Important Note: If you are applying to certain residency specialties, including Obstetrics and Gynecology, Plastic Surgery, or certain programs in Anesthesiology, please see Support for ResidencyCAS and CentralApp Residency Application Services for information on how ECFMG can support your application.
The AAMC’s Letter of Recommendation Portal (LoRP) provides letter writers with the ability to electronically submit LoRs directly to ERAS Support Services at ECFMG on behalf of an applicant. Detailed information on how to upload letters of recommendation using the AAMC’s LoRP is available at https://www.aamc.org/services/eras-for-institutions/lor-portal .
The Frequently Asked Questions below provide a few common solutions to problems letter writers may encounter when trying to access the AAMC’s LoRP or when formatting or uploading their documents.
1. Why can’t I log in to the AAMC’s LoRP?
If you are having trouble logging into or registering with the AAMC’s LoRP , please contact the AAMC at (202) 862-6298 or send ERAS Client Technical Support a message .
2. What is professional letterhead?
Professional letterhead gives program directors information about the source of the letter. Professional letterhead may come from the hospital, institution, or private practice where you are employed. If you do not have access to the official letterhead from your institution, we will accept personal letterhead. Most importantly, the letterhead must include contact information, such as address, phone number, and e-mail address, so that program directors may get in touch with you to validate the information in the LoR, should they decide to do so.
Program directors do not have access to the contact information that you provide in your AAMC account. Program directors see the actual document uploaded by the letter writer or applicant through the AAMC’s LoRP, including the date it was uploaded and the name of the person uploading the document. It is in the best interest of the applicant that the document appears to be professional and reputable, and includes your contact information.
3. To whom should I address an LoR?
ERAS Support Services does not process LoRs addressed to specific programs or program directors. Your letter should begin with a general salutation, such as "Dear Program Director," or "To whom it may concern:".
4. How do I convert my document to Portable Document Format (PDF)?
Documents uploaded to the AAMC’s LoRP must be in PDF form. In order to save a file as a PDF, you must have PDF conversion software installed on your computer. Depending on your system, you may be able to “save” your document as a PDF or “print” your document to PDF. If you do not see the option to save or print your document as a PDF, you may not have PDF conversion software installed. There are many free, on-line conversion tools. To find one that meets your needs, we suggest typing “convert to PDF for free” into your preferred Internet search engine.
If you have scanned your document in an image format, such as Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) or Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), you may first need to copy and paste the image into a Microsoft Word document before your computer system will allow you to save or print the document as a PDF. This will only work if your system has PDF conversion software installed.
5. My file is too big to upload. How can I reduce the file size?
The maximum file size accepted for upload to the AAMC’s LoRP is 1 MB (1,000 KB). If you try to upload a file that is larger than this, you will receive an error message.
Many factors contribute to the file size of your letter, but the length of the actual letter likely is not the reason your file is too large. Images, colors, and the version of Adobe Acrobat you may be using are the main factors that contribute to a large PDF file. Here are some tips to keep your LoR file size small:
6. What should I do if I have an issue that isn’t addressed on this page?
Please contact the AAMC at (202) 862-6298 or send ERAS Client Technical Support a message . Additional information is provided on the AAMC website at AAMC’s LoRP .