Sample Recommendation Letters

June 5, 2020

C*** M***, BSN, RN, SCRN
Clinical Nurse II
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710

RE: Letter of Recommendation for Olivia T***

Dear Madam/Sir,

It is my great privilege to write a letter of recommendation for Olivia in support of her application for physician assistant studies. I have had the opportunity to work alongside Olivia at Duke University Hospital on our 32-bed neurology and neurosurgery unit. This is an extremely demanding and unique unit; comprised of patients with severe debilitating neurological diseases, ranging from stroke, seizures, and brain tumors, to the occasional general medicine and surgery patients. As a nursing assistant, Olivia excels in caring for all patients across our unit; sometimes being assigned to 16 patients during one shift. Olivia exudes critical thinking skills beyond her peers. She is efficient, caring, and compassionate, and treats all patients with respect, kindness, and patience, even when managing a 16-patient assignment. When I come to work and see she is assigned to my patients, I am comforted in knowing they are going to be given the best care possible that day.

Olivia is determined in the pursuit of her goal. While working alongside her one day, I asked why she wanted to pursue the path of physician assistant. I watched her eyes light up while she spoke from her heart her personal story of illness and what that meant to her in becoming a physician assistant. She explained her past experiences in healthcare and volunteer work, all while working several jobs to get herself through school and finish her pre-requisites. She has overcome adversity and has learned how to understand and care for the patient as a whole. It was evident the dedication she is willing to put forward on this path, all of which are vital in becoming a well-rounded healthcare provider.

Olivia is a team player and comes to work every day with a smile on her face and an eagerness to learn. I am more than thrilled to write this letter for Olivia, as I strongly believe she exudes every quality that will help her succeed in a rigorous curriculum to become the kind and compassionate PA that I aspire to work with. I have the opportunity to work closely with Duke physician assistants and feel that Olivia will be an asset to the physician assistant community.

I know she will excel in her studies and look forward to watching her succeed in this journey!

Sincerely,
C*** M***

October 26, 2022

Senthil Radhakrishnan, M.S., PA-C
Administrative Chief and Clinical Neurosurgical PA
Department of Neurosurgery
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710

Re: Letter of Recommendation – AF

Dear Madam/Sir

It is a privilege to write a letter of recommendation for AF in support of her application to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. I have known AF personally for the past two years as a nurse at Duke Neurosurgery.

AF works on the neurosurgical floor, taking care of patients with neurological conditions, and complex pre and postoperative neurosurgical patients. Following completion of ACLS and NIH Stroke Scale, her sound judgment and prudence earned her a promotion to step down unit to take care of high acuity neurosurgical patients.

I have known AF from her first day of orientation to the neurosurgical floor. She is always conscientious, eager to learn, motivated, reliable, and punctual. She has earned the trust of her patients and their families, residents, and the attending surgeons. She works closely with interns and surgical residents and is a valuable team member. She always maintains a professional demeanor, has a constant thirst for knowledge, and has the drive to acquire new skills.

AF has always proved her ability to multi-task, follow-through, and consistently demonstrates her strong medical knowledge, compassion for her patients, and high ethical and moral standards. She can organize, implement, and coordinate appropriate care plans for her patients. In addition, she is very caring, understanding, and helpful to her colleagues, ancillary staff, and nursing and medical students. She precepts nursing students and new nurses and is an excellent role model for them.

Working in a tertiary center with a well reputable neurosurgical unit and caring for high-acuity patients, AF has gained an immense wealth of knowledge and expertise in managing acutely ill patients. One of AF’s greatest assets is her initiative to learn and take responsibility. She can develop excellent rapport with her patients, their families, her peers, and superiors at all levels. AF has a sense of humor and deploys it appropriately and judiciously during stressful situations and when caring for sick patients to help them cope and even laugh when they are most vulnerable.

AF is an active member of the Mentor Me and Resilience Nursing Committee. As a goal-oriented, conscientious professional, I believe AF would excel in any graduate program. Her experience has helped her develop strong management abilities, excellent communication with individuals at all levels, as well as the realization of the importance of ethics, compassion, and professionalism. She is also an energetic team player with leadership qualities.

I wish her the very best. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Senthil Radhakrishnan., M.S., PA-C

August 24, 2023

Senthil Radhakrishnan, M.S., PA-C
Administrative Chief and Clinical Neurosurgical PA
Department of Neurosurgery
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710

Re: Letter of Recommendation – GP

Dear Madam/Sir

I recommend GP with the highest regard and greatest enthusiasm and support for her application to the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. GP exemplifies the characteristics of a promising and proficient advanced practice provider. I have known GP since July 2020 and since then she has grown in confidence, knowledge, and skill from a novice bedside nurse to an inquisitive and excellent team player with leadership qualities. I am confident GP will make an excellent PA and patient advocate.

