Want to apply for a healthcare position at a hospital? An effective healthcare cover letter is what you need to showcase your patient care skills and work ethic to stand out.
Career Expert
You’re looking to write a cover letter for a hospital job. Hats off to you for understanding the importance of one. In a perfect world, you wouldn’t need to actually write one, simply your qualifications would be enough.
Don’t worry, we’ll be over this healthcare cover letter guide in just a few, you won’t even feel a pinprick.
In this article, you’ll get:
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Want more guides in the same vein? Inject some of these:
Before starting the operation and dissecting each step that goes into stitching together a working cover letter for healthcare jobs, let’s see two expert samples.
The first of these healthcare cover letter examples comes from Margaret. She’s already used to working in a high-paced healthcare environment. Let’s have a look at how she approaches the cover letter.
Margaret Carmon
2007 Rosewood Lane
New York, NY 10048
New York, May 15, 2023
Dr. Susan Williams
Mass General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114
Dear Dr. Williams,
Seeing the opening for a radiology technologist position recently posted on the Mass General Hospital career website made me tremendously excited, as a long-time colleague, John Fargo, also works there in the same department. With over six years of experience as a diagnostic medical sonographer, during which I coordinated with other medical staff and guaranteed 100% satisfactory levels of patient care, I believe I gained the skills necessary to become a valuable asset to your team in providing accurate and timely imaging studies.
I have attained many achievements during my time at Lenox Hill Medical Center. I was recognized in 2019 for achieving the highest diagnostic accuracy rate in abdominal ultrasounds at 98% among technologists at my current hospital. In 2021, I helped reduce ultrasound scan turnaround times by an average of 15 minutes through process improvements I proposed and implemented. Furthermore, I also enhanced departmental efficiency by training 2 junior sonographers in advanced techniques, leading to a 15% reduction in their scanning time.
During my career, I have gained expertise in a variety of general and vascular ultrasound exams. I am dedicated to bringing fully comprehensive procedures to my patients. I also strongly believe that an informed patient is a happy patient, and I was pleased to see this value represented well in the Mass General mission statement on your website.
I would be grateful for an in-person opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience could help Mass General achieve its goals for the radiology department. If there is time next week to meet in person or speak by phone, let me know!
Margaret doesn’t shy away from showcasing her work achievements. A cover letter like that will supplement her healthcare resume very well.
But what if she had no professional experience working in healthcare?
No problem at all. An inexperienced candidate just has to leverage other things than their work experience. A hearty dose of education, volunteering experience, certifications, or other impressive feats will go a long way. And, of course, a strong sense of direction and motivation.
Just have a look at how our other candidate, Ian, approaches making an entry-level healthcare cover letter.
Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA
Philadelphia, May 15, 2023
Dr. Andrew Barnesh
Jefferson Einstein Hospital
5501 Old York Rd
Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA
Dear Dr. Barnesh,
I am writing to express my strong interest in the Entry Level Healthcare Technician position at the Jefferson Einstein Hospital. With a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Technology and a compassionate nature fostered through volunteering at a child hospice center, where I provided emotional support and comfort to terminally ill children and their families, contributing to a 30% increase in positive feedback from families regarding the quality of care. I am excited to contribute my skills and enthusiasm to your healthcare team.
Throughout my academic journey, I have gained a solid foundation in medical equipment maintenance, troubleshooting, and calibration. My anatomy, physiology, and medical instrumentation coursework has given me a deep understanding of healthcare technologies and their vital role in patient care. I am eager to apply this knowledge and further develop my practical skills in a professional healthcare environment.
My experience as a volunteer at a child hospice center has prepared me for this line of work. I collaborated with medical professionals, social workers, and counsellors to develop personalized care plans for patients, resulting in a 15% improvement in holistic patient care. I also organized and led engaging activities for children, which increased their happiness during their stay.
Jefferson Einstein Hospital’s reputation for excellence in healthcare and commitment to patient well-being aligns perfectly with my aspirations. I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how my qualifications could benefit your healthcare team.
As you can see, you don’t need several years of experience to make a professional healthcare cover letter. Ian showcases his educational background in biomedical technology and volunteer work at a child hospice center, demonstrating a strong commitment to healthcare.
This directly aligns with the hospital’s values, making Ian a valuable prospect in an instant.
And now, let’s walk you through each writing step so you, too, can create an equally impressive healthcare cover letter.
Healthcare jobs encompass various roles dedicated to promoting and maintaining individuals' well-being. From doctors and nurses to technicians and therapists, healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in diagnosing, treating, and preventing various medical conditions.
