Letter Packet Information

Students planning to utilize any of the Letter Packet Services, are encouraged to keep dates and deadlines in mind.  

Students should be working on the required documents as early as possible.  By working on your portfolio early, you can build on experiences and finish all requirements in the year you apply to professional programs. 

 Starting a File

 Need to open a new FIU OPHA Canvas Course account? 

Begin Self-Enrollment here: https://canvas.instructure.com/enroll/BB97NF 

Already enrolled? 

Existing accounts here: https://canvas.instructure.com/login/canvas  

 Important Notes:

• This is NOT the same Canvas platform as your FIU classes use.  
  • Username and password are created by the student. Please keep track of this information in your records. 
  • This allows you to store all documentation and Letters of Recommendation until you are ready to apply to your professional program of choice. 
  • Both current students and Alumni have access to this Canvas Platform. 
  • We are unable to provide a refund for paid files.  If you think you will qualify for the FAP, please wait to open your file until you receive approval from your corresponding application servicer.  
• For students previously using the Sharepoint platform, you will need to re-submit your documents to the new Canvas platform. 
  • All Letters of Recommendation will continue to be on file. 
  • All Letters should be submitted to Interfolio.  

Please use the Canvas Platform for further instructions. 

Letter Packet Additional Documentation Requirements: 

*These are required for all students interested in the Advisor and Committee Packets*

To be submitted in the above Canvas Course:

• Pre-Heath Waiver Form & Fee 
• OPHA Personal History Questionnaire 
  • Students should be working on this document throughout their pre-health journey. Use this to record your activities and log hours of your experiences.  
• Personal Statement 
• All Transcripts (unofficial) 
• OPHA GPA Calculator Spreadsheet
• Official Test Scores 
• Letters of Recommendation* 
  • Two letters from science faculty who taught you in a 3 or more credit course 
  • One letter from any faculty that taught you in any 3 or more credit course (science or nonscience)
    • We are also now limiting the number of letters of recommendation that you can include in your letter packet to a maximum of 6 letters of recommendation. 
• Letter Request Form
• List of Schools for Application 
• Completed Primary Application   

 *Review the recommendation letter requirements of the professional programs to which you are applying, as they may have unique requirements. It is still the students responsibility to confirm they are meeting all program requirements. 

Letter Packet Minimum Requirements:

1. Committee Letter 

• Minimum cumulative and Science GPA  
  • Pre-Medicine: 3.5 overall GPA & BCPM GPA
  • Pre-Dental: 3.3 overall GPA & BCPM GPA
• Minimum test scores 
  • MCAT: 506 with no section lower than 123
  • DAT: 19/19 with no section lower than 14
• Additional Documentation

2. Advisor Letter 

• Minimum cumulative and Science GPA  
  • Pre-Medicine: 3.2 overall GPA & BCPM GPA
  • Pre-Dental: 3.0 overall GPA & BCPM GPA
•  Minimum test scores
  • MCAT: 502
  • DAT: 18/18 
• Additional Documentation

3. Letter Packet Service 

• If a student does not meet the GPA and test score requirements set out above but has all other requirements, the LOR documents can be transmitted to the schools of the student's choosing.
• Please contact our office directly for more information. 

Note on Re-Applicants: 

If you have already applied with the Committee or Advisor letter process, and plan to re-apply to your professional school, you will need to notify our office directly. Please send a Canvas message in the course. 

Re-Applicants are students who have already submitted a complete application and would like to send another application in a new cycle.  Students can choose to send their existing letter packet as is to their new application or complete the re-applicant process. 

The re-applicant process includes submitting new/updated documentation, and completing another interview.  This interview is mainly to gain insight into changes and enhancements you have made to your application from the previous cycle.  Students are highly encouraged to complete the re-applicant interview to add additional information to the application. 

Please contact our office for additional information.  

All documents are required to be submitted no later then August 31 of your application year. The earlier you submit these, the better so you can expedite your letter packet upload.  

**NO COMMITTEE OR ADVISOR PACKET DOCUMENTS

WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER AUGUST 31**

 Detailed Instructions for All Requirements

Benefits 

While it is not a requirement, our committee will interview you and produce a letter summarizing your academic progress, your personal experiences and your recommendation letters from faculty.

