LOI/CV review??

[Farmercyst]

Anyone feel like looking over some letters of intent and/or a CV?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[RxWildcat]

I'll give your CV a look, I don't think I'd be much help with the LOIs though.

 

[shoppe]

I'm trying to apply for residency program this year too. I can proofread your paper if you dont care to proofread mine, as long as we're not applying to the same programs. :-D

 

[penguin85]

Are these for a potential residency? I would be happy to take a look! I'm a PGY2 currently. In case you might have a couple of weeks before applications are due, ACCP members can take advantage of the CV review process as well in which other, more established members will review your CV and provide recommendations.

Just as general recommendations for your LOI, try to provide info on how your experiences/skills have prepared you for a residency and describe specifics on how your short and long term goals can be met through a particular residency (provide specifics on each program's rotations, teaching/precepting opportunities, etc.).

Good luck!

 

[Farmercyst]

Are these for a potential residency? I would be happy to take a look! I'm a PGY2 currently. In case you might have a couple of weeks before applications are due, ACCP members can take advantage of the CV review process as well in which other, more established members will review your CV and provide recommendations.

Just as general recommendations for your LOI, try to provide info on how your experiences/skills have prepared you for a residency and describe specifics on how your short and long term goals can be met through a particular residency (provide specifics on each program's rotations, teaching/precepting opportunities, etc.).
Good luck!

All in one page? I try to be concise, but that seems pushing it. I've highlighted why I'm applying to the program, brief leadership experiences, rotational experiences and goals. that's about all I can manage. I did leave it 12pt for ease of reading because 10pt just seems to small.

As for ACCP, I just signed up for their 6 month trial at ASHP, how long is their turnaround?

 

[penguin85]

I think that each LOI is unique, and if you have a great preceptor/mentor at your COP or rotation site, I would definitely utilize them for LOI recommendations and proofreading. My LOI for my PGY1 and PGY2 was approximately 3/4 page. It will take a couple of drafts to wittle it down to the bare essentials, I just like including how rotations/experiences (utilizing specifics to each residency) demonstrates that I really took the time to match my goals to what that individual program offered. It took up about 2-3 sentences.

The turn around time for ACCP CV review is approximately 2 weeks (at least that's how long I had to wait). Good luck!

 

[spacecowgirl]

A LOI should be 1 page. You have the detailed rotation experience and leadership stuff in your CV.

I'm big on parsimony

 

[Farmercyst]

I've attached somewhat deidentified versions. Otherwise I have to PM, get an email addy, attach and send.

 

[penguin85]

For your LOI, I thought it had a lot of excellent information! I would just encourage you to work on making the letter specific to that individual residency program (what rotations do you consider "diverse"). Did you have the opportunity to talk with someone from the program at Midyear? Consider adding in an introductory comment about having the opportunity to discuss the expectations of an "XYZ" resident with that person. I don't typically like name dropping, but one quick mention couldn't hurt

Additionally, maybe others might have had a different take, but the wording seemed a little more casual than professional at times. I will let others weigh in on that one. Lastly, although I like your comment about drug cost and availability in the outpt setting, when a patient is critically ill and needs a costly medication on shortage which has demonstrated high cure rates, a lot of physicians (and pharmacists) will not hesitate to put cost considerations aside.

Also, I took a quick look at the CV and there is a couple of suggestions that I had for you to consider.

