How to Write Letter of Intent for Medical School – Overview
Medical schools are ranked as the most prestigious sources of academia around the world.
Millions of aspirants all over the world attempt to get admission to a reputed medical school so that they can ensure a successful career as a doctor or surgeon.
However, if medical school acceptance rates are anything to go by, then a letter of intent for medical school can be the deciding factor for successful admission.
What is a Letter of Intent for Medical School?
A letter of intent for medical school is a document that details your commitment to accept the offer of admission to a specific school despite offers of admission from other schools too.
This letter of intent is meant to be sent to only one school, which is your top choice for medical training.
The letter of intent is a way for the school authorities to know that you are a serious candidate and committed to pursuing higher education at the medical school of your choice.
When is a Letter of Intent for Medical School required?
You should draft and submit a letter of intent for medical school around a month after your interviews are over. This is especially helpful when your name is placed on the wait-list for admissions.
The letter of intent aims to let the school authorities know that their school is your top choice for admission to pursue higher education in the medical field.
Education experts suggest that aspirants should write a letter of intent in the latter part of the admission season, only after having appeared for pre-admission interviews in several different medical schools.
This is so that you can express your willingness and genuine choice for medical training at a particular school.
When is a Letter of Intent for Medical School required?
The letter of intent will display your intention for higher education at the targeted medical school and help boost your chances of admission into your favorite medical school.
How to Write the Perfect Letter of Intent for Medical School?
Several important aspects need to be kept in mind when drafting a letter of intent for medical school.
Apart from impeccable grammar, you need to be careful about spelling names correctly and submitting a final, polished letter.
The letter should be short but cover the essential aspects of your commitment to getting admission to a particular medical school.
The letter of intent for medical school is addressed to the Dean/Director of Admissions, so you need to confirm this before drafting the letter.
This way, you can directly communicate your intentions to the person responsible for making the final decisions when it comes to admission to medical school.
To ensure that your letter of intent for medical school is sharp, expressive and effective, here are the several aspects that you need to take care of:
Length and Structure of Letter of Intent
The letter of intent for medical school admissions should not be more than one page. It should follow a formal structure and be on-point.
There’s no sense in sending long, rambling letters because the person is already bogged down with other duties and may not want to commit to reading along, multi-page letters.
Opening of Letter of Intent
A formal greeting is used when starting a letter of intent. Make sure to use the recipient’s full name and title, for instance:
“Dear Dr. John Smith, Dean of Admissions, XXX University.”
1st Paragraph of Letter of Intent
The first paragraph of a letter of intent for medical school should follow the below-given structure:
- Your introduction
- Specific education program you wish to pursue
- Your date of interview
- Your unique skills and strong points
- Your accomplishments in the past
- Your eagerness to attend the specific medical school and accept admission if offered
2nd Paragraph of Letter of Intent
The second paragraph should detail the reasons why you think that the targeted medical school is your top choice.
You can include the details of the curriculum, program, research opportunities and other initiatives that appealed to you in the particular medical school.
Closing a Letter of Intent
When ending the letter of intent, make sure to repeat and remind the recipient of your excitement and eagerness to get admission to the particular medical school.
Thank the recipient for having taken the time out of their busy schedule to read your letter.
End the letter professionally, using “All the Best” or “Sincerely” or a similar closing line. Also, make sure to add your AAMC ID number below your signature/initials on the letter of intent for medical school.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you should now be able to draft and write a proper and effective letter of intent for admission to medical school.
In case you are currently pursuing a pre-med undergrad program, you could reach out to your school’s Writing Centre for assistance and make sure that your letter of intent is clear, concise and impactful.
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