#BetterLetter: Practical Strategies for Writing Meaningful Letters of Recommendation in a Climate of Change

A meaningful letter of recommendation is not only an opportunity for sponsorship but also one of the most important tasks for medical educators. Residency program leadership and recruitment teams also recognize how critical a role words from colleagues can be in painting a picture of applicants. However, with administrative and clinical demands, finding the time and cognitive bandwidth to write unique and descriptive words on behalf of learners can be daunting. The temptation to recycle language, and even letters, is one that is all too common. With the emergence of more pass-fail assessments and other changes to the landscape of recruitment, the weight of letters and the urgency for them to adequately describe individuals is now more important and significant than ever. In this workshop, presenters describe the #BetterLetter approach to preparing and writing letters of recommendation. This interactive workshop allows participants to work through a four-step process involving developing a description of the role in medical education and interaction with learner; engaging the learner in an inventory of their strengths and building examples from personal experience with them +/- peer descriptions solicited by the learner.; how the individual compares to others and/or insight on challenges; and a clear statement of recommendation. The workshop emphasizes reflection and action-oriented application to empower participants (and their colleagues) to write more meaningful letters.