By now, you may have noticed that you’ll be up against some stiff competition when applying for medical school. You may be wondering, “What are some ways I can stand out from the crowd?” or “How can I further express my interest in a medical school program?” If you’re asking those questions, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s talk about medical school interview thank-you notes. Although it may seem like a small gesture, expressing gratitude and following up after a medical school interview can set you apart from other applicants.
Here we’ll cover how to format your medical school thank-you note, demonstrate some successful examples, and more. Let’s get started!
A med school thank you note is a follow-up letter sent via snail mail or email to express gratitude to your interviewer. Most students also include an anecdote from their interview to remind their interviewer of who they are and the date of their interview and further express their interest in the program.
These letters are a great way to demonstrate your interest in your potential future medical school. Even if you think you had a successful interview, it's essential to remember that a simple gesture like expressing gratitude and following up can make a big difference.
Your letter should include specific information pertaining to your interview, such as the questions asked, your responses, and any valuable insights gained during the conversation. Avoid sending a note you could easily send to any other interviewer without adjustments.
Here, we’ll analyze some stellar medical school interview thank-you note examples. We’ll cover how they’re successful and how they could potentially improve.
“Dear Attorney Smith,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday to discuss my strong interest in the internship at the Housing Rights Center. I enjoyed learning about the organization’s recent efforts to protect the housing rights of low-income tenants in Los Angeles. As an L.A. native, I am keenly aware of the challenging circumstances many residents face and admire HRC’s efforts to address the city’s persistent socio-economic injustice. Our conversation yesterday further strengthened my interest in working for HRC this summer. Please let me know if I can provide you with additional information. Thank you again for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
James Henry”
How this example is successful: Although this example is for law school, the same concepts apply. The interviewee reminds the interviewer of his strong interest in the program. He then recalls a specific detail of something he learned about in the interview. This is a great way to show the interviewer that you listened to everything they said and took something positive from your conversation.
The interviewee continues to express specific things he likes about the program and connects himself to those things. In the letter, the candidate mentions the program’s recent efforts to improve housing rights in L.A. and then follows this up with his connection to L.A. and these issues. You can follow a similar pattern in your letter to demonstrate that the goals of the program align with your own, making you the perfect fit.
The candidate ends on a strong note by further expressing his interest in the program and once again thanking the interviewer for their consideration.
How this example could improve: The interviewee states that the interview was “yesterday,” though he could be a little more specific. Interviewers often see many candidates in a day and may need to be reminded of the specific time of your interview to remember who you are. You can include this information at the top of your note or in the subject of your email.
“Dear Mr. Jones,
Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday. I enjoyed learning about the internship at the Housing Rights Center and appreciated the opportunity to meet with you and other members of the staff. Please thank Mr. Johnson, Ms. Jones, and Mr. Williams for speaking with me about their efforts to address predatory lending practices. My experience working with recent immigrants at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau has affirmed my commitment to working with those who encounter socio-economic and linguistic barriers. I am very excited about the possibility of joining HRC next fall. Please let me know if I can provide you with additional information. I look forward to hearing from you.
Jessica Adams”
How this example is successful: Here we’ve included an example of a group interview thank-you note to give you an idea of how you can adjust your thank-you note accordingly. This note is mostly similar to the first example; the interviewee begins by thanking the interviewer, stating when their interview was, and mentioning something specific that they learned about.
The main difference in this group example is that the candidate thanks each individual interviewer and names them. This is a great way to demonstrate that you truly paid attention to every detail and are grateful to each individual who partook in your interview. The candidate finishes by reaffirming their interest and thanking the interviewers once again.
“Dear (Recipient Name),
It was a pleasure to speak with you by phone today about the Advertising Associate role at HUGE. I enjoyed learning more about the team. In particular, I appreciated our discussion about Generation Z and how to strategically market to them.
I am very excited about the opportunity to contribute my experience as a marketing assistant communicating with clients and researching and analyzing market trends.
In addition, my psychology major has given me insight and strategies for understanding Generation Z and how people respond to advertisements.
How this example is successful: In this sample thank-you note from Columbia University, the candidate specifies the method of interview and sends their thank-you note later the same day. They continued to mention specific topics that were discussed in their interview and noted how their personal experience gave them insight into how to improve the program.
How this example could improve: The main issue with this example is its brevity. While your thank-you note should not be very long, it should not be too short, either. Your letter should be just over 110 words in length and no more than 200 words total.
Here's a template for a medical school interview thank you letter:
[City, State, ZIP Code]
