Letter of Reference

Things are certainly beginning to turn full circle. My medical student asked me to write him a letter of reference the other day. For residency application, that is. Programs begin accepting applications this month, I believe, and most programs require 3 or more letters. I was in his position, oh, 9 (gawd was it that long??) years ago.

Not the best medstudent I've worked with, but still, a good kid. Sure, I told him. I could write him a letter (if I didn't think I could at least say something nice in a letter I would have told him to ask someone else). I did sit him down to ask him to tell me about anything else he might have done during his month-long stint in endo that I might not have been aware off. And talked to my other colleagues for feedback too. And had him give me a copy of his CV.

And so the other night I did something I had never done before. I wrote a student a letter of recommendation:

"Dear Program Director,

It is with pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Mr. B....

Yours truly,

Assistant Professor Vagus "

I'm thinking this will be the first of many. I hope it gets him where he wants to go.