In the dynamic healthcare field, cover letters are as important as a healer in a group of fantasy adventurers. Here are the best tips on how to write a great healthcare cover letter:
First, let’s treat it like you would any letter, really, and focus on making it readable following proper cover letter formatting:
Does this seem like a lot of work? It, unfortunately, is. Thankfully, ResumeLab’s cover letter templates take the hassle of preparing the perfect formatting out of the process. Just pick a template and get to writing.
Now that you have your healthcare cover letter outline ready, it’s time to start writing the cover letter.
One aspect people writing a cover letter for hospital jobs forget is to “dress the part if you want the position.” Can’t look like a scrub if you want to wear scrubs, if you catch my drift.
Here's how to give your healthcare cover letter that polished, professional appearance by adding a cover letter header:
Here’s the template:
[Your Job Title] (Optional)
[Your Physical Address] (Optional)
[Hiring Manager’s Full Name]
[Hiring Manager’s Position or Title, e.g. Dr.]
[Company Street Address]
[City and Zip Code]
Expert Hint: If you don't know the name, do some detective work online. You don't want to start off with a clueless “To Whom It May Concern” in that opening paragraph. Here’s a guide on addressing a cover letter. It will give you all the details.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
The opening of your healthcare cover letter sets the tone. You have to make it count.
Whether you’re a surgical nurse with zero medication errors, a lab supervisor who catches every abnormal result, or any other medical professional, lead with something that shows your skills and experience.
Let’s show you how it’s done with an example. Pay close attention to the parts highlighted in bold:
Dear [Hiring manager’s name],
Seeing the opening for a [Position you’re applying for] position recently posted on the [Where you found the posting] had me tremendously excited, as a long-time colleague of mine, [someone who works at the company and can vouch for you], also works there in the same department. With over [Years of experience] of experience as a [Your job title], during which [An impressive achievement], I believe I gained the skills necessary to become a valuable asset to your team in [How you can help the company].
This introduction also does one additional clever trick. The doctor can ask the mentioned colleague to receive a confirmation of your skills and work ethic. But obviously, only mention a potential referrer if you have one you can trust.
Expert Hint: You can employ dozens of tricks to make your healthcare cover letter even better. Fortunately for you, we have compiled a large list of cover letter tips and tricks you can use.
If you’re scared your application will be deemed as not good enough, you’re right to be a bit scared. There’s no room for mediocrity in the healthcare sector, and various studies show the average medical institution often provides subpar-quality care in many ways.
That’s why the body of your healthcare cover letter needs to clearly showcase why you’re the best candidate for the job:
And, when in doubt, scan the job posting for what’s called resume keywords and work those into your healthcare cover letter. If they mentioned “team player,” for example, describe how you collaborate well with other departments to improve patient outcomes.
During my time at [Previous workplace’s name], I have attained many achievements. [Work achievement #1]. And in [Work achievement #2].Furthermore, I also [Work achievement #3].
Showing you understand the hospital's needs and have a track record of success in areas they value most will help your healthcare cover letter stand out.
But it’s also crucial to find common ground between yourself and the medical establishment. The healthcare setting is a tough one. You need to prepare for many hours of overtime and some sleepless nights.
The hospital needs to know you won’t bail on them the moment you experience hardships. So show them your motivation and that your values align with the doctoral motto.
During my career, I have gained expertise in a variety of [Vital skills]. I am dedicated to bringing [What you can bring to the workplace]. I also strongly believe that [A strong value you hold], and I was pleased to see this value represented well in the [A place where your value is represented by the company].
With demand for all kinds of medical procedures being expected to go up in the coming years, the health sector has to be able to meet expectations. But no hospital will hire just anyone.
Lucky for you, your healthcare cover letter is a cut above the rest. So, all that’s left for you now is… Ask them for an interview!
It may sound silly, but that’s the best way to end a cover letter. Politely ask if they would be willing to meet or speak by phone to discuss the position in more detail and determine if there is a good fit on both sides.
And don’t forget to use "Sincerely" followed by your full name when signing off. Keep it proper, like signing a chart after rounds. You could also optionally include a digital or handwritten signature.
I would be grateful for an in-person opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience could help [Name of the workplace you’re applying to][How you want to help] for the [Name of the specific department you want to work at]. If there is time next week to [Preferred ways of contact], do let me know!
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When writing a cover letter for healthcare positions, you should:
Need any further advice for preparing your healthcare cover letter? Have any questions regarding your medical skills and how to describe them efficiently? Let’s chat below in the comments!
Written by Mariusz WawrzyniakMariusz is a career expert with a background in quality control & economics. With work experience in FinTech and a passion for self-development, Mariusz brings a unique perspective to his role. He’s dedicated to providing the most effective advice on resume and cover letter writing techniques to help his readers secure the jobs of their dreams.
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Michael Tomaszewski, CPRW
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert
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