Having picked a rewarding career with exceptionally bright job prospects, physician assistants can afford to be choosy pursuing the best opportunities. For the winning edge you might need over equally selective and qualified peers, an outstanding physician assistant cover letter is vital.
This cover letter writing guide, incorporating a physician assistant cover letter example, will discuss:
- The best format for structuring a cover letter
- How to optimize the impact of each cover letter section: header, greeting, introduction, body and closing
- Writing psychology
- Common cover letter mistakes to avoid.
Resume.io is a professional resource for job seekers in all fields and of all experience levels. Check out our 180+ free cover letter examples for even more ideas on how to craft the perfect application.
Best format for a physician assistant cover letter
For anyone who dreads what is usually the hardest part of a writing task — knowing where to start — we’ve got good news first, then all the step-by-step help you need.
The recommended framework for your physician assistant cover letter is universally suitable for all occupations. It’s simple, solid and easy to read, as long as you keep it short — 300 to 450 words maximum. That means your cover letter must fit on a single page with enough white space to offset the text-dense sections.
Be sure to include these components in the following order:
- Cover letter header
- Cover letter greeting / salutation
- Cover letter introduction
- Cover letter middle paragraphs (body)
- Cover letter closing (conclusion and sign-off).
Here is an adaptable cover letter example for a physician assistant that you can customize for your own version, tailored to the position and employer:
Dear Mrs. Haythwaite,
Having worked in multiple departments as a physician assistant for nine years at Tree Hill Hospital, the generalist demands of the role at Willow General are a perfect fit for my experience.
Qualifying as a Certified Nursing Assistant gave my medical career the ideal start. Initially, I worked mostly in critical care settings and the emergency department. In addition to ensuring accurate records on ENR systems and helping to improve patient care processes, served as a first responder. Maintaining a meticulous approach to any administrative work, I found that it is easier to concentrate on medical duties when all the formalities of paperwork are in order.
In addition to the state license, I am certified in ACLS, PALS and ATLS, and possess a Bachelor of Medical Science degree in physician assistant studies.
I am also experienced in the full range of in-patient care, explaining treatments and medication, collecting and preparing tests and performing basic pre-op procedures. I am fully trained on the range of medical technology and have a perfect record in my regular training checks. In my five years on four different in-patient wards; I have experienced every situation that might befall a physician assistant.
I am a practiced communicator, used to discussing complicated treatment requirements with all concerned, using humor and storytelling to build trust with patients and relatives. I share a selection of references from colleagues, patients and supervisors which attest to my dedication, teamwork and quality of care.
I would welcome the opportunity of a visit to your hospital to understand more about how your physician assistants operate. I believe that I could make a big difference to your team.
Sincerely,
Talia Mackay
According to a recent survey of 200 hiring professionals, 83% say cover letters play an important influential role overall, and specifically can compensate for flawed resumes in landing you an interview. Even if cover letters are optional, about three-quarters of recruiters still expect to receive them, prefer to receive them, always read them and show a preference for applicants who include one.
Cover letter header
There are two key reasons for your physician assistant cover letter to feature an attention-grabbing header.
- It confers off-the-top importance to your prominently displayed name, occupation and contact information. Anyone involved in the recruiting process – possibly including HR and clinical staff in different offices and departments — can readily identify where your job application came from and how to reach you. This can be very important in a large hospital or medical office setting where HR staff might be inundated with applications for multiple healthcare positions at any given time.
- The extra thought and effort you put into superior-looking job application documents reflects your regard for detail. The header space allows for some creative expression on your part while rewarding readers with a visually attractive document that welcomes their attention and looks inviting to read. This can be achieved through careful font choices, offset by white space and perhaps a touch of color.
A professional-looking pair
Make your physician assistant cover letter and resume a professional-looking pair with matching visual styles. There’s a better chance that the hiring manager’s first impression will have a lasting impact that sets you apart from the masses of job applicants. A more practical reason: there’s less chance of the documents becoming accidentally separated, or if one does go astray, it’s easier to re-match when found.
Goal of the cover letter header: Stand out in the crowd of job applicants by attracting visual attention and conveying your regard for detail and professionalism.
