Letters of Rec

[Pa4lyfe2015]

I'm applying next cycle and am trying to find out what I should do for my third letter of recommendation. I work as a therapy tech at an inpatient rehab hospital. This has been a very hands-on job with a lot of great experiences helping with wound care and other therapies. I know I will have a great letter of recommendation from my supervisor (who is a physical therapist) and I will also have a great letter of rec from my academic advisor. For my third letter, I'm trying to decide between a physical therapist I directly work with in patient care and have a great relationship with, or the PM&R PA at the hospital that I have shadowed for around 20 hours, but do not work with directly and he doesn't see me provide much patient care. I feel that the physical therapist letter would be much better, but I'm not sure how schools would feel about not having a PA letter and have two letters from physical therapists. All of the schools I'm applying to don't require a PA letter, but some do recommend it. What do you all think? Thanks!

[UGoLong]

I'm applying next cycle and am trying to find out what I should do for my third letter of recommendation. I work as a therapy tech at an inpatient rehab hospital. This has been a very hands-on job with a lot of great experiences helping with wound care and other therapies. I know I will have a great letter of recommendation from my supervisor (who is a physical therapist) and I will also have a great letter of rec from my academic advisor. For my third letter, I'm trying to decide between a physical therapist I directly work with in patient care and have a great relationship with, or the PM&R PA at the hospital that I have shadowed for around 20 hours, but do not work with directly and he doesn't see me provide much patient care. I feel that the physical therapist letter would be much better, but I'm not sure how schools would feel about not having a PA letter and have two letters from physical therapists. All of the schools I'm applying to don't require a PA letter, but some do recommend it. What do you all think? Thanks!

Some schools care if you get a letter from a PA. And many will take more than 3 letters.

My advice:
- one from someone who can speak to your pt care. I used the chief of my EMS unit.
- one who can speak to your academic horsepower. I used a professor
- one who has known you a long time and can speak to your character. I used an old friend
- and a PA, if one knows you well enough to write one.

Best LOR I ever read was from an applicant’s soccer coach. Worst one was from a PA who knew the applicant for a day!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[aba51]

I would go with the PA for your third letter of rec. Try to get more shadowing hours with them so they can know you more as a person and as a potential PA colleague! Be inquisitive about the profession and the cases that you might see for your own knowledge and to show the PA you are interested/dedicated to understanding the role of a PA. 

[Guest HopeToBePAC]

Unless you're apply to some schools that require a LOR from a PA, go with the PT.  In most cases you should chose the person who knows you better and can speak for you better, and since the PT sees your provide direct patient care, that's something schools like to see. 

[JTATC]

If the schools you're applying to recommend a letter from a PA, I would make sure you have one. You want to make sure that it is someone who knows you well enough to write a good letter though. Maybe do some more shadowing with that PA or find someone else to shadow as well. Sometimes there are free clinics that you can volunteer at, which could be a good way to get a lor from a PA. Or try using your PTs connections to shadow an orthopedic PA. 

 

I would definitely have the other PT write one as well, but if schools recommend one from a PA, they will be expecting it.

[panglossian]

You are allowed a maximum of five LORs... why not use both?

https://help.liaisonedu.com/CASPA_Applicant_Help_Center/Filling_Out_Your_CASPA_Application/3._CASPA_Supporting_Information/1_Evaluations_(Letters_of_Reference)