A PA school letter of recommendation is a letter from a supervisor, instructor or colleague who vouches for your skills and character. You submit it with your application to a physician assistant program. The best letters come from people who have seen your work up close and can describe it with specific examples. For a general version of this document, use this form.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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The opinion of other people who take high positions in certain fields means a lot nowadays. Sometimes the opinions of such people can change one’s life! And in the recommendation letter, the writer takes full responsibility for providing details concerning the subject’s skills, personal characteristics, and traits.
According to statistics, the vast majority of people value the opinions of like-minded people from the same social network more than anything else. In this way, due to the factors listed above, the PA school letter of recommendation plays a significant role in the medical field. It is quite clear that this reference letter is not compulsory yet very essential.
The most-used approach among college and university admission workers is a holistic one. It implies that the student is taken as a whole—they consider every characteristic of the person. Moreover, to exclude the human factor, such admission workers are not meeting with applicants (students) face-to-face.
Instead, they ask for a letter of recommendation or some kind of a personal essay. The latter ones are selection criteria for applicants. That is another reason why the PA school letter of recommendation is indeed crucial.
In practice, the letter shows the admissions team things that grades and test scores do not:
Next, think about who will write your letter. The critical thing about the reference letters is that the person described in the paper cannot be the writer of that form. These people are good choices:
We listed only a few preferable options, and there are many more. For example, you might choose someone from the additional list below:
Now we know that the people mentioned above can possibly write a letter for you. Why possibly? After all, it can be a real headache to write such a paper because it takes some time, not several minutes. The person would have to set aside all of their tasks, sit down, think and remember about you, and compose the paper.
If you want to facilitate the task for the writer, compile a general letter of recommendation by yourself by all of the necessary rules. As a result, this paper could either suit as a helpful template for the final letter or as a final letter itself: the writer might choose to edit your letter and then sign the document!
So, in any case, the writer should be cautious in the process of writing the letter, as it might be life-changing. This letter is an official document to support you through your enrollment process, and you should make a good impression on the admission workers.
Once you choose your author, your next step is to ask that person to write this letter. Remember, the paper has to be positive, impressive, and persuasive. After deciding on that, you should choose the means to reach your writer: either through an email or a face-to-face meeting, you should sound formal, polite, and respectful.
A strong letter covers the same core points, whoever writes it. Use this list when you draft the letter yourself or when you brief the person who will sign it:
Here is how to write a physician assistant school letter of recommendation, one part at a time. There is no strict format for the letter. A clear opening, a detailed main body and a formal closing keep it easy to read.
The best way to start your paper is with a formal salutation to the recipient. Then, you will have to mention that you are pleased to write a letter of recommendation about the subject. It would be great to specify the nature of your relationship to the subject and its durability.
Start the next paragraph with a personal greeting, introducing yourself. Overall, the main body should consist of the full description of the subject’s detailed characteristics. It is a great idea to discuss the soft skills of the subject (assuming there are any) and the personal traits.
Include these points in the main body:
To conclude your letter, leave a formal closing, your full name, working position, and signature. You could also leave some other contact details such as address and phone number.
Small choices can make your letter stronger or weaker. Use the two lists below to see what to avoid and what to do as you ask for the letter and prepare your application.
Avoid these mistakes:
Do these things instead:
Pick the sample that best fits the person writing your letter. Sample 1 comes from a lab supervisor, Sample 2 from a doctor and Sample 3 from a department supervisor. Adapt the sample you choose with these steps:
To whom it may concern,
I have been working with ______ (write the name of the subject under review) for _____ (mention the relationship durability). I was a supervisor of a physician’s office laboratory at _____ (write the place the writer works at). ______ (fill in the name of the subject) studied and worked as a _____ (write the job position of the subject) with excellent results.
______ (write the name of the subject) is a very hardworking person, with a constant desire to work more and more, develop new skills, and possess new knowledge. (He or She) has brilliant interpersonal skills, that is why (he or she) has always been getting along with colleagues and other working staff.
(His or Her) functional performance of theirs is outstanding: ______ (write the name of the subject) is reliable, kind and responsible, and demonstrated consistent working trajectory.
