter Service within 4 business days after an applicant has completed and submitted their Prehealth Credential Service account. (This includes receipt of the Prehealth Advisory Board Letter if applicable.)

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