Category: Intern Applicant

Writing a Cover Letter for a Letter of Recommendation

Once you’ve identified mentors to write you a letter of recommendation (LOR), the next step is to reach out to them to ask that they write said letter.  In that process, you might want to write a cover letter which provides them with some information to help them write the LOR. Why write a cover

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Examples of Good Letters of Intent

I’ve spent a lot of time writing about personal statements.  There are general rules, which I’ve written about here and here.  Also, there are important and simple grammar rules to pay attention to, like these and these.  I’ve provided some examples of poor letters of intent, so now it’s time to look at some good

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What I Learned Reading Intern Applications Last Year

Although time consuming, I greatly enjoy reading the intern application packets we get.  They are packed full of interesting stories, and the accomplishments of these applicants honestly amazes me.  Many of them have faced serious personal hardship- cancer diagnoses, generational poverty, fleeing war-torn countries.  Many of them are truly inspirational.  Most of them are just

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On Writing

I turned out to be a huge Stephen King fan as an adult.  Growing up, my sister loved his horror stories, but I don’t really like horror, so I never read any King. Until, that is, I read The Dark Tower.  That sold me.  Now Stephen King is a go-to for me, particularly when I’m

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Significant Other’s Job During Academia

With only 38 accredited veterinary schools in the US and Canada- and many of those in small rural towns- starting vet school, internship, residency, or a faculty position can be a distinct strain on a romantic partner’s ability to get a job.  Within the US, I count about 10 veterinary schools in a decent-sized city

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M&M Rounds: Didn’t Match for an Internship

During M&M rounds, we will examine some fictitious cases and evaluate the facts and consider some solutions to these problems. Ivey Sprigs is a 27-year-old Caucasian female presenting for not matching into an internship through the VIRMP.  Her eventual professional goal is to do a cardiology residency, so an internship is virtually essential as a

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Interviews are More Likely to Harm Your Chances

Except for faculty/real world job positions- where the interview is THE way you get the job– I think the interview does not meaningfully distinguish candidates, except to weed them out.  I think it’s incredibly hard to positively distinguish yourself in the short time vet school, internship, and residency interviews give you (i.e. less than a

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What I Learned Reading Intern Applications This Year

I have served on intern selection committees for more years than I care to count.  Although there are a lot of similarities year-to-year, there are also some interesting differences.  This is my first year reviewing intern applicants at my current institution, and there is always some variability in applicants from program to program.  Below are

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My Ideal Candidate

I do not represent every veterinary professional.  I think that should be obvious, but I have to make that VERY clear for this particular post.  I have spoken with many veterinary professionals and academics, and I have trained dozens of house officers and thousands of students, and there are numerous ways to approach success in

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Red Flags in Internships

Internships are entirely unregulated, working under the motto “caveat emptor”.  It is up to the individual applicant to determine if a program is a good one or not.  There are plenty of programs out there which are better than others, and many that are worse.  Therefore, it is absolutely vital to do your research to

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