Enhancing Transparency in Urology Residency Match Process: The Importance of Standardized Letters of Recommendation

To review the use of standardized letters of recommendation (SLORs) in urology residency match and to evaluate their impact on the selection process.

We aimed to understand the current landscape of SLORs across medicine. We found 44 articles evaluating SLORs in various specialties, of which 5 focused on urology in the past 5 years. The use of SLORs have been shown to decrease gender and selection biases in urology. Currently, a new and improved peer-revised electronic SLOR format is being developed by the Society of Academic Urologists. The use of SLORs can help alleviate biases that may develop with narrative letters of recommendation. There is limited information on optimal standardized formats for SLORs. Improving the structure and expanding the use of SLORs is fundamental for creating an efficient and fair match process.