College of Medicine - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Faculty Development Resources

Never feel obligated to write a letter. These kinds of letters may really hurt the application.
Allow sufficient time for letters to be drafted, edited and finalized. If you can't find the time to do a good job, decline the offer to write the letter. If you do accept, spend some time thinking about the student and doing rough drafts. If you need more information, contact the student.
Use departmental stationery and envelopes.
Reference forms can be tricky and usually require more time and attention than does a personal letter of recommendation. Teachers must resist the temptation to simply write something in the spaces and send it off. In general, a recommendation/reference form should be approached as if it were a test. Read the entire form over carefully and sketch out your answers in rough on a photocopy of the original. Try not to leave any blanks. If more information is needed, ask the student. Avoid repeating the same items in different sections.
Don't forget the deadline! Send the letter off promptly. The student is counting on you.
If you are unsure of your content or style, show a draft to another faculty member.
The main role of the letter is to show how the student meets the criteria of the residency.
Convince the selection committee that this is the person they are seeking.
Never forget: someone once promoted you in with a letter of recommendation. Writing a good one might be the most significant thing you can do for a student.

Keep notes on students you evaluate during rotations so you can make specific references to performance. Copies of rotation evaluations can be useful, especially narrative comments.
Tell the student how strong a letter you feel you can honestly write for them. Give them a chance to ask someone else if you cannot write a strong letter.
Make an appointment with the student for about fifteen minutes to review the CV Ask the student about some specific event or situation in which you think the student performed well on his or her rotation.
Make certain that you understand the student’s residency plans.