How to Write a Convincing Letter of Motivation!

January 4, 2024 Sebastian Pearson

Anyone applying for a place to study medicine at an American university should invest a lot of time in the letter of motivation. When applying, more and more universities require creative and enthusiastic texts that illustrate the applicants’ motivations. The letter of motivation gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself personally and convince the reader that you are the right person to study medicine. Of course, the question still arises: How can you stand out from the crowd and convince people with your letter of motivation?

Classics always work!

Even if your letter of motivation should be original and individual, it is important that you adhere to certain framework conditions. This makes your text appear creative, but still serious and formal.

The Red Thread

It is important that the reader recognizes an order in your argument and can understand it logically. This gives your text an understandable structure.

Avoid spelling mistakes

Make sure your text is free of errors! To avoid mistakes, you can have your motivation letter proofread by several friends or family members. They can point out spelling errors or inconsistencies in sentence structure. There are also various spell checker software online.

Visually appealing design

A tasteful design is very important because it is usually the first thing the reader notices. The layout of your letter of motivation should visually adapt to the rest of your documents. Here, too, you can ask friends or family members for advice.

Less is more

Your letter of motivation should be of appropriate length and no longer than one A4 page.

Related Category: Applying in Medical School

The more individuality, the better

No matter which university you apply to: Unfortunately, you are not the only one! Within the application deadlines, universities receive hundreds of applications every day, which can hardly be distinguished from one another. That’s why it’s important that your application stands out from the crowd! The letter of motivation gives you the opportunity to show your personal strengths and prove that you are exactly the right person for studying medicine.

Interesting headline

Many applicants underestimate the headline. You can collect points here and come up with something original. Instead of a boring headline like “Letter of motivation”, you can e.g. B. ask a question (“Why am I the right person to study medicine at (name of university)?”), which you will answer in the course of your text. Headlines like “What you should know about me” or “Reasons why I am suitable for studying medicine” always radiate a certain self-confidence and make a statement.

Avoid clichés

Even if it is true and you had the dream of becoming a doctor as a child, universities hear this sentence in every second letter of motivation. That’s why you should let your actions speak for themselves. You can increase your chances in the application process if you tell us about the positive experiences you have already had in the medical field. Do you have e.g. For example, have you already completed an FSJ in the hospital or completed an internship in a medical facility? Excellent! You should definitely include such experiences in your letter of motivation.

If you have done internships in other areas, you can still mention them. For example, you can provide the university with information about your social skills. If you have already had intercultural experiences abroad, you should also report on this in your letter of motivation! Language skills are becoming increasingly important in everyday life and are also very important for medical work.

No matter what experiences you have had before, they can all be an advantage in the application process for a place at medical school. You just have to present them correctly! A hobby that you have been doing for several years can, for example, B. be a sign of your perseverance. You can also mention such activities in your motivation letter.

Exciting introduction

“I hereby apply for…” is how most letters of motivation usually begin. In order to stand out from the crowd, you should make a statement and make your entry particularly exciting. You could e.g. For example, you can start directly with your strengths or explain your personal motivation for this course of study (“I want to study medicine because…”).

Knowledge is power

There are always students who drop out of their studies after a few semesters. The reason for this is e.g. B. too much stress or unexpected study content. To ensure that the dropout rate remains as low as possible, universities are happy to accept applicants who know what to expect. So score points in your motivation letter with your knowledge of the course content and a high level of resilience.

Since study places in Germany are so limited, you should prove in your letter of motivation that you definitely want to work in the medical field in the future. If you have already completed the nursing internship (the nursing internship is compulsory for every medical student up to the physics exam), you should also mention this in your letter of motivation. It would be ideal if you completed the internship at the university clinic of the respective university. In your text you should then report on your positive experiences. If you have contact with doctors or medical students, you can also name these relationships in your letter of motivation.

Many universities have different research focuses. Before you apply, find out about the focus of your desired university. If you know a lot about the university and its research and skillfully incorporate this knowledge into your letter of motivation, then this could give you an advantage with the examination board. This also shows a certain seriousness and determination.

Bulk

In the main part you should avoid irrelevant phrases/words such as: E.g. innovative, dynamic, extensive experience, results-oriented, etc. avoid. The best way to impress people is with your personality and your experiences (e.g. internships, hobbies, etc.). Existing knowledge about the course and the university is also important.

Your letter of motivation should also clarify one central question: Why did you choose this university? So it’s not only important to explain your motivation for studying medicine, but also why you chose this specific university in this city. For example, you could give the following arguments as justification:

You want to become a cardiologist and the university clinic is the largest heart center in the US
You definitely want to study in a model course
You want to be close to your family
You know someone who studied/studied at university
You are a big/small town person

Ending

After you have finished your letter of motivation, you just want to send it off. But stop! Have you also thought about a good ending? Often the last sentence in the motivation letter is “I would be very happy about a personal invitation”. However, if you end up speaking in the subjunctive, then it weakens your entire argument and convincing manner from the main part. The following examples are much more suitable for an impressive conclusion: “I would be happy to be invited to a personal conversation.” or “Have I aroused your interest? Then I look forward to being invited to a personal conversation!”.