Letters of Evaluation WorkshopLetters of Evaluation Workshop

Texas Association of Advisors for the Health ProfessionsTexas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions40th Annual Meeting40th Annual Meeting

Texas A&M Health Science Center College of MedicineTexas A&M Health Science Center College of MedicineHilton Hotel and Conference Center, College StationHilton Hotel and Conference Center, College Station

February 5, 2009February 5, 2009

Filomeno G. MaldonadoFilomeno G. MaldonadoAssociate Dean of AdmissionsAssociate Dean of Admissions

OverviewOverview

The Letter of Evaluation or RecommendationThe Letter of Evaluation or Recommendation The Health Professions Advisory Committee The Health Professions Advisory Committee

Evaluation Evaluation (HPAC-E)(HPAC-E)

Individual HP Evaluations/RecommendationsIndividual HP Evaluations/Recommendations The Evaluation FormThe Evaluation Form A Definable Scale of RecommendationsA Definable Scale of Recommendations The Body of the EvaluationThe Body of the Evaluation Significance of the EvaluationSignificance of the Evaluation The IssuesThe Issues

Letter of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation The Health Professions Advisory Committee The Health Professions Advisory Committee

EvaluationEvaluation

Appropriate faculty input and Appropriate faculty input and representation representation

Evaluate suitability for Evaluate suitability for professional school professional school

Give a multidimensional Give a multidimensional perspectiveperspective

Interview to discern attitudes Interview to discern attitudes and personalityand personality Establish a relationship to yield an Establish a relationship to yield an

informative evaluationinformative evaluation If unfamiliar with applicant, submit If unfamiliar with applicant, submit

only letters from faculty who can only letters from faculty who can appropriately advocate or evaluate appropriately advocate or evaluate the applicantthe applicant

Submit a HPAC packet with a Submit a HPAC packet with a summary letter summary letter (in the range of 1-2 pages).(in the range of 1-2 pages).

Discuss academic promise Discuss academic promise Highlight accomplishments, activities, Highlight accomplishments, activities,

experiencesexperiences Be honest, and Be honest, and evaluateevaluate

Hone in on personality, ability to Hone in on personality, ability to communicate and interact, altruism, communicate and interact, altruism, depth/breadth of medical exposuredepth/breadth of medical exposure

Overall suitability for medical schoolOverall suitability for medical school Include Include at leastat least two professor letters two professor letters

with evaluation forms with evaluation forms (set a limit for more)(set a limit for more)

Use a definable scale of Use a definable scale of recommendationsrecommendations

Include an Include an Evaluation FormEvaluation Form Be timely in submitting packetBe timely in submitting packet

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation The Individual HP Evaluation/RecommendationThe Individual HP Evaluation/Recommendation

Write a health professions Write a health professions advisor letter (in the range of 1-advisor letter (in the range of 1-2 pages) discussing the 2 pages) discussing the following:following: Academic backgroundAcademic background Communication skills and Communication skills and

ability to interactability to interact Breadth and depth of interests Breadth and depth of interests

& activities& activities Extent of medical experiencesExtent of medical experiences Community service and/or Community service and/or

altruistic activitiesaltruistic activities PersonalityPersonality Promise or suitability for Promise or suitability for

medicinemedicine

Include an evaluation formInclude an evaluation form TMDSAS VersionTMDSAS Version

Include Include at leastat least one additional one additional professor letter with your professor letter with your evaluation form evaluation form (preferably two)(preferably two)

Additional letters are Additional letters are acceptable but set a limit acceptable but set a limit

One extra letter can be sent to One extra letter can be sent to TMDSAS above the required TMDSAS above the required two professor letters or HPCE.two professor letters or HPCE.

