Guidelines for Writing Department of Medicine Summary Letters

Lang et al talk about department of medicine (DOM) letter. Medical students pursuing an internal medicine residency position often require a DOM letter, also known as a chair's letter for their residency applications. DOM letters have the potential to provide important information about student attributes from the perspective of experienced internal medicine educators, but this potential is often unfulfilled. In a 2012 Association of American Medical Colleges survey, 72% of internal medicine residency program directors indicated that they used letters of recommendation when deciding whether to invite an applicant for an interview.