The CASPA accepts up to 5 letters of recommendation. Some programs have specific requirements for who needs to write letters, so once you know which programs you are applying to be sure to check. It can be intimidating when asking for letters of recommendation; plan ahead and be prepared to make the process as easy as possible.
I asked 5 people for letters of recommendation. This ensured that I had letters from people in the various roles required by each program, and that I would meet the minimum requirements even if one of them couldn’t write a letter for me.
Most programs need some combination of a professor, a supervisor, an adviser, and a healthcare professional (a letter from a PA will be the most meaningful). As such, I asked for letters from my academic adviser, my physiology professor, the PA I work with, and two supervisors. Find people who know you well enough to write honest and positive letters for you.
When asking for letters of recommendation, check that they will have the time and ability to write and submit them. Give them as many resources as possible to make the process painless and simple, and ask a few months in advance to give them time to complete the task and set a clear deadline. CASPA opens at the end of April, so let them know when it opens and when you plan to submit your application.
Provide as much information for them as you can. Create a document with the accomplishments and characteristics that are most important for them to know. Some might have specific questions for you; my adviser had a sheet for me to fill out. As strange as it sounds, you can also offer to write your own letter for them to start with. This allows you to address exactly what you want to and makes the process as easy as possible for them. I had a couple of people who opted for this; I wrote an initial draft and sent it to them to edit before they submitted the final copy. Everyone is busy, and offering to do this improves the chance that someone will be willing to be a letter writer for you.
There are 7 areas I wanted my recommenders to address: academic performance, interpersonal skills, maturity, adaptability and flexibility, motivation for career as PA, ability to work collaboratively with others, and strengths for career as PA.
I made a list of my recommenders and listed the two or three attributes that they could address. I included that in my request for a letter or in the draft I sent them. I also found a presentation online that explained what the CASPA process would be like from their perspective. I sent each of them that document so they would know what to expect. After that, I sent a reminder when CASPA opened giving them a heads-up to be looking for the email, and a reminder about a week before I submitted my application.