Residency Recommendation Letter: 6 Samples That Get Read

Medical student: internal medicine clerkship attending (204 words)

Dear Program Director,

It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Ms. Aisha Rahman (ERAS 2026104471) for a position in your internal medicine residency program. I am an Associate Professor of Medicine and supervised Aisha for four weeks on the inpatient general medicine service at University Hospital during her third-year clerkship. Aisha has waived her right to see this letter.

Over twelve years I have supervised more than 150 students on this service, and Aisha is among the top five. Her presentations were organized and honest: she told me what she knew, what she did not, and what she had already looked up. On her second week she admitted a patient with hyponatremia, worked through the differential before rounds, and correctly suspected medication-induced SIADH. She followed the patient's sodium every morning and adjusted her plan with the resident.

She was the student the interns asked to help. She wrote clear notes, called families with updates when asked, and never left a task unfinished at sign-out.

Aisha will be an outstanding resident. I recommend her with my highest enthusiasm and would be glad to have her in our own program.

Sincerely, Michael Torres, MD Associate Professor of Medicine, Clerkship Site Director University Hospital, (555) 640-2290

Medical student: surgery sub-internship letter (169 words)

Dear Members of the Selection Committee,

I am pleased to recommend Mr. Jacob Feld (ERAS 2026118852) for your general surgery residency program. I supervised Jacob during his four-week acting internship on our acute care surgery service. He has waived his right to see this letter.

During the rotation Jacob carried four to six patients as the primary student, wrote orders for co-signature, and presented on rounds at intern level. On one night call he recognized early signs of sepsis in a post-operative patient, called the senior resident, and had cultures and fluids started before I arrived. In the operating room he knew the anatomy, asked useful questions and closed skin carefully.

Among the sub-interns I have supervised in the last five years, I would place Jacob in the top ten percent. He works hard without being asked, accepts feedback the same day, and the nursing staff trusted him.

I give Jacob my strongest recommendation for surgical training.

Sincerely, Elena Park, MD, FACS Assistant Professor of Surgery, Acute Care Surgery

Medical student: research mentor for a radiology applicant (165 words)

Dear Program Director,

I write in strong support of Ms. Grace Okonkwo (ERAS 2026120039), who worked in my imaging research group for eighteen months. Grace has waived her right to view this letter.

Grace led a retrospective project on missed findings in emergency chest CT. She wrote the protocol, obtained IRB approval, reviewed 600 studies with two attending radiologists and presented the results at our regional radiology meeting. She is first author on the manuscript now under review.

What impressed me most was her judgment. When the early data suggested a result that would have been easy to publish, she noticed a sampling problem and insisted we fix it first. That is the habit I want in any physician who reads images.

She is also a good teacher. She trained two first-year students in our review method, and both stayed with the group.

I recommend Grace without reservation for diagnostic radiology.

Sincerely, Samuel Ortiz, MD, PhD Professor of Radiology, Director, Imaging Outcomes Research Group

Medical student: department chair letter, internal medicine (147 words)

Dear Program Director,

On behalf of the Department of Medicine, I am pleased to support the application of Mr. David Chen (ERAS 2026107715) to your internal medicine residency program. Mr. Chen has waived his right to see this letter.

I met with David to review his application, and I have read the evaluations from his clerkship and sub-internship. His attendings describe him consistently as a strong clinical reasoner with excellent follow-through. He earned honors in both rotations, and his sub-internship attending ranked him in the top tier of students she has supervised this year.

Outside the wards, David co-led the student-run free clinic for two years, where he built a follow-up system for patients with uncontrolled hypertension.

Based on his record and our conversation, I expect him to be an excellent resident and future colleague. I recommend him highly.

Sincerely, Rebecca Hall, MD Chair, Department of Medicine

International graduate: observership attending, family medicine (162 words)

Dear Program Director,

I am writing to recommend Dr. Ravi Menon (ERAS 2026131254) for your family medicine residency program. Dr. Menon completed a twelve-week externship in my outpatient clinic at Valley Community Health Center, where I am the medical director. He has waived his right to see this letter.

Dr. Menon saw patients under my supervision, took histories, examined patients and presented plans to me before I saw them. His plans were safe and practical, and by the fourth week I was changing very little. He has a natural way with patients who are anxious about the health system, and several asked to see him again.

Compared with the US students and international graduates who have rotated with me, Dr. Menon is in the top quarter for clinical knowledge and the top few for patient communication.

He will be an asset to a family medicine program, especially one serving a diverse community.

Sincerely, Laura Benson, MD Medical Director, Valley Community Health Center

Reapplicant: research year supervisor, updated letter (123 words)

Dear Program Director,

I recommend Dr. Hannah Weiss (ERAS 2026099820), who has worked as a clinical research fellow in our Department of Pediatrics since July 2025, after not matching in the last cycle. She has waived her right to see this letter.

In this year Hannah has coordinated enrolment for our asthma education trial, seen families in clinic alongside our pediatricians, and presented our interim results at grand rounds. She took feedback from her first application seriously; her clinical presentations are now concise and her plans well reasoned.

I have watched her grow in confidence and skill over twelve months. I would be glad to have her as a resident in our own program.

Sincerely, Thomas Grant, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics