Journal of medical education
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The purpose of the study reported here was to provide descriptive information about dean's letters, which are comprehensive summary letters sent near the end of students' undergraduate medical training by medical school deans to be part of the students' residency applications. Deans of student affairs at 124 U. S. medical schools were surveyed regarding composition of these letters at their institution. ⋯ Negative information on students was addressed inconsistently by the writers. Eighty-five percent of the writers categorized their students in final summary statements, but many of these failed to provide descriptions of the categories used or explanatory data. The present authors make recommendations for writing more credible and useful letters.