Whether you are writing a recommendation letter for a student applying to medical school or residency, a colleague considered for a promotion, or a former employee seeking a new job, your intent to convey praise can inadvertently convey bias and evoke stereotypes—especially about people of color. Keep this advice in mind:
- Consider your bias, no matter who you are – even letter authors of color are susceptible to allowing implicit bias to creep in.
- Emphasize qualifications and achievements – give concrete examples of success
- Take time to write a long, substantial letter – brevity can be interpreted as a lack of interest in candidate’s success
- Don’t hold back or qualify praise – ringing endorsement is better than minimal assurances or backhanded praise
- Accomplishments speak louder than effort – bias creeps in when noting how a candidate has overcome limitations or when hard work is emphasized without mention of accomplishments
- Think hard before sharing personal information – information not pertinent to the application can expose details that the candidate might not want to share (i.e., DACA status or socioeconomic background)
- Don’t evoke stereotypes – such as mentioning a candidate’s English proficiency or how “surprising their performance is, given their circumstances”
- Be careful with your adjectives – in order to focus on accomplishments over effort, select words like “successful” and “insightful” over words like “compassionate” and “hardworking”
-curated from The Muse
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David Acosta
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Association of American Medical Colleges
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