What's a Dean's Letter?

[OTheHorror]

What's a Dean's letter? Is it just like a letter of recommendation that holds a lot of weight?

If so, what if your dean doesn't know you that well? I haven't seen mine all year, really. There must be something I don't know about Dean's letters.

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[Doc Ivy]

The dean's letter isn't a recommendation letter per se. It's actually just a neutral recitation of how you did in your preclinical years and in your clinical years. The dean will cut and paste comments from your rotation evaluations. Recommendation letters for ERAS will come from the actual attendings that you rotated with, so even if the dean loves you, there is really no place for their subjective evalutation of you. There is a pretty set formula that the dean has to use to write the letter and I think this is outlined by the NBME, so there is no way the dean can just write whatever they want about you. The letter will include some comment on your class rank, how many passes, high-passes, honors, or failures you received, and any extracurricular/ research you've done. Also, if you take longer than the prescribed 4 years for medical school, the dean has to mention that and give the reason why. If you are nominated to AOA honor society that will be mentioned too. The Dean has to write a letter for every student and submit them on Nov 1st of your M4 year; they don't have to know you personally, so don't worry about that.
I think that just about covers it.
Hope that helps.

 

[TulaneKid24]

I agree with Doc Ivy. His answer is accurate. However, I would like to add that the Name has changed from Dean's Letter to now MSPE (medical student performance evaluation). As such, it is not a letter of recommendation, but an objective evaluation of your Med school performance.

In fact, most deans don't know the students they are writing the letter for very well. They usually have never rotated with the student or seen the student "in action," so to speak. Don't worry! Do your best, get good grades, and your MSPE will be very positive.

 

[Doc Ivy]

I agree with Doc Ivy. His answer is accurate. However, I would like to add that the Name has changed from Dean's Letter to now MSPE (medical student performance evaluation). As such, it is not a letter of recommendation, but an objective evaluation of your Med school performance.

In fact, most deans don't know the students they are writing the letter for very well. They usually have never rotated with the student or seen the student "in action," so to speak. Don't worry! Do your best, get good grades, and your MSPE will be very positive.

That he is a she

 

[ears]

Check out the guidelines from the AAMC for the MSPE (as the Dean's Letter is officially called). Interesting reading, if you want to know what your med school career is eventually going to be distilled to.

 

[OTheHorror]

Cool, thanks for the responses

 

[fourthyearmed]

I'd never really met the dean either but at my school everyone has a little 15-30 minute interview with the dean and gives them a copy of their CV so they can talk a little about outside interests and personality.

 

[azzarah]

I am hoping that they want us to get into good residencies so the school looks good...so I'm not too worried.

 

[TulaneKid24]

That he is a she

Sorry Doc Ivy! How insane of me to assume HE! Sorry!

 

[OTheHorror]

Sorry Doc Ivy! How insane of me to assume HE! Sorry!

It's not really that insane, is it?

We all know the most effective doctors we've ever encountered have been males.

Is it not natural to presume masculinity?

Am I wrong here, people?

 

[Habari]

though there may be a structure that your individual school follows, there is a _huge_ degree of variation between dean's letters from different schools.

some schools do any excellent job of giving detailed biographical information, covering some highlights from college and medical school in and out of the classroom, as well as giving the reader a sense of who the person is along with in depth clinical evaluations. however, some schools give very little information about who you are, and simply attach a series of graphs and comments to a name. again, some schools do the best to portray all their students in the best light possible, while others do very little to qualify those who haven't ranked as well.

also, it is my understanding that you have a chance to review your letter before it is sent, to check for any inaccuracies/mistatements etc...

 

[Doc Ivy]

It's not really that insane, is it?

We all know the most effective doctors we've ever encountered have been males.

Is it not natural to presume masculinity?

Am I wrong here, people?

WTF?!?
I hope you're kidding. Anyway, I will take this as a compliment that I come off as "effective" and competent, clearly traits tnat only a male would possess. Sheesh

 

[Samoa]

Doc Ivy, I think OTheHorror was being sarcastic. TulaneKid, Doc Ivy's avatar is female, and her member title is "Miss Understood." But most of us have made a mistake of this kind at some point on this board, so nobody's going to throw you in a padded cell for it.

What bothers me about Dean's letters is that there's apparently an appendix where your interactions with faculty, staff and peers are supposed to be discussed. And I'm aware of instances where little notes about people's "erratic" behavior get put in their files, and the person in question is never even told about it, much less given a chance to defend themselves. That's just crappy in so many ways that I don't know where to start.

Edit: this is actually a pretty widespread practice, so I'm not criticizing my school in particular. After all, it IS possible to like something overall and yet dislike something about it in particular. I generally hold off on forming an opinion about something for as long as possible, but once I do, it takes a lot change it.