Kim Sauerwein

Health Professions Advisor

Career Services

1. Who will you ask?• Faculty who know you well

• Faculty who you respect

• Faculty of classes where you’ve done well

• Administrators who you know well

• Supervisors (Research, Internships, Jobs)

• Other Advisors, Mentors

• People in my network who have connections to professional schools

• NO family, clergy, politicians, family friends

2. Do you need a Composite?

• Required for allopathic and osteopathic medical school if you are a current student or one year out of Dartmouth (In 2009, compositesot required for 07’s and prior)

• An option, but not required for dental, vet, podiatry and optometry schools.

Your composite writer should be:

• A member of the Dartmouth community

• Someone who knows you well

• Able to write his/her own comments and evaluation and incorporate other writers’ evaluations as well.

• Able to write within your timeframe

3. Preparing to ask• Who will be your composite writer?

(Ask this person first!)• When (& where) will I ask?• Why am I asking this person?• By what date do I want this letter to be

completed?• What points can the writer speak to in

his/her letter?• What is my back up plan if this person

says no?

4. Step by Step1. Ask composite writer first2. Set up an in-person meeting3. At the meeting: Introduce the topic

“I wanted to talk with you about writing a letter for my application to medical school.”

“Do you feel that you know my well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation for dental school?”

4. Give them a way to say no5. Give a deadline/timeline & reason behind it6. Be prepared to discuss your career goals &

application7. Tell them what documents you’re preparing

and ask them if they would like additional info

5. Etiquette• Never ask for a letter over email• Give writers at least 4-6 weeks to write.

Six to eight weeks for a composite.• Clearly communicate deadlines.• Politely check in with them once or twice

before your deadline.• Prepare your writer with helpful

information (documentation) AFTER they have agreed to write. Do NOT bring this to your initial meeting.

Helpful info/documents• LEO cover sheet

(must be submitted with the letter)

• Transcripts and Citations

• Resume

• Autobiographical Sketch

• Timelines/Deadlines specific to your goals

• “Talking points” or “Themes”

(gauge your writer to determine if this would be appropriate)

“Talking Points” or “Themes”

• My ability to work collaboratively.– When I worked as an intern in your office, I mostly

worked with you and Dr. Soul, but I also worked with Maria for budget concerns, Patrice for technical concerns and the student volunteers for marketing the project.

• Communication skills.– Your observations of how I communicated things to

you, other staff of the office, student organizations, etc. As I coordinated fundraising efforts, I relied heavily on my communication skills to convey the importance of the project to potential donors. In the end, we raised $2000 above our goal.

“Talking Points” or “Themes”• Scholarship

– The course material took dedication and time to learn, but to really integrate the information, I needed to teach others. I worked with you during office hours to go above and beyond the text and lectures to understand the concepts and I brought what I learned to study groups and helped others to learn.

• Motivation– When I received a low score on the first test, I came

to your office to discuss my preparation methods and understanding of the material. I regularly sought you out after class to make sure I was on the right track and in the end, I received a B+ in the class.

Let your writers know how it goes!

Questions?