So you’ve decided that you want to become a medical assistant and will be applying for the PA training program soon. Letters of recommendation can be a critical part of the process, so there are a few things to keep in mind to maximize your chances of acceptance. The following checklist should help you avoid critical errors.

1. Start tracking your letters early. You should start asking for references if they are willing to write you a letter sooner because it takes time to get agreement from the writers, it takes time for your references to write their letters and send them out, and generally the sooner your application is complete, the greater your chances of getting in. This is particularly true if you are applying through CASPA.

2. Use references that have great appeal. Most schools will have you apply through the Central Application Service for Physician Assistants (CASPA). CASPA requires you to obtain three letters of reference. Upon receipt, CASPA will distribute the same three letters to each school to which you apply. For this reason, you should choose references that are attractive to the widest range of schools. If you are concerned about appealing to the specific requirements of a particular school, you can speak to them in your essay or in a secondary application, which you can complete later in the application process.

3. Clinical references are usually better than academic ones. In most cases, schools prefer to learn about their clinical experiences than about their academic performance. This means looking for references who have supervised or worked closely with you in a clinical (patient) setting. It makes sense, because this information speaks directly to your potential as a personal assistant. The only exception is if you have a weak academic background (low grades or your course work is more than 3 years old). In this case, you should consider getting a letter from the instructor of a class that you did well in, preferably a science prerequisite.

4. Look for letters from people you are sure will support you. It may seem obvious, but many people don’t. Find someone who really likes you and supports your decision to apply for PA training. If you are not sure, ask them: “I am going to apply to physician assistant schools and I am beginning to think about my reference letters. Would you feel able to support me by writing a reference letter if I asked you for?” If your answer is something less than an enthusiastic “Yes!” then consider looking for someone else.

5. Use the electronic shipping method if possible. Electronic filing is easier for you, your referral, CASPA, and the schools you hope to attend. Simply provide CASPA with the name, title, title and email address of your reference, and how you know it. Let your references know in advance when you will send your information so they can assess when the letter will need to be written. Once they have completed their letter, they will email it to CASPA. Exception: if you send a letter from an admissions committee. Committee letters count as one letter and must be sent as hard copies, on institution letterhead.

6. Give up your right to review your letters. CASPA gives you the option to waive your right to review your letters, and you should. Not giving up this right means that you may want to see them for yourself and implies that you are not sure if they speak well of you. This is a bit like asking a potential employer not to contact your previous employer, a definite red flag for an application committee.

7. When done, send a thank you card to the writers of your letters. (And maybe even a small gift – Starbucks gift cards are appropriate.) This is just good manners. It shows your appreciation and keeps it at your disposal in case you need to reapply next year.

Once you’ve completed and mailed your letters, you can check this item off your extensive to-do list and breathe a little easier. Good luck!