How To Write The Residency Letter of Intent (2022-2023)

Make it clear why you are interested in the program.

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Residency Match 2022 – 2023 Letter of Intent Example.

As residency interview season comes to an end, you’ve identified your top choice program and you want to write a residency letter of intent. Even though programs are not allowed to ask for letters of intent, more and more are asking applicants to communicate interest. Therefore, at MedEdits, we consider letters of intent a very important part of the residency match process and encourage all applicants to send one.

These are some concerns applicants have about letters of intent:

“I have no idea what to write.”
“I want to stand out.”
“I want to be different.”

This is what you want to convey through your letter of intent:

  1. Make it clear why you are interested in the program.
  2. Why are you a great fit for the program?
  3. Why is the program a great fit for you?
  4. How will you contribute?
  5. Explicitly state the the program is your #1 choice and you will be ranking them first.
  6. Address the letter to the program director and any people with whom you have connected (interviewers, coordinator)
  7. Send your residency letter of intent by mid-January or once you have completed all of your interviews.

Program directors want to rank applicants who are likely to match into their program. This is why a residency letter of intent matters! 

FREE – Residency Rank Order List Strategy eBook

  • How many programs should I rank to match?
  • What is a rank order list?
  • What is the best match rank list strategy?
  • When do programs submit their rank list?
Residency Match Rank Order List Guide 2020

Make it clear why you are interested in the residency program.

And, don’t forget to explain why you’ll be a good fit.

Below is an example residency letter of intent from How To Be an All-Star Residency Match Applicant which you can buy on Amazon.

Example Residency Letter of Intent

Dear Dr. X,

I interviewed at your program on January 6th, and did a second look on January 31st. I am writing this letter to express my strong interest in your program and to inform you that I am ranking Excellent Program as my #1 choice for residency.

Excellent Program offers several unique strengths that make it the right program for me. I am particularly interested in the clinical and research opportunities that Excellent offers, including great subspecialty surgical electives, international mission trips with faculty and diverse training sites. The chance to take a year off to pursue my research interests is something else in which I am interested. I also enjoyed meeting with Drs. Great and Awesome during my second look and learning about resident involvement with community and departmental initiatives. I plan to pursue leadership positions during and after residency, and Excellent would help me achieve these goals.

I am also extremely impressed with your program’s structured didactics. I learned from Dr. Accomplished’s presentation and handouts on interview day that residents are consistently tested on the material they are learning in conferences and during rotations. In addition, I highly value the extensive simulation training that is an ongoing part of the curriculum. I was also impressed by the camaraderie and teamwork that your residents exhibited. I think I would fit in very well with the group.

During my second look visit last week, I also explored the city of Urban Oasis and became aware of its incredible diversity. Even though I will have limited free time during residency, the city’s cultural and culinary venues will offer valuable diversions. I would be really excited to live in a new part of the country and learn how medicine is practiced there.

For all of these reasons, Excellent is my top choice for residency. I would be honored to match there. As a resident, I hope to learn from my attendings and offer the best care for my patients. I also hope to make meaningful contributions to the program. My desire to become an excellent surgeon, along with my current interests and future goals, make me an enthusiastic, motivated, focused, and excellent fit for Excellent.

Sincerely,
Your Top Choice Too

Residency Match Services

Learn more about MedEdits’ residency letter of intent editing services, or contact us to create a residency admissions plan.

About MedEdits

MedEdits helps students get admitted to medical school and residency programs. Our consultants have years of experience serving on medical school admissions committees, and as faculty members at the top medical schools in the country.

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