Letters of Letters of RecommendationRecommendation

Mark C. Meyer MDMark C. Meyer MD

Associate Dean for Student AffairsAssociate Dean for Student Affairs

Associate Professor of Family Associate Professor of Family MedicineMedicine

Letters of Letters of Recommendation Recommendation (LOR)(LOR) UsesUses

– ScholarshipsScholarships– Professional SchoolsProfessional Schools– Residency ProgramsResidency Programs– Fellowship PositionsFellowship Positions– JobsJobs

LORLOR

ContentContent– Context: Describe the context in Context: Describe the context in

which you worked with the individualwhich you worked with the individual Class/clerkship, required or elective, and Class/clerkship, required or elective, and

time within the curriculum (i.e., early time within the curriculum (i.e., early third year vs. a fourth year experience)third year vs. a fourth year experience)

Your role/position and experience in Your role/position and experience in working with studentsworking with students

Duration of the experience, including Duration of the experience, including any follow-up contact afterwardany follow-up contact afterward

LORLOR

ContentContent– Knowledge/Clinical SkillsKnowledge/Clinical Skills

Fund of knowledgeFund of knowledge Technical skillsTechnical skills Independence (learner, worker)Independence (learner, worker) CompetenceCompetence

LORLOR

ContentContent– Professionalism and Communication SkillsProfessionalism and Communication Skills

AppearanceAppearance ConductConduct Emotional stabilityEmotional stability Interpersonal skillsInterpersonal skills Ability to work with others (patients, staff, team)Ability to work with others (patients, staff, team) Work habitsWork habits Communication skillsCommunication skills Ability to understand, speak, and write EnglishAbility to understand, speak, and write English

LORLOR

ContentContent– Personal comments and Personal comments and

observationsobservations

LORLOR

ContentContent– Closing ParagraphClosing Paragraph

I ____________________ (Enthusiastically, I ____________________ (Enthusiastically, Most Highly, Highly, or…) Recommend Most Highly, Highly, or…) Recommend Joe/Jane Smith for the position he/she is Joe/Jane Smith for the position he/she is seeking in your program.seeking in your program.

LORLOR

Reference:Reference:– David Geffen School of Medicine David Geffen School of Medicine

(UCLA)(UCLA)

http://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/currenhttp://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/current/fourthyear/?pgID=77t/fourthyear/?pgID=77