Clinical Educators Faculty Development Module (On-Demand)-Writing a Quality Letter of Recommendation for Students Entering Residency

Writing a Quality Letter of Recommendation for Students Entering Residency

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The transcript explains how to write strong residency recommendation letters. Key advice includes: write the letter soon after working with the student so details are fresh, keep it to one or two pages, and focus on how well you know the student and in what setting. Strong letters should include specific examples of strengths such as clinical skill, work ethic, communication, professionalism, resilience, and unique achievements. Avoid vague praise and personal details unless they clearly support the student’s qualifications and the student approves. A clear structure is recommended: introduction, evidence of strengths, optional paragraph on unique traits or challenges, and a strong conclusion with an overall recommendation and comparison to peers. The speaker also emphasizes proofreading, using letterhead, signing properly, saving as PDF, and uploading the letter to ERAS using the student’s Letter Request Form and letter ID.

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Writing a Quality Letter of Recommendation for Students Entering Residency Recording

Keywords

residency recommendation letters

clinical skills

professionalism

ERAS upload

letter structure

proofreading