GP joined the neurosurgical unit in July 2020 as a recently graduated nurse but she quickly became an essential and reliable member of the neurosurgery team, helping provide excellent bedside nursing to severely ill and complex patients with neurological, neurosurgical, neurovascular, and neuro-oncological conditions with extensive comorbidities. Attentive and invested, GP on many occasions recognized the acute change in the severity of illness and impending decline of our patients. She was professional and adept in reaching out quickly and effectively articulating her concerns to facilitate appropriate intervention or escalation in the level of care. In these moments, I recognized in GP a great potential for a more advanced role in patient care.

GP consistently demonstrated her compassion, enthusiasm, and energy in her role as a neuroscience nurse. Her inquisitive nature and intellect led her to pursue cross-training as an ED nurse beginning in July 2022 and preceptor of newly graduated nurses. She excelled as a charge nurse managing the schedule of her colleagues and their patient assignments. Her problem-solving skills, and clinical acumen to recognize critical changes in patient assessment helped her take care of patients in the neuro-intensive care unit. She exemplifies her adaptability and flexibility consistently through her ability to manage both critically ill patients and successfully manage to help her colleagues, interns, residents, therapists, and other administrative tasks.

She works closely with interns and surgical residents and is a valuable team member. She always maintains a professional demeanor, has a constant thirst for knowledge, and has the drive to acquire new skills. She precepts nursing students and new nurses and is an excellent role model for them.

Working in a tertiary center with a well reputable neurosurgical unit and caring for high-acuity patients, GP has gained an immense wealth of knowledge and expertise in managing acutely ill patients. One of GP’s greatest assets is her initiative to learn and take responsibility. She can develop excellent rapport with her patients, their families, her peers, and superiors at all levels. GP has an excellent sense of humor and deploys it appropriately and judiciously during stressful situations and when caring for sick patients to help them cope and even laugh when they are most vulnerable.

Aside from her intelligence, competence, and passion for taking care of people, GP has also served as a member of the Neuro Clinical Practice Council and Policy Making Board. As a goal-oriented, conscientious professional, I believe GP would excel in any graduate program for which she is highly qualified. Her experience has helped her develop strong management abilities, and excellent communication skills, as well as the realization of the importance of ethics, compassion, and professionalism. She is also an energetic team player with leadership qualities.

I wish her the very best. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Senthil Radhakrishnan., M.S., PA-C

June 30, 2023

Senthil Radhakrishnan, M.S., PA-C
Administrative Chief and Clinical Neurosurgical PA
Department of Neurosurgery
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710

Re: Letter of Recommendation – MB

Dear Selection Committee,

It is with the highest regard and greatest enthusiasm that I write this recommendation letter for MB in support of her application for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. I have known MB since she was a junior in college in 2017.

MB shadowed me at work in the summer of 2017. She was eager, inquisitive, and fascinated by the role of physician assistants in healthcare. While she asked thoughtful questions and remained engaged, she knew when to keep quiet and fade into the background. She consistently demonstrated utmost respect and compassion for the patients and their families and interacted with them with kindness. MB maintained her poise and composure when confronted with sick and dying patients and during end-of-life and goals-of-care discussions.

Unlike other candidates who come to shadow only when they are actively applying to PA school, MB chose to do so early in her pursuit to learn about the PA profession and the role of PAs in healthcare. She spent her entire summer shadowing me in the inpatient setting and my colleagues in the outpatient setting. In addition, MB has stayed in contact for the past five years sharing her experiences, challenges, and triumphs in her academic pursuit.

Following graduation from Elon University with a Bachelor of Science in biology with a concentration in allied health, rather than taking an easier route to gain patient care experience, MB decided to become an EMT to gain first-hand experience managing patients and then progressed to a paramedic. I have seen her grow from a novice EMT to a skilled paramedic. On several occasions MB has brought patients from the community as direct admission to my unit and has taken patients, I have discharged to nursing homes and acute rehabilitation facilities. She has excellent bedside manners.

MB has impressed me with her growth and knowledge and I have witnessed her transition from a timid junior to a confident paramedic who can stabilize acutely ill patients. Her role in caring for patients in the community has only strengthened her resolve and determination to pursue her goal of becoming a PA. She has continued to grow as a Medic for the Durham Bomb Squad as well as a medic for the Biological, Chemical, Environmental, and Response Team. MB has been assisting the Medical Director of Durham County with cardiac arrest reviews and data analysis and has taken more FEMA courses specializing in disaster relief. She is volunteering for the at-risk population in Durham County.

As a practicing neurosurgical PA for the past 20 years and the program director of the PA surgical residency program, I am confident MB exemplifies the characteristics of a compassionate, confident, and proficient PA. She consistently demonstrates her strong compassion for not only her patients and their families with her high moral and ethical standards but also for the community at large.

The most impressive quality of MB is her compassion and empathy. Both are admirable qualities and important traits to have as a PA. Without any fanfare or seeking attention on social media, MB silently donated one of her kidneys to a stranger who happened to be in her paramedic class, a young mother in her thirties with complications from lupus.

I am confident MB will be an excellent ambassador for the PA profession and a blessing to her patients. I wholeheartedly support MB’s pursuit of becoming a PA and I am excited about the prospect of having such a kind and compassionate professional as a colleague soon. Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Senthil Radhakrishnan., M.S., PA-C