(He or She) provided sufficient feedback concerning the operational matters and was very helpful in the process of decision-making concerning some debatable cases during the workflow. Speaking about the personal skills of the subject, (he or she) is _____ (describe all of the best and unique traits of the subject).
Although a high-valued medical professional, ______ (write the name of the subject) managed to do great in extracurricular activities, for example, ______ (mention the extra work, projects, conferences the subject has participated in). (He or She) worked here for _____ (mention for how long the subject had worked on a specific project) and successfully combined it with the working process, which speaks for excellent time-management skills.
All things considered, I am very enthusiastic about recommending ______ (write the name of the subject) as a physician assistant candidate. Feel free to contact me if any further questions emerge.
_______ (leave the writer’s signature)
_______ (write the full name and the job position of the writer)
_______ (write here the place where the writer works
_______ (write down the address and the contact data, such as cell phone number)
Dear _____ (write the name of the recipient),
With great enthusiasm, I would like to recommend ______ (write the name of the subject you are describing). (He or She) has worked as ______ (mention the already existing experience of the subject and for how long have they worked under your observation or guidance).
My name is _____ (write the name of the writer here). I have been observing ______ (write the name of the subject you are describing) progress throughout (his or her) working time here.
I have been a _______ (write about writer’s job position here and how long have you occupied it), and it has been such a pleasure to work with such an expert and reliable person.
During (his or her) first years, ______ (write the name of the subject the writer is describing) presented brilliant service to patients in all units.
______ (insert the name of the subject you are describing) is very skilled in ______ (write the fields your subject specifies on and all of their accomplishments).
______ (insert the name of the subject you are describing) can work on several things at a time, being very responsible and perfect in managing their time.
______ (insert the name of the subject you are describing) knows a lot in such fields as ____ (mention what the subject has studied).
(He or She) worked in _____ (write about the place where subject worked), where (he or she) showcased skills and efficient performance.
The staff was impressed by ______ (put the name of the subject you are describing).
______ (insert the name of the subject you are describing) fulfilled our team with energy, knowing when to take action and when to provide support to (his or her) colleagues.
I recommend giving ______ (put the name of the subject you are describing) your closest consideration for _____ (write about the desired position of the subject). Make sure to contact me at _____ (put the writer’s email address or cell phone number here) in case you need some additional information or any clarifications about the application.
Sincerely,
_______ (append the writer’s signature)
_______ (write the full name and the job position of the writer)
_______ (Write here the place where the writer works)
Dear ______, (write the name of the recipient)
I am willing to recommend ______ (write the name of the subject you are describing) to you. My name is _____ (insert the writer’s name here). I have supervised _______ (fill in the name of the subject under review), who used to be a student at my department for ____ (indicate the time during which the subject was studying under your guidance).
______ (write the name of the subject you are describing) would be a perfect fit for any physician assistant program. (He or She) is very hardworking, patient, kind, reliable, and _____ (mention any other personal traits of the subject).
During the time of (his or her) studies at my department, the student gained specific hard and soft skills ______ (list the skills of the subject) and accomplished _____ (mention the tasks and study projects has accomplished during the study process). (His or Her) performance was outstanding, and I enjoyed being a supervisor to such a student.
I believe that _____ (write the name of the subject you are describing) will be a great asset to your physician assistant program. In case you have any further questions concerning the student, please contact me _____ (put the writer’s email address or cell phone number here), and I’ll be more than pleased to answer any inquiries.
Best regards,
_______ (leave the writer’s signature)
_______ (write the full name and the job position of the writer)
_______ (Write here the place where the writer works)
Choose someone who has seen your work up close, such as a PA you worked with, a supervisor, a doctor or an instructor. How well the person knows your work matters more than a grand job title.
Share your resume, a short list of the experiences you would like mentioned and the schools on your application list. A clear brief helps the writer pick examples that fit.
Your writer signs the letter, so it should reflect their own view of you. You can share a draft as a starting point, and the writer can edit it before signing.
A general letter is a good base. Ask the writer to adjust a few lines so it fits each school and each application.
A few quick steps keep the letter ready for your application:
General information, not legal or tax advice.