1.) Can probably take off "Curriculum vitae" from the top
2.) Include a footer starting on the 2nd page with:
"Last name, First Name Page Number"
3.) Could probably move up pharmacy practice experiences to below education (on first page). This is going to be the main crux of your CV.
4.) Consider limiting your bulleted descriptions to 2-4 things for each experience (focus on teamwork, leadership, and special opportunities/projects), can probably leave out everyday duties such as insurance audits and prior-auths.
5.) Provide more detailed information for your bulleted experiences (what is a patient care project and why is it important, did you make any interventions through MTM?)
6.) Overlapping experiences... did you work for both USC pharm and CVS from Jun-Aug 2008? I was a little confused.
7.) Can probably pare down your certs to just the certification received (ex. Basic Life Support without listing CE or expirations)
8.) Put your pub info in AMA format. Last name, first initial. Title. Journal. Year; Volume(Issue)ages.
9.) Include the practice site name in your presentation description.
10.) Watch your capitalizations and keep it consistent - preceptor vs Preceptor.
11.) May want to limit your leadership positions to one or two bullet points -> a lot of information to sift through. Same for professional events.
12.) Make sure to include the full title of all preceptors (Target pharmacist PharmD or RPh?)
13.) Review again for drug spelling - epo is spelled wrong.
14.) Limit bullet points for rotations once again to 2-4 unique experiences
15.) I'm confused about your pharmacy practice experiences - are some of these APPEs and other IPPEs? Consider placing under seperate headings. Consider putting "to be completed" next to rotation experiences which haven't started yet.
16.) Consider taking out professional meetings attended (may not be necessary) and references (these will probably be the individuals writing your LORs)
17.) Keep consistent on rotation titles - probably don't need zip code
18.) Move licensure and certs to bottom of CV (probably least important)

I hope this helped! Good luck with your upcoming search!

 

[Farmercyst]

For your LOI, I thought it had a lot of excellent information! I would just encourage you to work on making the letter specific to that individual residency program (what rotations do you consider "diverse"). Did you have the opportunity to talk with someone from the program at Midyear? Consider adding in an introductory comment about having the opportunity to discuss the expectations of an "XYZ" resident with that person. I don't typically like name dropping, but one quick mention couldn't hurt

Additionally, maybe others might have had a different take, but the wording seemed a little more casual than professional at times. I will let others weigh in on that one. Lastly, although I like your comment about drug cost and availability in the outpt setting, when a patient is critically ill and needs a costly medication on shortage which has demonstrated high cure rates, a lot of physicians (and pharmacists) will not hesitate to put cost considerations aside.

Re: drug cost, I was specifically thinking of an instance where MD wrote for cleocin pediatric solution x 6 bottles. While cleocin is great and all, not sure how many people can afford to spend $400-$600 on antibiotics in the outpatient setting, not to mention that not many pharmacies I know of would carry that quantity. While this was at a county hospital and dispensed through 340B, I would think a private hospital would more likely have to consider this when deciding on outpatient therapies. (I'm willing to be wrong on this point, but that's why I brought it up.)

Also, I took a quick look at the CV and there is a couple of suggestions that I had for you to consider.

1.) Can probably take off "Curriculum vitae" from the top done
2.) Include a footer starting on the 2nd page with:
"Last name, First Name Page Number" how do I limit to p2 and beyond?
3.) Could probably move up pharmacy practice experiences to below education (on first page). This is going to be the main crux of your CV. done
4.) Consider limiting your bulleted descriptions to 2-4 things for each experience (focus on teamwork, leadership, and special opportunities/projects), can probably leave out everyday duties such as insurance audits and prior-auths.
5.) Provide more detailed information for your bulleted experiences (what is a patient care project and why is it important, did you make any interventions through MTM?) will work on 4&5 together.
6.) Overlapping experiences... did you work for both USC pharm and CVS from Jun-Aug 2008? I was a little confused. yes, saturdays at USC, M-F at CVS
7.) Can probably pare down your certs to just the certification received (ex. Basic Life Support without listing CE or expirations) done
8.) Put your pub info in AMA format. Last name, first initial. Title. Journal. Year; Volume(Issue)ages. done
9.) Include the practice site name in your presentation description. will work on this
10.) Watch your capitalizations and keep it consistent - preceptor vs Preceptor. oops, fixed
11.) May want to limit your leadership positions to one or two bullet points -> a lot of information to sift through. Same for professional events. done
12.) Make sure to include the full title of all preceptors (Target pharmacist PharmD or RPh?) I'm not really sure which, but I'll look
13.) Review again for drug spelling - epo is spelled wrong. done
14.) Limit bullet points for rotations once again to 2-4 unique experiences
15.) I'm confused about your pharmacy practice experiences - are some of these APPEs and other IPPEs? Consider placing under seperate headings. Consider putting "to be completed" next to rotation experiences which haven't started yet. Will consider
16.) Consider taking out professional meetings attended (may not be necessary) and references (these will probably be the individuals writing your LORs) The references are the LOR writers, I wasn't sure if they'd want to know in advance, I just thought "references" should be in the CV and didn't want to do "available upon request"
17.) Keep consistent on rotation titles - probably don't need zip code fixed
18.) Move licensure and certs to bottom of CV (probably least important)
done
I hope this helped! Good luck with your upcoming search!

