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Specifies formatting rules for PDF submission, file size, encryption restrictions, filename character limits, letterhead and signing requirements, plus structure and best practices to write a compelling, tailored, specific, and professional 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\n• VTCSOM med students may also request LoR for:  \n• Away rotations through the VSLO (Visiting Student Learning Opportunity) or other mechanisms  \n• Awards or scholarships  \nWhen you are asked…  \n• It is assumed you know the student (the exception may be department chairs)  \n• If you cannot write a strong or personal letter, politely decline  \n• Ask about the timeline.  \n• Ask about the means of providing the letter (ERAS and VSLO have letter portals)  \nMeet with the student  \n• Confirm specialty interest (you may be asked to write a letter for a student applying in a specialty other than yours)  \n• Ask the student to provide their CV and a draft of their personal statement  \n• It is okay to give feedback and advice on applying but the main purpose of this meeting is to provide you with information for you to use in the LoR  \n• Confirm the AAMC number (for residency applications)  \nClarify aspects of the CV  \n• Advance degree-MS, MBA, MPH, or PhD  \n• Research; such as role in research, publications, grants  \n• Other scholarly activity; such as presentations, papers, other writing, courses/sessions taught, conferences  \n• Leadership roles; such as class officer, student groups, representative to national organizations  \n• Volunteer/extra-curricular activities; such as free clinics, children’s camps, interest groups, etc .  \nThe letter request form  \n• Regardless of the purpose of the letter, there  \nneeds to be a means by which you send/upload the letter. In ERAS, this is a portal into which you will have a unique number found on the Letter Request Form  \n• If the Letter Request Form provided for you does not include a statement,“I waive the right to review the letter” you should ask for another request where the student has indicated such.  \nThe ERAS LoR  \n• File must be in a PDF format.  \n• File size cannot exceed 1 MB.  \n• File cannot be encrypted or password protected.  \n• Filename cannot contain the following special characters: | * ? :  \n• Page size must be 8.5 x 11 inches.  \nIt is recommended that letters are written on a professional letterhead. Before uploading a letter, carefully review the letter for accuracy and grammatical errors . LoR(s) should be signed by the LoR Author and include a date .  \nMain components of a compelling LoR  \n1. Your assessment of the student’s strengths, preferably from working directly with him or her;  \n2. Your assessment of how the student will perform as a resident and future member of that specialty;  \n3. Anything that may distinguish this applicant from others .  \nOther guidelines  \n• Limit your letter to one or two pages. The strongest letters include at least three paragraphs . Length of the letter may be interpreted by some programs as a measure of strength of the recommendation, although some may specify “one page or less”(such as the military) .  \n• Explain how you know the applicant and your relationship. Do you know this applicant from an academic, clinical, or research setting? State how long have you known the applicant and how well.  \n• Tailor your letter. Give the reader a sense of the applicant’s potential as a future physician, as well as in other areas on which you can comment (e.g., research, advocacy, their chosen specialty) . Specific areas to comment on include: intellectual ability; analytical skills; attitude toward learning; communication skills; initiative, motivation, and persistence; and personal achievements . Highlight ACGME core competencies where possible .  \nOther guidelines (continued)  \n• Be specific . Give specific examples of your observation of the student, or stories about your experiences with them that reflect his/her potential, professionalism, clinical acumen, interpersonal and leadership skills, passion for medicine, etc . When possible, include statistics (e.g.,“Ms . Jones is a","cbCaijYpzSnaduwP","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijYpzSnaduwP","pdf",325279,"English","# Writing a Letter of Recommendation for VTCSOM students\n## Initial Considerations\n## When you are asked…\n## Meet with the student\n## Clarify aspects of the CV\n## The letter request form\n## The ERAS LoR\n## Main components of a compelling LoR\n## Other guidelines","[{\"question\":\"What should you do when asked to write a medical student LoR?\",\"answer\":\"Assume you know the student (unless it is a department chair exception), ask about the timeline and how the letter will be provided, and politely decline if you cannot write a strong or personal recommendation.\"},{\"question\":\"What information should the student provide to help you write the LoR?\",\"answer\":\"Request the student’s CV and a draft of their personal statement, confirm their specialty interest, and verify the AAMC number for residency applications.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the ERAS LoR file requirements?\",\"answer\":\"Submit the LoR as an unencrypted, password-protected PDF under 1 MB, with a filename that avoids the listed special characters, and ensure the page size is 8.5 x 11 inches.\"}]","LoR Guidelines 2024 - Writing a Letter of Recommendation | PDF",1789566447,6]