2007-2008 Letter of Recommendation Thread

Med School Insiders
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
I would e-mail or call the schools you applied to to make sure they know your DO letter is included in the composite. It shouldn't be a problem.
 
I got an email response from both LECOM - Erie and DMU that one of my professor letters has not come in. Which makes no sense as my professor said he sent it a week and a half ago. 🙄 Either he lied or I have been a victim of mail tampering...🙁
 
👍can u submit an LOR before the application. I'm afraid to have letters and app get separated and delay my application? anyone ever done this?
 
Just wondering if all DO schools require a letter of recommendation from a DO or just some? I just got the secondary from LECOM, and they seem to require it.

Do NYCOM and Touro (in NY) schools have this requirement? What are the schools that don't require this?
 
I don't think it is a requirement for many of the schools, but still recommended. That said I think everyone should treat it as a requirement because it shows a big interest in osteopathic medicine and that you put in the effort to learn as much as possible.
 
Touro NY requires a letter from a physician, preferably a DO. I think that the only school I looked at that doesn't require a letter from a doctor of some sort is MSU COM.
 
Even if it's not a requirement is is HIGHLY recommended. It's really not hard to get a letter so I would strongly encourage you to contact a DO to shadow. It shouldn't take long before they would write you a letter. Osteopathic schools want to see that you know what degree you are applying for and they want people with osteopathic experience!
 
Oops I forgot to add, that while many don't require DO letters they still want a letter from a physician. If you are looking to go to DO school you should make it a DO letter
 
I believe UMDNJ doesn't ask for any physician letter.
 
I have some fellow classmates that used an MD letter.

If you are in NYC getting a DO letter should not be too difficult if you hit up the DO attendings in ERs. PM me if you want to know which hospitals to try. Most of the DO attendings will be from NYCOM and other Osteopathic shcools in the northeast so you may get an alumni letter. Can't hurt.

blahwhatever said:
Just wondering if all DO schools require a letter of recommendation from a DO or just some? I just got the secondary from LECOM, and they seem to require it.

Do NYCOM and Touro (in NY) schools have this requirement? What are the schools that don't require this?
Click to expand...
 
Can you send additional LoRs after you've sent a composite letter with all your other letters from your school? If so, will that delay them viewing your app and possible secondary/interviews? :idea:
 
Yes you typically can send in additional letters. As long as they are not "required" letters, then I don't see why they'd delay processing of your application. That is, if you are waiting to send your DO letter to a school that requires a DO letter, then you may not get processed until you get it in. Otherwise, if a school gets in an extra letter, after your file is complete, they will probably just put it in your file.
 
Do you really need a DO letter of recommendation to get in to DO school? 😕

What if you don't know any DO physicians and what if none work at your hospital and in your area in general?

Another question: I am thinking about getting a LOR from my science professor at the CC but application process is like 3 years away for me. So should I even bother getting one from him? We have 70 some kids in our class (@ the CC) and even though he remembers me right now I am sure he'll forget me once I transfer to a university. If I did decided to get a LOR from him, what am I going to say hey can you write me a letter of recommendation so I can use it 3 years from now?
 
Many schools have time limits on how old a lor can be. Plus, if you have three years ahead of you you shouldn't have any problem getting a different teacher's lor as well as a DO. I really don't understand all the questions about needing a DO letter. If you want to be an osteopath there is no reason not to have experience with a DO, and thus a lor from a DO. And yes, schools want them!
 
So, all of the post bacc classes I am having to take to finish up my pre-reqs are huge (280+) lecture classes. There is no way to stand out in that many people so I'm not sure how to go about the LOR from Profs. I was thinking about talking privately with the profs I would like letters from and telling them that I will be needing them around the first of the year and asking if there is anything I can do in the meantime to help them feel confident enough in me to be willing to write a letter???

How have others gone about this?

Any thoughts or ideas?
 
Sit up front. Go to office hours. Ask questions after class. Get good grades.
 