Very much so. Thanks

 

[psychoandy]

First, I'm torn, because now I'm tempted to put my LOI into 10pt font and cram more in there.

Second, put the date on the right side, on the same line as the addressee. Saves 1 line that way and looks crisp like a real letter.

As far as my content critiques...the first paragraph I'm not too hot on, but i'm not sure how to fix it.

For paragraphs 4&5 where you talk about past work experience, my preference would be to say "I worked as a CSR for x years, I learned all these qualities, which gave me excellent communication skills for my next job in community pharmacy. At my pharmacy job, I dealt with an extremely diverse pt population with disease states such as CF, while multitasking and resolving clinical/insurance problems. All together, I believe these experiences will allow me to take multiple factors such as cost, compliance, etc, into account, and enable me to to become an awesome resident."

or something like "i worked at x, then i did y; from x and y, i learned a,b,c, and all of these things make me awesome and will give the necessary background needed for residency". I guess what I mean is, you need to tie paragraphs 4 and 5 together to make it stronger and more cohesive. I also don't like the diss on ppl who can't communicate at the end of paragraph 4, it seems too snarky...it should be reworded.

also take my recs with a grain of salt. i might also apply to vandy...altho not peds, just the regular pgy-1.

 

[Farmercyst]

First, I'm torn, because now I'm tempted to put my LOI into 10pt font and cram more in there.

Second, put the date on the right side, on the same line as the addressee. Saves 1 line that way and looks crisp like a real letter.

As far as my content critiques...the first paragraph I'm not too hot on, but i'm not sure how to fix it.

For paragraphs 4&5 where you talk about past work experience, my preference would be to say "I worked as a CSR for x years, I learned all these qualities, which gave me excellent communication skills for my next job in community pharmacy. At my pharmacy job, I dealt with an extremely diverse pt population with disease states such as CF, while multitasking and resolving clinical/insurance problems. All together, I believe these experiences will allow me to take multiple factors such as cost, compliance, etc, into account, and enable me to to become an awesome resident."

or something like "i worked at x, then i did y; from x and y, i learned a,b,c, and all of these things make me awesome and will give the necessary background needed for residency". I guess what I mean is, you need to tie paragraphs 4 and 5 together to make it stronger and more cohesive. I also don't like the diss on ppl who can't communicate at the end of paragraph 4, it seems too snarky...it should be reworded.

also take my recs with a grain of salt. i might also apply to vandy...altho not peds, just the regular pgy-1.

Yeah, I've been trying to remove the snarkiness. I think I've pulled that particular line out of all my LOI's. I do like tying the two paragraphs together, but trying to cram all that in there has been really tough. I've taken to making the spaces between paragraphs 5 point. There's still space, but it's not 10-12 pt separation between paragraphs and saves me at least one more line.
I've also been moving the addressee to the right, but I'm not sure how I feel about saving the space between date and addressee. It seems more formal to have the space there to me.

 

[penguin85]

Regarding starting the footer on the second page, here are the instructions for Microsoft Office 2007:

1. Click the insert tab -> footer or page number. I personally use the page number -> bottom of the page -> accent bar 3. Then make sure to change the font and spacing back to normal and Arial/Calibri or whatever font you are using.

2. Next click Format Page Numbers -> start at page 2. Or, if you are doing a footer: edit footer -> different first page -> remove writing in footer of first page.