Cover letter greeting
Your physician assistant cover letter greeting is quite straightforward if you know who to address — ideally by name. Scientific studies affirm that people like to hear or read their own names, which triggers a positive response.
The traditional salutation “Dear Dr. Grey” never goes out of fashion. Replace “Dr.” with “Mr.” or “Ms.” as appropriate, and be careful about the correct gender. Think twice before substituting “Greetings” or “Hello,” for “Dear,” only if you’re certain about the workplace being that casual. Otherwise, especially in medical circles, take no chances and err on the formal side. The same goes for using the recipient’s first name unless you happen to know each other.
If no recipient has been specified in the job application instructions, try to find out who will make the hiring decision, or the physician you would report to if hired. Ask a colleague, check the employer’s website or make a phone call to inquire.
Failing these efforts to come up with someone’s name, don’t even think about “To Whom it May Concern“ as a last resort. Any of these generic alternatives are better: “Dear <Hospital Name> Chief of Staff,” “Dear ER Department Head” or “Dear Physician Assistant Hiring Team.”
Goal of the cover letter greeting: Start off on a professional note while making a direct personal connection with the hiring manager.
Cover letter introduction
The introduction of your physician assistant cover letter gets straight to the point, letting recruiters know you are a standout candidate to take seriously, starting now. Inject your introduction with energy, enthusiasm and confidence, setting an authentic tone that’s friendly but still professional. Take an unusual stance or an anecdotal angle, mixing in a fact or figure for added impact. But know when “enough is enough” to leave your intrigued reader wanting more. The transition into the next cover letter section should not even be noticeable.
Goal of the cover letter introduction: Capture the attention of hiring managers with a compelling preview of your qualifications that motivates them to read more.
The greeting and introduction from our physician assistant cover letter sample appear below.
Dear Mrs. Haythwaite,
Having worked in multiple departments as a physician assistant for nine years at Tree Hill Hospital, the generalist demands of the role at Willow General are a perfect fit for my experience.
Cover letter body
The middle part of your physician assistant cover letter is not just about you, but about what the hiring hospital or clinic needs that you can deliver. It reflects your understanding of those needs because you’ve investigated. Take the insights hinted at in your cover letter introduction to a deeper level in the body paragraphs. The spotlight is on what you bring to the table as a lucky find for this physician assistant recruiter.
Single out a few of the most relevant accomplishments from your resume, mixed and matched with soft skills that enabled you to pull them off. A cover letter should never rehash your resume career highlights. Instead, take a value-added slant in a more conversational fashion.
Ability to communicate effectively in a patient education role is one of the top five soft skills employers seek in physician assistants, according to healthecareers. An estimated 90 million adults in the U.S. have limited health literacy, partly because English is their second language.
Goal of the cover letter body: Illustrate how your contributions as a physician assistant would benefit the hiring hospital or medical clinic and patients receiving care.
Our physician assistant cover letter example illustrates what you might include in the middle part.
Qualifying as a Certified Nursing Assistant gave my medical career the ideal start. Initially, I worked mostly in critical care settings and the emergency department. In addition to ensuring accurate records on ENR systems and helping to improve patient care processes, served as a first responder. Maintaining a meticulous approach to any administrative work, I found that it is easier to concentrate on medical duties when all the formalities of paperwork are in order.
In addition to the state license, I am certified in ACLS, PALS and ATLS, and possess a Bachelor of Medical Science degree in physician assistant studies.
I am also experienced in the full range of in-patient care, explaining treatments and medication, collecting and preparing tests and performing basic pre-op procedures. I am fully trained on the range of medical technology and have a perfect record in my regular training checks. In my five years on four different in-patient wards; I have experienced every situation that might befall a physician assistant.
I am a practiced communicator, used to discussing complicated treatment requirements with all concerned, using humor and storytelling to build trust with patients and relatives. I share a selection of references from colleagues, patients and supervisors which attest to my dedication, teamwork and quality of care.
