Interest
You’ve put in the effort and passed the tests, and now it’s time to pick the school where you would like to earn your doctorate. This degree, and where it’s from, will define you as a professional in the medical field. Your decision will determine your residence and area of specialty. It’s not to be taken lightly. There are two ways to move forward and convey your level of commitment to your school of choice, either with a letter of intent or a letter of interest. While these letters can help boost your chances,
them may hurt your chances of being accepted.
What Is a Letter of Intent?
The letter of intent acknowledges your commitment to join a school’s doctorate program. Writing a letter of intent is something you shouldn’t decide lightly. If you were to write and then rescind it, you’d decrease your chance of being accepted.
The letter of intent will state your intentions and explain why you’re a good fit for their school, given its curriculum, academic environment, student population, and culture. Most importantly, it will explain what you bring to the school and how you can enrich the program. Be sure to include any work experience you have and how it would make you successful in this particular program.
You should only send a letter of intent to your first-choice school. You should send it one month after your interview if you’re placed on the waitlist or haven’t 
. It is acceptable to send a second letter of intent if two or more months have passed since your first letter or if you have purposeful updates to share.
The overall goal of the letter of intent is to inform the school that you’re the best fit, that they are your number-one choice, and that you’ll accept any admission offer they might give you.
What Is a Letter of Interest?
A letter of interest, although similar to a letter of intent, serves a different purpose. A letter of interest expresses your interest and excitement about the school’s academic programs, offerings, and environment without making a commitment to that school. In a letter of interest, you should define how you would fit within the school’s program and what you would bring to it. Not only are you expressing your interest in their program, but you’re also sharing why the program should be interested in having you attend.
Medical schools appreciate letters of interest from future students. The school admissions officers believe that if you have taken the time to compose a letter of interest, then you’re strongly considering their program.
In some instances, you may feel the need to send a second letter of interest, although this isn’t required. Reasons you may consider providing another letter of interest to the same medical school program include.
