Session Design Submission Review

Yes

• Faculty Development
• Membership

In academia, the well-crafted Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is not merely a formality; it can be a critical determinant of a candidate’s promotion, tenure and funding. Given the import of good LORs, it is imperative for the candidate to advocate for themself effectively. This panel of departmental and MedEd leaders will share their perspectives on best practices and avoidable pitfalls when requesting a LOR.  The expert panel will also share advice for compelling content, highlighting what makes a good letter.  Finally, the learner will be introduced to a new Society member benefit aimed to help juniors increase their professional network, “The Letter Writers Repository.”

Advice will be tiered to the medical student, resident and faculty with a special focus on differentiating requests for promotion versus funding, as in grant applications.  This session will focus on how to truly advocate, both from the vantage of the candidate and from the vantage of the letter writer. It’s about transforming a competent applicant into a truly compelling applicant. The panelists will discuss how the LOR process helps to strategically position a candidate’s experiences to align with the specific values and requirements of target position, professional society or funding request by moving beyond generic praise to powerful, personalized endorsements.

Tools, Skills, and Information Surgical Educators Will Take Back:

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the critical elements that make an LOR impactful, and what information to provide the letter writer to ensure a tailored letter.

Ultimately, this session aims to empower surgical educators at all levels of career stage and proficiency to advocate for themselves for compelling letters of recommendations that are not just strong, but also strategically powerful. This directly benefits our Society by enhancing our members’ laurels and influence.

1. The learner will understand the “how” of requesting a good LOR including whom to approach, how to reach out to them, and what information to provide them

2. The learner who is requesting the LOR will know what information to present to the letter writer

3. The learner will be able to differentiate LOR content needed for promotion versus grant support