Cover letter closing
You’ve made your case for being the ideal physician assistant, so it’s time to end on an upbeat note that leaves nothing up in the air. Reinforce your strongest suit as a job candidate and thank the reader. Then close with an enthusiastic show of interest and a call to action. Don’t hesitate to ask if you can follow up with a call regarding a possible interview, or merely state you look forward to a reply. Either way, imply you have an expectation of further contact and are confident the hiring manager is interested.
Now, simply sign off with a closing salutation like “Sincerely,” Best regards,” or “Best,” above your name.
Goal of the cover letter closing: End on a positive, self-assured note with a call to action that ideally results in an interview.
Below is the closing section of our dental assistant cover letter.
I would welcome the opportunity of a visit to your hospital to understand more about how your physician assistants operate. I believe that I could make a big difference to your team.
Sincerely,
Talia Mackay
Writing psychology — the person inside the professional
The empathy you bring to bear in patient interactions can serve you well in writing a physician assistant cover letter. Put yourself behind the hiring desk momentarily — perhaps even wearing the stethoscope of your future MD boss. Imagine coming across your own cover letter in a sea of other look-alike documents that are starting to become a blur … along with many more stand-alone resumes. What would make your cover letter captivating right away and impossible to set aside after reading?
What recruiters need to know about your diagnostic and treatment competencies is in your resume. Your physician assistant cover letter reveals your personality and compatibility as a healthcare team member, and of course, your bedside manner. it gives prospective employers a heart-and-soul glimpse at who you are and what you would look like in their patient setting.
The tone and language for your cover letter are in tune with the position you are seeking and what you know about your future boss and co-workers — their workplace culture, ethics and core values. From research, and ideally from seeking an insider’s perspective, you’ve got a sense of how readily you would fit in if hired.
A physician assistant cover letter sample is the place to elaborate on the kind of personal qualities that cannot be as fully fleshed out in a resume. According to healthecareers.com, these are the top five soft skills for physician assistants:
- Be humble
- Handle stress well
- Stay detail-focused
- Effectively communicate in a patient education role
- Be compassionate and caring
Common mistakes to avoid
The worst cover letter mistake — made by a surprising majority of job applicants — is not submitting one at all. We assume you’re convinced that a physician assistant cover letter is worthwhile and worth doing well. So to make sure your best shot hits the mark, let’s look at a few common reasons why so many others fall short.
- Generic cover letters. Failure to target your cover letter content and language to each job and employer will kill your chances of success like a fast-acting poison. You may be a stellar physician assistant, but don’t expect recruiters to figure that out from a letter that fails to make a direct, personal connection with them.
- Short-shrifted soft skills. While medical expertise might take precedence in your physician assistant cover letter, don’t overlook or downplay the opportunity to highlight the personal attributes that set you apart as an exceptional caregiver.
- Failure to error-proof. Typos, spelling mistakes and poor grammar are remarkably typical reasons for job application rejection, yet so preventable. Sloppiness when drafting a cover letter sample is fine and forgivable if the errors end there. There’s no excuse for failing to proofread, correct and polish your cover letter before submitting.
- Design and formatting flaws. Unless your cover letter looks as good as it sounds, there’s a chance it won’t be read. Problematic fonts are a common pitfall, along with design and text formatting flaws. Seriously consider using a professional cover letter template such as the ones Resume.io has created in four style categories. Our cover letter builder tool makes it a breeze to customize with your own replacement text.
Key takeaways for a physician assistant cover letter
- Physician assistants are highly paid medical professionals in high demand. An exceptional cover letter can give you an edge competing for the best job opportunities in this exceptionally fast-growing job market.
- Attractive visual elements ensure that your cover letter is reader-friendly and looks as good as it sounds.
- Take extra care to avoid the most common cover letter mistakes, including some specific to medical professionals, as listed in this cover letter sample.
- Using a professionally designed cover letter template makes it easier and faster to create a successful cover letter by taking care of the formatting details.
For additional inspiration, you can check out our related medical cover letter examples.
- Nursing cover letter sample
- Medical assistant cover letter sample
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- Doctor cover letter sample
- CNA cover letter sample
- Healthcare cover letter sample
- Medical cover letter sample
- LPN cover letter sample
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- Doctor assistant cover letter sample
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