Letter of Intent Workshop

Laura Baumgartner, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP & Lauren Roller, PharmD Assistant Professors, Department of Clinical Sciences

Touro University California-College of Pharmacy

Trauma/Surgical Intensive Care Unit Clinical Pharmacists Highland Hospital

Objectives

• Distinguish between cover letters and letters of intent

• Describe the purpose of a letter of intent when securing a residency

• Understand the format for creating an effective letter of intent

• Construct a letter of intent that sets you apart from other candidates

Letter of Intent vs. Cover Letter

What is a Letter of Intent?

• An opportunity for you to showcase who you are and why you are an excellent candidate for the position

• Used as a screening tool to exclude candidates

– First impression counts!

• Answers a lot of “why” questions

– Why are you pursuing a residency?

– Why is this residency program a good fit for you?

– What will you bring to the organization?

Format

General Format

Residency Program Address

Opening Salutation

Paragraph #1 • Why do you want to do a residency?

Paragraph #2 • Why do you want to do a residency at that specific institution?

Paragraph #3 • Why are you the best candidate for their residency? Why

should they chose you?

Closing Salutation

Opening Salutation

• Express your excitement about applying to their program

• Remind them who you are

– Did you talk to them at CSHP/ASHP?

– Have you exchanged emails about the program?

– Have you been onsite for a rotation?

Opening Salutation Example

XX, PharmD, BCPS PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Director 234 Goodman St ML 0740 Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 Dear Dr. X: Please accept this letter as an expression of my interest in the X Health Pharmacy Residency Program. My research, and conversations with your residents during Midyear, provided opportunity to determine that your program is not only an excellent one, but is one that is a good match for my professional goals, and personal learning style. I have also had several conversations with Monica Randolph about her experience in the program last year and I believe X Health’s residency is one in which I could thrive.

Paragraph #1

• Why do you want to do a residency?

– How will doing a residency help you achieve your short and long term career goals?

• Remember to create SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed

– What triggered your excitement to pursue a residency?

• Give specific examples

– Pharmacy school

– APPEs

– Personal experience

Paragraph #1 Example

Paragraph #1 Example Cont.

• “My career goal is to become an ambulatory care pharmacist working with an underserved, diverse population. Following the residency, I plan to obtain Board Certification in Ambulatory Care.”

• “As a PGY-1 resident, my primary goal is to advance my clinical knowledge and critical thinking to provide optimal patient care to an under-served population.”

Paragraph #2

• Why do you want to do a residency at that specific institution?

• Show them that you have done your research on their institution

– Do your homework!

• Have you been on a rotation there?

• What sets their program apart from other programs?

– Teaching certificate

– Research coordination

– Rotation experiences

Paragraph #2 Example

Paragraph #3

• Why are you the best candidate for their residency program? Why should they chose you?

– Talk about your strengths without sounding overly arrogant

– Elaborate on skills or experiences you’ve had throughout pharmacy school and rotation

• Pick 1-2 things you are really proud of

Paragraph #3

Paragraph #3 Example

Paragraph #3 Example Cont.

• “On my ambulatory care rotation at Clinic Ole, I was involved in implementation of a flu vaccination clinic for pregnant women. Clinic Ole is a safety net clinic that serves an underserved, Spanish-speaking population. We created patient screening materials in English and Spanish and vaccinated over 30 patients per day. With this experience, I learned about the importance of collaborating with the health care team to improve vaccination rates.”

Paragraph #3 Example Cont.

• “This year I was one of two students selected to participate in the inaugural institutional track program at Wishard. Track programs are four to six consecutive month experiences to be completed at one institution, and are designed for students interested in pursuing a residency. Making the decision to continue at Wishard, I was confident I would be intensely challenged not only each month, but throughout the entire experience. My colleague and I were treated like residents-in-training, keeping long hours, managing longitudinal projects, assisting with the internship program, and presenting at hospital committee meetings, all in addition to our rotation-specific requirements. The experience was indeed challenging, but the rigor of the program was energizing and kept me coming back each day to make a contribution.”

Closing Salutation

• Thank them for their time and provide contact information for how to reach you

– Sound confident but not overly arrogant

• i.e. “I look forward to hearing from you to schedule an interview”

Scenarios

Scenario #1

“I am interested in your ambulatory care residency because I have a lot of experience in

this field”

How can this be written to make a stronger impression?

Scenario #2

“I am an excellent candidate for your program because I have experience at the Veterans Affair,

homeless clinics, geriatric population, and patients with mental illnesses”

How can this be written to make a stronger impression?

Scenario #3

“My unique characteristics allow me to be a great match for your program. I am goal-oriented, work well with

others, I have the ability to multi-task, I am hard-working, etc…”

How can this be written to make a stronger impression?

DOs & DON’Ts

Write a specific letter for each site Spell check; proofread Ask a preceptor/faculty to review letter for feedback Show your dedication to the profession/patient care

DOs

Don’t write a generic letter for all sites Don’t rush to write letter in one setting Don’t copy format of letter found online

DON’Ts

Questions?

Laura.Baumgartner@tu.edu & Lauren.Roller@tu.edu