Medical cover letter template

download

Your name

Your address

Your phone number and email address

Date (Date letter was written)

Full Name of Contact Person (Bold. Tip: Address to the name on the job application/ position description)

Contact Person’s Job Title

Hospital’s Street address City, State

Contact persons email and phone number

Dear (Contact Person - ensure full title of name and correct spelling. If contact person is unknown you can choose to write Dear Sir/Madam/Doctor/Professor etc),

RE: Program/Position Name and Reference Number

Opening Paragraph: What and Why?

• State the position/program you are applying for and how you heard about it. 
• Summarise why you are interested in this position/program/hospital, particularly mention if you have previously worked at the hospital or have any other experience there (E.g. Voluntary, research, university years).
• Show that you’ve researched the hospital by incorporating information such as their mission statement, values, particular specialties, and how this aligns with your interests and values. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you have shared values and what you can provide them as an organisation.

Second Paragraph: Your Qualifications and Knowledge 

• The second part is your narrative in which you can showcase that your past experiences have made you capable enough to be the best-suited candidate available for that specific position.
• Highlight your qualifications and previous employment, including rotations relevant to the role.
  • E.g. If applying for an Emergency Medicine SHO position you could write “I am a PGY2 doctor with general registration who has completed all mandatory internship rotations plus 2 emergency medicine rotations and 10 weeks in a rural hospital with a focus on rural emergency medicine".
• Highlight the knowledge you have gained through previous experience, roles and jobs and how it would be beneficial in this role and meet the needs of this employer.
  • Note – This can include voluntary roles, committees etc if you haven't directly experienced work in this field. It could also include any non-medical roles you may have that has direct experience. (E.g. If applying for a pathology training program, you could mention working as a phlebotomist in medical school).
• You can choose to give an example of an experience that highlights your knowledge in the relevant field. (E.g. If applying BPT, you could highlight any research/ audits/ experience you may have had that sets you apart from others).

Third Paragraph/Fourth Paragraph: Your Skills and Experience

• This is where you show the employer the skills and experience you could bring to the job. In this paragraph acknowledge the skills required to be a good doctor and how you in particular meet these requirements. Provide brief examples of how and where you have developed these skills.
  • (E.g. – Knowledge, clinical skills, empathy, communication skills and clinical reasoning skills are essential for a doctor progressing through their career and I have proficiently developed these skills over my internship year. These skills have been learnt through my experience as an intern, observing my senior medical colleagues plus my nursing and allied health colleagues. My end of term assessment forms reflect the acquirement of these skills as I consistently received ‘excellent’ in these domains).
• Discuss the skills, strengths and experience you could bring to the job, being sure to connect them to the tasks and required skills listed in the position description.
  • E.g. Applying for PGY3 critical care year and providing examples of episodes where you may have led a team in resuscitation to demonstrate you have skills and interests in this area).
  • Tip: Always read the position description expectations and refer to these in the cover letter in areas that you particularly excel in.

Closing Paragraph: Conclusion

• Summarise any particularly important or standout points that you want the employer to remember.
• Refer to any other attached documents, such as your CV/Resume or Academic Transcript. Invite them to read your CV/resume so the reader is aware this is what contains more information about you.
• If there are interviews, state that you look forward to meeting them and discussing your application further at an interview.
• Make it easy for the hospital to contact you: list your email address, as well as your phone number and times you can be reached. (Note – Be aware of what your email address name is, and also your message bank message).
• Thank them for their consideration.

Yours sincerely, Your full name