Hello,
I was just wondering if anyone knows if there are any schools who don't accept the Inferfolio service? It seems so much easier to do recommendation letters through this service than having to ask your recommenders to send letter to each and every school! Thanks so much for any info!
 
Everybody will accept it. Not many DO schools accept the electronic transfer, but they all accept the service.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Everybody will accept it. Not many DO schools accept the electronic transfer, but they all accept the service.
Click to expand...

What do you mean the electronic transfer? Do you mean when the service transfers the letters to the school? Thanks so much for the reply and information!
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Everybody will accept it. Not many DO schools accept the electronic transfer, but they all accept the service.
Click to expand...

Wrong. MSU-COM does not accept interfolio snail mail.
 
They are different because they want their own forms used.
 
Kirksville has its own forms, but accepts interfolio.

Interfolio is good, but my professors are so lazy they still haven't uploaded my LOR, its been almost 2 weeks already.
 
mletter said:
What do you mean the electronic transfer? Do you mean when the service transfers the letters to the school? Thanks so much for the reply and information!
Click to expand...

Electronic transfer is when interfolio sends it electronically (obviously) and the schools receive them very quickly. Most DO schools you can only snail mail it to.
 
EEL08 said:
Electronic transfer is when interfolio sends it electronically (obviously) and the schools receive them very quickly. Most DO schools you can only snail mail it to.
Click to expand...

yep, yep 🙂 Out of the schools that I applied to, ATSU-SOMA, ATSU-KCOM, and PNWU all had electronic transfer available. All of the other schools accepted snail mail LOR's from Interfolio.

FYI: MSU will accept LOR's with the first and last evaluation sheets filled out in lieu of the whole evaluation form. I was told this by admissions. Although, if the letter does not cover most of the topics covered in the evaluation form, the letter will not be considered.
 
How long does it take for the LOR to show up on your interfolio account if the professor did it electronically? I called my professor half hour ago and he said he was loading it up right then, but it still hasn't shown up on my account. It says couple minutes on the site, or does it show up the next day because its a Friday. Anybody know?
 
desijigga said:
How long does it take for the LOR to show up on your interfolio account if the professor did it electronically? I called my professor half hour ago and he said he was loading it up right then, but it still hasn't shown up on my account. It says couple minutes on the site, or does it show up the next day because its a Friday. Anybody know?
Click to expand...

It does say a couple of minutes on Interfolio's website, but both of mine took a couple of hours (and this was back in July). You should get a conformational email by the end of the day and if you don't call them on Monday. 😀
 
prionsRbad said:
It does say a couple of minutes on Interfolio's website, but both of mine took a couple of hours (and this was back in July). You should get a conformational email by the end of the day and if you don't call them on Monday. 😀
Click to expand...


Does anyone have a list of DO schools that do not accept Interfolio?
 
hello everyone.before stating my dilemma i just want to say that this site is absolutely fantastic, and i have been using it for long time to answer my many questions. this is my first post since i could not find an answer to my current problem.
here we go. my first 2 yrs in college were a complete waste. it was my first time away from home and not having constant adult supervision. once i got on track, i really improved my grades and finished all of my core classes for my pre-professional biology degree, and all my upper level science classes with mostly A's(had 2 B's). looking at my transcript, an upward trend for each year is very apparent.(starting from a c- to an a- improvement)
should i send a separate letter (or a note) to the admission office telling them that i am capable, and ask them to allow me to be placed on their "enrichment" programs? like FSU has the "bridge" program, and cincinatti has the 5yrs program where the first yr is like a "trial".
 
Okay, I need input on my second, but related, LOR dilemma. Short story, I wasn't sure if the DO I've been working with could write me a good letter or not. I spoke with her and decided she would write me a strong LOR. Basically her deadline for my letter was October, no specific date. However, she was supposed to have my husband's done by September 30. He has e-mailed her about it because Interfolio is having trouble receiving all the LORs. She has opened the e-mail but has not replied to him and that was over a week ago. He has tried to catch her at the clinic but she's always out. She has been busy covering for other doctors and things so I kind of understand. Oh and she actually had a "vacation" at the end of September which is when she said she would have the chance to write our letters.

So yesterday I e-mailed her to ask her to let me know when she sends it. I set my options so I would know when she opened it and when she deleted it. Twenty-one minutes after it was sent to her it was deleted and never opened. I'm hoping it was an accident but my heart sank seriously. She hasn't e-mailed me back either. My husband has a great letter from another DO who was one of his professors and he shadowed him, so he'll be complete soon. I really don't know what to do. This other DO is my professor now and his wife has been one of my professors twice. I'm thinking about practically begging him for a letter when I see him in class next week even though I haven't shadowed him and I'm not as great a candidate as my husband. I just don't know what to do at this point and I could really use some input. Please!! :scared:
 
EEL08 said:
Okay, I need input on my second, but related, LOR dilemma. Short story, I wasn't sure if the DO I've been working with could write me a good letter or not. I spoke with her and decided she would write me a strong LOR. Basically her deadline for my letter was October, no specific date. However, she was supposed to have my husband's done by September 30. He has e-mailed her about it because Interfolio is having trouble receiving all the LORs. She has opened the e-mail but has not replied to him and that was over a week ago. He has tried to catch her at the clinic but she's always out. She has been busy covering for other doctors and things so I kind of understand. Oh and she actually had a "vacation" at the end of September which is when she said she would have the chance to write our letters.

So yesterday I e-mailed her to ask her to let me know when she sends it. I set my options so I would know when she opened it and when she deleted it. Twenty-one minutes after it was sent to her it was deleted and never opened. I'm hoping it was an accident but my heart sank seriously. She hasn't e-mailed me back either. My husband has a great letter from another DO who was one of his professors and he shadowed him, so he'll be complete soon. I really don't know what to do. This other DO is my professor now and his wife has been one of my professors twice. I'm thinking about practically begging him for a letter when I see him in class next week even though I haven't shadowed him and I'm not as great a candidate as my husband. I just don't know what to do at this point and I could really use some input. Please!! :scared:
Click to expand...

Oh no, EEL08. That would drive me to tears! :cry: That really sucks that she is behaving this way . . . very unprofessional. If I were you, I would explain the situation to this other DO (your current professor) and I bet he'll write you a letter. Most DO's know that the LOR requirement is BS and they had to seek a DO LOR many years ago too. I don't think it should matter so much if you haven't shadowed him. I never shadowed my DO and he wrote me a great letter.

I'm sooo sorry you're going through this mess! Ask him ASAP and I bet he will be billing to write you a letter (and make sure he expedites it)! :luck::luck:
 
oden said:
hello everyone.before stating my dilemma i just want to say that this site is absolutely fantastic, and i have been using it for long time to answer my many questions. this is my first post since i could not find an answer to my current problem.
here we go. my first 2 yrs in college were a complete waste. it was my first time away from home and not having constant adult supervision. once i got on track, i really improved my grades and finished all of my core classes for my pre-professional biology degree, and all my upper level science classes with mostly A's(had 2 B's). looking at my transcript, an upward trend for each year is very apparent.(starting from a c- to an a- improvement)
should i send a separate letter (or a note) to the admission office telling them that i am capable, and ask them to allow me to be placed on their "enrichment" programs? like FSU has the "bridge" program, and cincinatti has the 5yrs program where the first yr is like a "trial".
Click to expand...

In my opinion, No, don't send a letter explaining your GPA trend. They will see it on your application and they will look for things like this too. You can, however, explain a bit about your situation in your secondaries and even in your personal statement. You are not alone. There are many of us with crappy early GPA's with strong upwards trends. Good Luck :luck:
 
prionsRbad said:
Oh no, EEL08. That would drive me to tears! :cry: That really sucks that she is behaving this way . . . very unprofessional. If I were you, I would explain the situation to this other DO (your current professor) and I bet he'll write you a letter. Most DO's know that the LOR requirement is BS and they had to seek a DO LOR many years ago too. I don't think it should matter so much if you haven't shadowed him. I never shadowed my DO and he wrote me a great letter.

I'm sooo sorry you're going through this mess! Ask him ASAP and I bet he will be billing to write you a letter (and make sure he expedites it)! :luck::luck:
Click to expand...

prions I knew you would come to my rescue! I'm thinking asking my professor is my best bet. How should I word it so it doesn't sound like I'm bashing on DO #1. I don't really want DO #1 to find out either. My husband and I just don't feel good about this situation. It's not so much about my letter but his. If she is this delayed on getting his letter then she's way delayed on doing mine. I think I will e-mail him today to ask so I don't put him on the spot and he can have some time to think about it before I see him in class on Tuesday. Plus I just took my midterm in his class yesterday and feel pretty confident I did well. I just want to approach this situation as delicately as I can. Both DOs work in the same clinic but DO #1 is in internal medicine and DO #2 is in family medicine.
 
I have a similar trend.
 
So I'm going to e-mail him on Friday. My husband suggested I give a couple days for him to grade the tests so he'll actually know how well I did. He also suggested it's probably not a good idea to use the LOR from DO #1 even if she does get it in.
 
EEL08 said:
So I'm going to e-mail him on Friday. My husband suggested I give a couple days for him to grade the tests so he'll actually know how well I did. He also suggested it's probably not a good idea to use the LOR from DO #1 even if she does get it in.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good plan. Give him some time to grade everything and see that you did well on the exam. Just be as honest as possible when explaining your situation to him. I would tell him that you were waiting on a LOR from a DO (don’t mention who) and that things have fallen through (you will need to explain this in order for him to understand why you are asking for a letter last minute so you don’t seem unorganized and like you just realized that you need a DO LOR).

I wouldn't use the letter from DO #1 if she does finally send it in because I would question the quality of the letter given the circumstances. Your hubby's LOR from her might be ok, since she probably has started it already (because he asked for his first, right?).

I think DO #2 should be cool with writing you a letter and I don't think DO#1 will find out about it. Even if she does, she has no right to feel weird about it because she is the one who screwed up here, not you or your husband.

I have a good feeling about DO#2 😀 😉

Let me know how it goes!
 
prionsRbad said:
That sounds like a good plan. Give him some time to grade everything and see that you did well on the exam. Just be as honest as possible when explaining your situation to him. I would tell him that you were waiting on a LOR from a DO (don’t mention who) and that things have fallen through (you will need to explain this in order for him to understand why you are asking for a letter last minute so you don’t seem unorganized and like you just realized that you need a DO LOR).

I wouldn't use the letter from DO #1 if she does finally send it in because I would question the quality of the letter given the circumstances. Your hubby's LOR from her might be ok, since she probably has started it already (because he asked for his first, right?).

I think DO #2 should be cool with writing you a letter and I don't think DO#1 will find out about it. Even if she does, she has no right to feel weird about it because she is the one who screwed up here, not you or your husband.

I have a good feeling about DO#2 😀 😉

Let me know how it goes!
Click to expand...

I think that sounds like a good way to approach it. The funny thing is, I'm not actually sure he even knows that both of us are applying to med school. My husband actually already got a letter from DO #2 that he's already sent to Interfolio so he's not worried about the LOR from DO #1 anymore. So he will be complete soon and I'm getting really antsy. I will definitely let you know how it goes. Thanks for your help!! 😀
 
DO # 2 👍
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
DO # 1 👎

(After both you and your hubby get accepted somewhere, you should run over DO #1 with your car, LOL :laugh:)
 
desijigga said:
DO # 2 👍
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
DO # 1 👎

(After both you and your hubby get accepted somewhere, you should run over DO #1 with your car, LOL :laugh:)
Click to expand...

:laugh: Nice.
 
Woo hoo!! DO #2 just e-mailed me and I got a 96.2 on his midterm. I'm going to go ahead and e-mail him to ask about the LOR. It's probably going to take me a while to figure out how to word it just right. Wish me luck!!
 
I have been accepted at those four schools! I am waiting to hear from CCOM.
 
Physical anthropology is considered a bio science according to how they do the gpa, but does a letter from my physical anthropology prof count as a science letter? I ask b/c my school's pre med committee has the letter listed as a non science
 
It depends.... Some schools designate the science LOR as "hard science" only, other's just say science. I would say the schools that just say science, would count and would not for the "hard sciences". However, you can sometimes contact thes chools individually, and get a substitution. Try to explain that it is like a biology course.
 
So DO #2 e-mailed me back. I guess his response was good but not as enthusiastic as I had hoped. Here's what he said: "I don't mind writing a letter in the capacity of you being a student. I will not be able to state anything regarding clinical experience, etc. Also, I do not what your timeline is...please provide some info on this and method to submit a LOR."

My husband is convinced that he won't just write "she's a decent student" and leave it at that. I e-mailed him my CV and personal statement so hopefully he can go off that some too. I don't feel completely relieved. I understand that he hasn't actually seen me working in a clinical capacity for neither has DO #1. She's my supervisor for my practicum but all the clients I see are in the field and by myself. Technically she doesn't know my clinical experience firsthand either. My husband keeps saying to definitely go with DO #2 and he's sure he will find something to write where at least it's not a bad LOR. I hope so because he only graduated 6 or 7 years ago so he should be more familiar with how this whole thing works, plus I think he also interviews potential med students. And what timeline do I tell him? Could I please have it yesterday? I mean I know I need to give him some time but what do I say exactly? Any help would be so appreciated! This whole DO LOR requirement is really starting to drag me down. 🙁
 
Do you have anyone (i.e., nurse, etc?) who can verify clinical experience with patient contact? I think that is a big reason most of these places want a DO letter. But if you had this DO letter, along with another letter that showed clinical experience, it would probably be okay.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Do you have anyone (i.e., nurse, etc?) who can verify clinical experience with patient contact? I think that is a big reason most of these places want a DO letter. But if you had this DO letter, along with another letter that showed clinical experience, it would probably be okay.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I don't. I mean one of the doctors at the clinic is a fmg and was semi-co-supervisor for my practicum but she works closely with DO #1. When I volunteered at the hospital a few years ago I always worked with different nurses. That hospital shut down and I have no clue how to even get in touch with the volunteer coordinator. The last time I saw her was the day the news was officially given that the hospital was closing and she was crying because she had two jobs both with the hospital. I didn't think to get contact information at the time.
 
So as we all know already, most secondaries require a recommendation either from an MD or a DO. For this applications cycle, I'm only applying for CCOM and from what they said, it is not necessary that I shadow the doctor to receive a recommendation from him. So how else can we claim we know the doctor? Is is ok to receive a recommendation from a doctor you have known personally? I have known a radiologist for about two years now, and he knows me fairly well. Anyone here think CCOM will care that I am getting it from a radiologist i've known for a few years? Please throw your opinoins in, good or bad!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
can you submit your primaries before getting your letters of recommendation?
Replies
11
Views
2K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
T
  • Question Question
Advice needed: Should I send A Letter of Interest
Replies
5
Views
901
EEqualsRx2
EEqualsRx2
H
Question in regards to DO letter of rec
Replies
4
Views
1K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
J
DO Letters of rec plus committee letter
Replies
1
Views
1K
chilly_md
chilly_md
chilly_md
  • Sticky
*~*~Official AACOMAS Questions Thread 2025-2026~*~*
Replies
14
Views
3K
olofmeister
olofmeister
Top