Learning objectives in an average medicine training curriculum globally through the lens of a USMLE residency application

Standard letter of recommendation LOR template:

September 30th, 2020

Dear Program Director,

    I am pleased to write a letter of reference for Ms. _________ in her application for residency. I’ve had the pleasure of guiding Ms. _____ for the past four years. She completed two-month General Medicine rotations, every year, during her clinical years in medical school training, at PQRS Hospital, India. During that time, she was responsible for managing patients by taking patient history, conducting complete clinical examinations, calling in consults, reviewing lab reports, and monitoring patient care. Ms. _____ carried out these responsibilities with diligence and skill. She also attended various academic sessions and actively participated in daily rounds.

    I can strongly attest to Ms. ______ abilities as I’ve had the opportunity to oversee her in both the In-patient and Out-patient setting, taught her in class and worked with her during internship. She has gained experience in diagnosing and managing common medical conditions such as, Diabetes, Hypertension, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, COPD, Stroke, poisonings and various infectious diseases. She has performed procedures such as pleural and ascitic tap, central line catheterizations, endotracheal intubation and local nerve block administration. She is also well practiced in procedures such as nasogastric tube insertions, IV-line insertions, Foley’s catheterization and drawing arterial and venous blood samples. She had taken the initiative to present various topics such as, ‘Epilepsy’ and Rheumatic Fever’ and actively participated in their discussions during academic sessions. Her enthusiasm to learn, team attitude, and professional work ethic was well appreciated, and she had hence been described as one of the best students on our team by our residents and attending physician.

    Apart from Ms. ______ impressive list of attributes, one well-appreciated trait is her willingness to take initiative. An example of such an instance was during her internship year, when due to unforeseen circumstances, a Health Camp had to be organised last minute. Ms. ____ was one of the few interns who volunteered to attend this Health Camp immediately after completing a night shift at the hospital. She spent the day taking history and examining over 100 patients of a homeless shelter for the mentally ill. Her dedication and passion for Medicine was apparent in her work ethic.

    Ms. ______ has a sound knowledge of general medicine and its various disciplines. In addition, she is hardworking and highly motivated with a good sense of ethics and responsibility. Her communication skills and the respect she demonstrated towards patients, staff and colleagues were impressive. I am confident of her capability of working in a team effectively and efficiently, as she had demonstrated good leadership on multiple occasions. Ms. _____ is a well-rounded and promising student whom I have no hesitation in recommending for your residency program. If you have any further questions regarding Ms. _____ or my experience with her, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Dr. Xyz, MD

Professor & HOD of General Medicine

Pqrs Institute of Medical Sciences

,  State, India

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