How to Create a Letter of Intent (LOI) | From a Pharmacist
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You’ve heard about the (dreaded) Letter of Intent. An important piece in your application process for Post-Graduate Training (residency, fellowship, etc). But how to tackle it? Today, I’m talking about my tips for creating the best LOI. This advice is presented to help students on his/her road to Residency Applications (particularly pharmacy students) but can be broadly applied to any setting involving letters of intent.
Download my LOI template below after reading this article!
What is a Letter of Intent (LOI)?
A document, usually for the purpose of post-graduate training applications, to state your intentions in applying to the program.
Steps to Prepare your LOI:
1. Gather information about each program you will be writing a Letter of Intent to
- I highly recommend creating a general LOI first and then customizing each LOI for the program you are applying to. This works best if there are commonalities between the programs (i.e. they are all pediatric residences, they are all academic medical centers, etc.).
- If you find the programs are vastly different from one another, this is an opportunity to step back and consider why you are applying to such a broad range. Do you know what niche or specialty you want to pursue? Do you understand the differences between the program types and have effectively narrowed your list? First find your passion. Then find your programs. Finally write your LOI.
- Find program director names, credentials, addresses, etc. to include in the beginning of the LOI
2. Gather your CV and pick out unique roles you had during:
- Pharmacy school
- Intern and work experience
- Community service and other activities
- Identify unique qualities you possess.
3. Write down your short and long-term goals
4. Start writing
- I recommend 3-5 paragraphs. They should be concisely written with specific examples included (likely from your CV – my blog here).
- Yes, you can brag about yourself in this LOI. Do so in a professional manner and don’t use lists to demonstrate everything you did during pharmacy school. Like I said above, identify specific examples to highlight your unique qualities, experience and expertise.
- Genuinely show your passion! You’re pursuing a specific field, specialty, and/or program for a reason! Don’t let that slip away as you write your LOI.
5. Edit
- Gather 3-5 editors to review your LOI.
- I recommend someone within your field (potentially a mentor, professor or preceptor), someone outside your field (family member or friend) and someone who loves English and grammar (take out that red marker!).
- This is the same process I outlined in my CV blog post.
And you’re done! That wasn’t so bad, right?!
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