Additional letters must be Additional letters must be mailed directly to the schoolsmailed directly to the schools

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation The Evaluation FormThe Evaluation Form

TMDSAS VersionTMDSAS Version

http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/TMDSAS%20Evaluation%20Form.pdf

Your Version or borrow from Your Version or borrow from others. Some good examples: others. Some good examples: UT DallasUT Dallas BaylorBaylor Texas A&MTexas A&M RiceRice

Devise a scale of measurementDevise a scale of measurement Exceptional Exceptional (Highest 5%)(Highest 5%) Unusually Good Unusually Good (Next Highest 15%)(Next Highest 15%) Very GoodVery Good (Next 15%) (Next 15%) Average Average (Middle 25%)(Middle 25%) Below Average Below Average (Lowest 40%)(Lowest 40%)

Focus on Applicant’s Focus on Applicant’s Achievements, Characteristics and Achievements, Characteristics and Experiences:Experiences: Communication SkillsCommunication Skills Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills Social ValuesSocial Values ReliabilityReliability LeadershipLeadership Self-disciplineSelf-discipline Problem-solving skillsProblem-solving skills Motivation to professional schoolMotivation to professional school Mastery of fundamental knowledgeMastery of fundamental knowledge Overall AssessmentOverall Assessment

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Include with individual letter of evaluation but not in lieu of a letter.

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation A Definable Scale of RecommendationsA Definable Scale of Recommendations

Important if you are evaluating to rank your applicants.Important if you are evaluating to rank your applicants. Determine as a committee or individual evaluator a set of Determine as a committee or individual evaluator a set of

definable recommendations, such as Tulane’s model, definable recommendations, such as Tulane’s model, provided you have a basis to compare:provided you have a basis to compare: Exceptionally Recommend Exceptionally Recommend – – one of few superior applicants each one of few superior applicants each

year. An applicant that stands out from all other applicants.year. An applicant that stands out from all other applicants. Strongly RecommendStrongly Recommend – – an applicant who clearly can handle the an applicant who clearly can handle the

rigors of medical school and possesses outstanding personal qualities.rigors of medical school and possesses outstanding personal qualities. RecommendRecommend – – A good applicant that is capable of meeting the A good applicant that is capable of meeting the

standards of medical school.standards of medical school. Recommend with ReservationRecommend with Reservation – – an applicant that is weak in an applicant that is weak in

academic performance or is lacking motivation, maturity, community academic performance or is lacking motivation, maturity, community service, medically related exposure, etc.service, medically related exposure, etc.

Do not RecommendDo not Recommend – – Serious weaknesses or deficiencies, not Serious weaknesses or deficiencies, not prepared for medical school.prepared for medical school.

Important to support or justify your ranking of the applicant.Important to support or justify your ranking of the applicant.

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation A Definable Scale of RecommendationsA Definable Scale of Recommendations

UT Dallas’ model is also another excellent example of the UT Dallas’ model is also another excellent example of the committee’s level of endorsement:committee’s level of endorsement: Recommended with EnthusiasmRecommended with Enthusiasm – – exceptional intellectual and exceptional intellectual and

personal qualities; strong evidence of professional motivation; personal qualities; strong evidence of professional motivation; reserved for a minority of candidates each year. reserved for a minority of candidates each year. (Highest 10%)(Highest 10%)

Recommended with ConfidenceRecommended with Confidence – – strong academic and personal strong academic and personal qualities indicative of highly desirable medical school candidates; qualities indicative of highly desirable medical school candidates; broad understanding of and commitment to the profession. broad understanding of and commitment to the profession. (Upper 33%)(Upper 33%)

RecommendedRecommended – – Academic capability that is likely consistent with Academic capability that is likely consistent with successful professional school performance; personal characteristics successful professional school performance; personal characteristics appropriate to healthcare career. appropriate to healthcare career. (Middle 38%)(Middle 38%)

Recommended with Reservation Recommended with Reservation – – Marginal academic and/or Marginal academic and/or personal qualities; may experience difficulties in professional school. personal qualities; may experience difficulties in professional school. (Lower 17%)(Lower 17%)

Not RecommendedNot Recommended – – Questionable personal and/or academic Questionable personal and/or academic qualities; unlikely to succeed in professional school; unsuitable for a qualities; unlikely to succeed in professional school; unsuitable for a career in healthcare. career in healthcare. (Bottom 2%)(Bottom 2%)

Important to support or justify your ranking of the applicant.Important to support or justify your ranking of the applicant.

