[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-275668-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-275668-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","letters-of-reference-guidelines","Letters of Reference - Guidelines","","Letters of reference must emphasize candor and forthrightness to uphold conduct and quality within the medical profession. The content should be comprehensive for informed decision-making, balancing the obligations to the subject, the recipient, institutions, and society. Ethical character and behavior should be addressed, while unsubstantiated claims that could unfairly harm a career must be avoided. The author retains ultimate responsibility, and reliable guidance may be sought from the Dean’s Office. Applicable to oral and written communications.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/","Letters",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters-of-reference-guidelines/275668/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/letters-of-reference-guidelines/275668.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Quinn","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",15,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What ethical principles should govern letters of reference in the medical profession?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Letters must be candid and forthright, inclusive rather than selective, and should address ethical behavior and character. They must avoid unsubstantiated information that could unfairly damage an individual’s career.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Is a response required when a faculty member receives a request for a letter of reference?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"A faculty member should respond if they have reliable information, whether it is favorable or unfavorable. Responses are required for those in supervisory relationships or department heads.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How should the letter handle reliability and hearsay information?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The letter should include a description of the information sources and the closeness of the relationship, including an assessment of reliability. Hearsay must be evaluated and verified when possible; if it cannot be verified, the letter must clearly identify it as hearsay.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},275668,1790710335,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,103,108,113,117,122],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":114,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":22,"language":135,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":139,"read_time":4},962075114765,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd","Candor and forthrightness in letters of reference are of the greatest importance in maintaining standards of conduct and of quality among members of the medical profession. Such letters should include that information which the writer or any other prospective employer would wish to receive in order to make a well-informed decision; they should be inclusive rather than selective. The writer must recognize a responsibility to the person about whom the letter is written, to the person to whom it is written, to the institution in which the writer works, to the institution receiving information, and to society at large.  \nEthical behavior and character should be addressed in a letter of reference, given that sound behavior and good character are essential to medical practice, teaching and research. On the other hand, letters should avoid unsubstantiated information that could unfairly damage an individual's career.  \nAlthough the writer may wish to have assistance regarding a letter's content and style, the ultimate responsibility for the letter resides with the author. If the writer is confused about what to include in a letter of reference, he/she may come to the Office of the Dean where either advice or referral to the University Counsel may be provided, if appropriate.  \nThese principles apply to oral as well as written communications.  \nGUIDELINES   \n1. A faculty member should respond to a request for a letter of reference if he/she has reliable information, whether the information is favorable or unfavorable. A response is required from those in supervisory relationships or department heads.  \n2. Written responses may be supplemented by oral communications, but the letter should include all major points of concern and be consistent with subsequent oral information.  \n3. Letters of reference should be addressed to a named individual, not \"to whom it may concern. \"  \n4. Each letter of reference should begin with a description of the sources of the information and the closeness of the relationship between the letter writer and the person about whom the letter is written. An assessment of the degree of reliability of the information should be included.  \n5. Hearsay evidence should be evaluated and verified, where possible, before a decision is made about inclusion in a letter of reference. If hearsay evidence cannot be verified, it is essential that the letter identify clearly which evidence is hearsay.  \n6. The writer of a reference has an obligation to warn, where the case demands, as well as to support.  \nAdopted on April 28, 1982.","cbCaip4qahXrZvzS","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaip4qahXrZvzS","pdf",401757,"English","# Guidelines\n## Core responsibilities and ethical principles\n## Practical requirements for responses\n## Content structure and reliability standards\n## Closing obligations and adoption date","[{\"question\":\"What ethical principles should govern letters of reference in the medical profession?\",\"answer\":\"Letters must be candid and forthright, inclusive rather than selective, and should address ethical behavior and character. They must avoid unsubstantiated information that could unfairly damage an individual’s career.\"},{\"question\":\"Is a response required when a faculty member receives a request for a letter of reference?\",\"answer\":\"A faculty member should respond if they have reliable information, whether it is favorable or unfavorable. Responses are required for those in supervisory relationships or department heads.\"},{\"question\":\"How should the letter handle reliability and hearsay information?\",\"answer\":\"The letter should include a description of the information sources and the closeness of the relationship, including an assessment of reliability. Hearsay must be evaluated and verified when possible; if it cannot be verified, the letter must clearly identify it as hearsay.\"}]","Letters of Reference - Guidelines | PDF",1789488789]