1/ How do you feel when someone asks you to write them a letter of recommendation for residency or fellowship?

Do you feel:

Honored?
Indifferent?
Conflicted?
Obligated?
Happy?

Now that I have a good approach, I actually love writing letters. Crazy, I know!

2/ Since many are in the throes of letters (or just finished) thought I’d share my approach. I welcome your insights, too!

Cool? Cool.

Let’s 1st assume that the person you’ve agreed to recommend, is 1 you CAN recommend. If you can’t? You owe it to them to be honest. But how?

7/ I also ask to see their CV AND their personal statement. Why? Because sometimes the cool things that they couldn’t fit into the PS or that are buried in the CV can get slipped in by me in my letter.

Completed an Ironman?
Raised $20K for an urban garden?

I got you.

I call it “the drop.” I use it in my closing to underscore wellroundedness. Ex: “Whether completing a full Iron Man, advocating for a patient, or completing our manuscripts, her tenacity and follow through are among her greatest strengths.”

3/
Them: “Do you think you can write a strong letter of recommendation for me?”
You: “I’m concerned that our time together didn't afford me the chance to see you at your best. May I support you in a different way?”

Hopefully, you gave tons of feedback so this isn’t a shock.

Last/
Of course, there are LOTS of expert insights which are also helpful! I'd love to hear your pro-tips, too. But most of all, I just hope to never read identical letters for different people ever again.

P.S. One of my LORs as a student was identical to a classmate.

#LORs

4/
Pro-tip: Take out the guessing by letting learners know that you’d be willing to write a letter when you give end-of-rotation evaluation. It spares everyone cryptic meeting requests and saves time.

Now for the letter.

I start by sending them some questions to answer. Yep.

13/
My caveat is that I’m not a large program PD or a Chair writing 40 letters. But as one who writes about 8 – 10 annually & doesn’t want them to be cookie cutter, this has helped me a ton.

But best of all this happens—and reminds you that it was worth it.
#supportisaverb

11/ Here’s my cheat sheet:

P1: Who am I & how I know you
P2: Character traits observed with supporting specific example
P3: Peer descriptions and what you’re proud of
P4: How you compare to others, +/- clarity on speed bumps
P5: Statement of rec, bring it on home

Easy, right?