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation The Body of the HP Evaluation PacketThe Body of the HP Evaluation Packet

Write a health professions committee packet or an HP Individual Write a health professions committee packet or an HP Individual letter (in the range of 1-2 pages) which includes the following:letter (in the range of 1-2 pages) which includes the following: The Committee Letter of EvaluationThe Committee Letter of Evaluation

Introduce committee members along with titlesIntroduce committee members along with titles Identify applicant using entire name, middle initials, etc., along with Identify applicant using entire name, middle initials, etc., along with

TMDSAS and/or AMCAS PIN’s TMDSAS and/or AMCAS PIN’s (DO NOT USE SSN’s)(DO NOT USE SSN’s) Introduce the applicantIntroduce the applicant Highlight academic record and potential for success in professional Highlight academic record and potential for success in professional

school school (MD and MD/PhD programs of study)(MD and MD/PhD programs of study) Highlight personality (potential for service to the public), extracurricular Highlight personality (potential for service to the public), extracurricular

activities, including school, community, medical and researchactivities, including school, community, medical and research Highlight unusual or extenuating life experiences Highlight unusual or extenuating life experiences (if applicable)(if applicable) Submit committee’s recommendation based on your defined scale of Submit committee’s recommendation based on your defined scale of

recommendationsrecommendations ConcludeConclude with the following:with the following:

A statement of academic and personal integrityA statement of academic and personal integrity A waiver statement unless included in the evaluation formA waiver statement unless included in the evaluation form

Faculty Evaluations Solicited by the Student – have criteria and limitsFaculty Evaluations Solicited by the Student – have criteria and limits

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation The Significance of the EvaluationThe Significance of the Evaluation

Provides legitimacy and credibilityProvides legitimacy and credibility Assures authenticity in terms ofAssures authenticity in terms of

CredentialsCredentials ActivitiesActivities ExperiencesExperiences CircumstancesCircumstances AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

Influences decisions regarding applicant’s promise for Influences decisions regarding applicant’s promise for medicinemedicine

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

Letters of Evaluation Letters of Evaluation The IssuesThe Issues

Lack of consistencyLack of consistency Lack of organizationLack of organization

Weak development from point to Weak development from point to pointpoint

No logical development from point No logical development from point to pointto point

Ineffectual separation of ideasIneffectual separation of ideas Crowded paragraphsCrowded paragraphs

Poor syntax and dictionPoor syntax and diction Consistently repetitiveConsistently repetitive Asking questions instead of getting Asking questions instead of getting

to the pointto the point Misleading statements or use of Misleading statements or use of

platitudesplatitudes Poor contentPoor content

Fails to answer questionsFails to answer questions Fails to get to the point efficientlyFails to get to the point efficiently Too long or too shortToo long or too short

Lack of a definable scale of Lack of a definable scale of rankingranking

Unclear of committee’s or Unclear of committee’s or individual’s supportindividual’s support

Not communicating with Not communicating with Deans’ of AdmissionsDeans’ of Admissions

Lack of faculty input or Lack of faculty input or representation on the committee representation on the committee or in the process of evaluationor in the process of evaluation

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009

THANK YOU!THANK YOU! Filomeno G. Maldonado, M.A.Filomeno G. Maldonado, M.A.

Associate Dean of AdmissionsAssociate Dean of AdmissionsTexas A&M HSC College of MedicineTexas A&M HSC College of MedicineOffice of AdmissionsOffice of Admissions159 Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building159 Joe H. Reynolds Medical BuildingCollege Station, TX 77843-1114 College Station, TX 77843-1114 (979) 845-7743 (Office) (979) 845-7743 (Office)FGMaldonado@medicine.tamhsc.edu

Leila E. Diaz, M.A., M.Ed.Leila E. Diaz, M.A., M.Ed.Director of Admissions Temple CampusDirector of Admissions Temple CampusOffice of AdmissionsOffice of Admissions2401 South 312401 South 31stst Street StreetTemple, TX 76508 Temple, TX 76508 (254) 724-6480 (Office) (254) 724-6480 (Office)Ldiaz@medicine.tamhsc.edu

Letters of Evaluation Workshop—2009