The Basics:
- Start at the top of the page with your name and contact information. Make sure this information matches your CV!.
- Include the address and phone number of the person who will receive your letter after that. The department chair typically fills this role, but occasionally the fellowship director or the recruiter Call and ask if you’re unsure of this person’s identity!
- Address your letter to this person – “Dear Dr. Smith…”
- A maximum of one page should be used, with font sizes of 10 to 12 (never smaller! ), and page margins of at least 0. 75 inches.
Content: What do I put in this thing, anyway?
The main body of your cover letter ought to achieve the following four goals:
State the position for which you are applying
- Are you applying for a fellowship position? Are you seeking a full-time or part-time position? Will the position primarily involve clinical work or also involve core faculty responsibilities?
- Requests for salary, benefits, and hours should be saved for the interview process; while it’s important to be clear about the job you want, there’s no need to get overly specific with the nitty gritty HR stuff.
Convey a connection to the location or practice
- Do you love the population that ED serves? Did you grow up in the neighborhood? Do you have family or friends who live nearby?
- To reference pertinent information and how it relates to you in your letter, make sure to read up on the organization or program and learn more about the particular job culture and requirements.
Describe your skills and experiences that make you a desirable candidate and the right match for the job
- Think like a hiring manager: What specific abilities, qualifications, work history, or advanced training can you bring to this position?
- Give examples of how you’ve developed and used your best abilities in the past. (For instance, if you were applying for a fellowship in medical education, you might emphasize any formal leadership or education training you have obtained along with any lectures and teaching you have done.)
- Highlight any ongoing or upcoming projects that are relevant to this position but may not yet be listed on your resume.
- Attention: This is not the place where you should rehash your resume. Instead, if you do bring up a particular CV item, it should be because you are expanding on the experience to bolster your credentials.
Finish with “the ask” and a “thank you”
- After thanking the reader for their time and consideration, ask them to review your CV and get in touch with you regarding an interview.
- Try using a straightforward sentence like, “I have enclosed a copy of my CV for your review.” Regarding this application, I look forward to hearing from you, and I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to do so. ”.
PRO TIPS:
- Be positive and professional. When in doubt, err on the side of formality. However, it’s acceptable to show a little bit of your personality!
- Never use the same cover letter when applying to multiple jobs. You should modify your cover letter to reflect the distinctive qualities or particulars of each location if you are applying to numerous practice settings or across the country.
- Similar to your CV, be meticulous with formatting and other style details. Ask friends or mentors to help you edit to ensure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.
- Read your cover letter aloud to yourself after printing it. This will assist you in finding any accidental grammar mistakes or typos that your eyes might otherwise miss after reviewing it numerous times on a computer.
- Upload a PDF whenever you send a letter electronically rather than a word processing document (e g. to ensure it appears the same on the employer’s computer as it does on yours, use Word or Pages.
Can you show me an example?
Okay, let’s look at a possible sentence for your cover letter and three possible wordings for it:
For my application to work at ECG Memorial Hospital, kindly find my CV attached (with a paperclip). I’ll get right to the point: I recently completed residency and am looking for that new position to put my skills as an Emergency Physician to use. You are one of four places I am applying. Despite the fact that I am a new EP, I pledge to work very hard to improve your department.
[. [Having just completed a demanding residency training program, I am confident that I will succeed at ECG Memorial. Since I am interested in pediatric emergency medicine and have a lot of experience working with patients similar to ECG’s, I would like to take part in your ED’s community outreach program with the nearby elementary schools. Please consider me a strong candidate for the position.
[. ] My training at a trauma center like ECG Memorial, which sees over 100K ED visits annually, has equipped me with the knowledge and abilities to handle surges and quickly triage patients while being mindful of efficiency and providing excellent patient care. As a resident member of the Provider at Triage Committee in my home institution and someone with a particular interest in ED patient flow, I am enthusiastic about the new triage system being tested at ECG and believe I would be a valuable addition to your team during this change.
The Internet is full of sample Cover Letters. In your preferred web browser, look for effective examples of formatting and content.
Don’t forget to ask your program director and mentors for advice as well. They are familiar with you as a resident and might have some suggestions for how to format your letter to really emphasize your strengths.
The resources listed below are ones we also like and think you’ll find useful:
