Tips for how to improve the content of your letters of recommendation

Getting the best letters of recommendation for medical school, residency and fellowship is dependent on

1. Asking the right people (See my previous blog entry on this topic.)
2. Making the job of letter-writing as easy as possible for your recommender.

Regarding the latter what I strongly recommend is creating a “LOR packet,” which should include the following:

1. A brief, well-written cover letter defining all of your important accomplishments
2. Your transcript/ evaluations
3. Your CV
4. Your personal statement in its final form

Also, be polite: Ensure that you don’t leave your letter-writer to find the address(es) to which your letter should be sent. As someone who was asked to write letters of recommendation, I can tell you that applicants who offered me a list of their accomplishments in a tidy, accessible package were more likely to get a comprehensive letter that was submitted promptly.

(If you are requesting a letter years before you apply then you won’t have a personal statement but can still compose the rest of the packet. If you’re requesting the letter closer to your application date, you should include a personal statement for your letter-writer to improve the letter’s content.)

I’ll write more about LORs in future entries. For one-on-one help with your application please see www.InsiderMedicalAdmissions.com .