The letter will rate your preparation relative to fellow FIU pre-health students in your career track. Typically, 85 percent of students who qualify for a committee interview are accepted into their professional programs. Students who do not interview with the committee have an acceptance rate closer to 10-20 percent. 

All students must submit a signed waiver form and an administrative fee of $65.00 to the OPHA to officially open their file portfolio. This fee is non-refundable.

The administrative fee may be waived if proof of a fee assistance program approval is provided.  Review your career's professional program application for more details. 

Personal History Questionnaire 

Personal Statement

GPA

GPA is an academic indicator to schools. The following are commonly accepted student statistics  

• Pre-Medical: 3.5 overall and in science courses
• Pre-Dental: 3.3 overall and in science courses
• Download Our GPA Calculator Spreadsheet

Transcripts

• Log into the MyFIU. See Access MyFIU for help.
• Select 'Academic Records,' then 'Transcripts.'
• Choose 'View Unofficial Transcript' from the dropdown.
• Choose the 'Report Type' for the transcript and follow on-screen instructions.

You will not be able to schedule a committee or advisor interview without a test score and a copy of your application.  

Provide official reports of your test score(s) along with a copy of your primary application. The scores listed below are the minimum for a committee interview. Scores below these minimums are not considered competitive for professional programs. 

• Pre-Medical: MCAT score of 506 with no individual score below 123
• Pre-Dental: DAT score of 19 in both Total Science (TS) and Academic Average (AA)

Recommendation Letters

You will not be able to schedule a committee or advisor interview without the required letters of recommendation.

Provide at least three recommendation letters.  Preferably these come from from regular, permanent faculty members with whom you have taken traditional three- or four-credit lectures (not online courses or labs).

• Pre-Medical: 
  • Two letters from science faculty who taught you in a 3 or more credit course 
  • One letter from any faculty that taught you in any 3 or more credit course (science or nonscience)
  • [Optional] A letter from a research mentor 
  • [Optional] A letter from a professional in your chosen field. Some programs require this letter.
    • We are also now limiting the number of letters of recommendation that you can include in your letter packet to a maximum of 6 letters of recommendation. 
• Pre-Dental:
  • Two letters from science faculty who taught you in a 3 or more credit course 
  • We encourage you to get a letter from a dentist you have shadowed to show your commitment. If you can’t, consider another faculty or supervisor.
  • [Optional] A letter from a research mentor.

We recommend that you request letters right after completing the course, research project or other experience. Letter-writing guidelines for faculty are available on the Pre-Health Resources page.

Petition

• If you do not meet one or more of the minimum requirements for committee but believe you have a strong application, you can petition to receive the Committee Letter Packet Interview.
  • You must meet the minimum requirements for an Advisor Letter Packet to be eligible to petition for a Committee Letter Packet.
  • We do not accept petitions for the Advisor Letter Packet. 
• Please review our petition guidelines here.
• The deadline to submit a petition is August 1st.
• Petitions must be submitted via the FIU OPHA Canvas Course.

What's to come?

• Committee Interviews: Dress formally for your interview. You will be interviewed for 30-45 minutes by a group of three faculty members and advisors. You may be asked to discuss your academic and performance since high school, your choices of professional experience/volunteering and shadowing, and other relevant topics. The purpose of the interview is to ensure that the committee is completely familiar with your personal and professional qualities.
  • The committee usually takes no longer than two weeks after the interview to prepare and send a committee recommendation letter. 
• Advisor Interviews:  Dress formally for your interview. You will be interviewed for 30-45 minutes by a pre-health advisor. You may be asked to discuss your academic and performance since high school, your choices of professional experience/volunteering and shadowing, and other relevant topics. The purpose of the interview is to ensure that the advisor is completely familiar with your personal and professional qualities.
  • The letter usually takes no longer than two weeks after the interview to prepare and send a recommendation letter.

For any additional questions about the above requirements, please contact our office at preprofc@fiu.edu 

Review your career's professional program application when it becomes available, as there may be requirements beyond those listed here.