by Mary Mahoney
The Anatomy of a Post-Interview Thank You Email
After your medical school interview, it is appropriate to send thank-you notes to all the people who helped you throughout the day. These days, most people send a thank you via email. Here are some helpful guidelines for doing so effectively.
A thank-you email begins and ends with gratitude. It contains many of the same formalities as any other electronic correspondence: a greeting, an explanation of why you are writing, body content, and a salutation. But thank-you notes differ in important ways from other emails – if written well, they can inspire an emotional response, create connections, and foster the development of professional relationships.
In your note, be specific about what you’re thankful for and how the recipient has made a positive impact on you.
Here are some tips to help you write thank-you emails for your interviewer(s) after your medical school interview:
1. Use a subject line that clearly conveys your email content or gratitude. Ideally, this subject line will prompt the recipient to read your email. Consider the following examples:
- Thank You for the Opportunity to Interview at [School Name]
- Interview for the [School Name] Medical Program
- Medical School Interview
- Interview and Consideration at [School Name]
- Thank You for the Interview at [School Name]
2. Begin with a respectful greeting.
Regardless of whether you are accustomed to using traditional greetings, always err on the side of caution in addressing the person formally, using their appropriate professional title, such as “Dear Dr. Jones.” Even if the person asked you to call them by their first name, it’s better to be more formal as a demonstration of respect.
Take the time to be aware of your interviewer’s professional title, and use it in your greeting.
- Dean Smith
- Professor Smith
- Dr. Smith (MD/DO)
- Dr. Smith (PhD)
- Jane Smith, John Smith (second-year medical student)
- Ms. Smith (or Mrs. or Mr.; school of medicine coordinator)
3. State the reason you are writing.
Immediately after the greeting, state why you are writing. If possible, tailor your thank-you message to highlight a specific example or two of their guidance, words of wisdom, or meaningful actions. For example, you might write, “Thank you for your generous and insightful conversation about public health concerns related to the recent fires in California” or “Thank you for showing me around the lab.” Keep it personal and short.
4. Explain what the recipient’s assistance (or kindness) meant to you.
Briefly describe the positive interaction you had with the person. If your note is written well, the reader will appreciate your honesty and take your compliments to heart. Did you learn something new about the school? Did you discover an opportunity that you didn’t know existed?
5. Include any information you offered to share (e.g., “Here’s a link to the journal we discussed.”) or any new questions that you have (e.g., “What would you say the faculty really enjoys most about the school’s students?”) It’s appropriate here to ask any pressing questions that remain for you, but don’t make up a question just to have something to ask. It’s easy to spot fluff.
6. Provide any relevant or necessary updates.
These updates could include information such as acceptances you have received to other schools and any new awards, grades, or publications (e.g., “I just received word that my research article is now published in Gerontology. Here’s the DOI link.”). If you have to wait a day or two to send your thank you to be able to include an update, hold off until then.
7. Restate your gratitude.
Don’t hesitate to reinforce your expression of gratitude through repetition. Find another way to say thank you by the end of the email.
You want your thank-you note to leave a memorable, favorable impression. Your writing needs to be clean, clear, grammatically correct, concise, positive, professional, and calm, while still conveying “you” and your sincerity. Before pressing “send,” save the email as a draft, and step away from it for a little while. Then review your email again. Fix any complicated ideas, unclear sentences, chattiness, expressions of anxiety, negative comments, and long-windedness.
It is best to send thank-you emails as soon as you can – ideally, within a week of the interview – to ensure that the person has not (completely) forgotten you or your meeting. Have fun with these emails! Be yourself, be appropriate, and keep in mind the purpose of the email.
If you’re sending thank-you notes to interviewers, you’ve probably reached the end of the application process. So what’s next? Send update letters, if you attain new achievements. Perhaps you will need decision counseling to help you choose among multiple acceptances or feedback on a rejected application. Wherever you are in this process, we’re here to help. Schedule a free consultation with an Accepted medical school admissions expert.
One last bit of advice: if the interview results in an acceptance to medical school, do not let the connection with your interviewers fade away. Think of the interview as the first moment of building professional liaisons. When you matriculate, communicate! Remember names, chat, connect, take a moment to say hello again to your mentors and colleagues. Strike up a conversation, introduce yourself again (shake hands, restate your name) and remind them how you met. Interviewers enjoy seeing students grow and succeed. As opportunities arise, avail yourself. Let others know you’re open to help with a project, contribute to a community service event, or be a contact for future applicants to their school.
Dr. Mary Mahoney, PhD, is the medical humanities director at Elmira College and has more than 20 years of experience as an advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. She is a tenured English professor with an MFA in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a PhD in literature and writing from the University of Houston. For the past 20 years, Mary has served as a grad school advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. Want Mary to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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