How to Build Relationships With PAs, MDs, and RNs

Eryka, a first-time applicant and former pre-PA club president at the University of Delaware, credits her connections with clinicians for helping her reach each next step in her journey. Every shadowing experience and job gave her a chance to meet healthcare providers, and those relationships paid off.

The reason is simple. Clinicians are the people who can offer you shadowing hours, write your letters of recommendation, and sometimes even point you toward interviews. But none of that happens if you stay invisible. The whole point of her five tips is to make a real connection, so that when an opportunity comes up, you are the person they think of.

So whether there is a new PA at your workplace or a physician you cross paths with while volunteering, treat each interaction as a chance to build a relationship, not just complete a task.

Here is her framework:

- Introduce yourself. Before the day gets busy, say hello to new clinicians: your name, that you are applying to PA school, and a question like how long they have been a PA or where they went to school. This almost always sparks a conversation.
- Express your interest to learn. If you have a question about a patient or a diagnosis, ask. Eryka works as a medical assistant in urgent care and shares her thoughts on a likely diagnosis with the PA or MD. Over time you start recognizing patterns, like the shingles rash she correctly identified after a PA had explained it the week before.
- Find out more about them. A simple opener is, "What made you want to become a PA, MD, or RN?" You can also ask what they like and dislike about their profession.
- Always show appreciation. Even after a brief chat, say thank you for the advice or for teaching you. You want to be remembered as respectful, curious, and professional. Never burn a bridge.
- Exchange information. If the interaction felt positive, ask for their email. They may even offer it first.

Eryka is emphatic that exchanging contact info is only half the job. The follow-up is what turns a nice conversation into a real connection.

People are busy, and they may not remember you if you wait a week to reach out. So follow up within 24 to 48 hours of meeting. Restate your name, thank them for talking with you about whatever you discussed, and mention you look forward to staying in touch. This jogs their memory and gently reminds them of anything they offered, whether that was writing a letter or letting you shadow.

One practical tip: if you are worried about losing a business card, snap a photo of it on your phone right away so the contact does not slip through the cracks. Small habits like this are what keep a promising connection from fading into a missed opportunity.

Building relationships with the clinicians around you is one of the highest-return habits in the pre-PA journey, and it costs nothing but a little courage. Introduce yourself, stay curious, and always follow up. Don't be scared to reach out, the worst thing that happens is they say no. If you want help turning these connections into shadowing or letters, we are here for you.