Advice on Improvements for Reapp

[SunMouse]

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[Faha]

Your clinical volunteering and shadowing hours are adequate. I am surprised you have not received any DO interviews. If you do not receive a DO acceptance by May post here again and I can suggest schools you can apply to in June.

 

[SunMouse]

Your clinical volunteering and shadowing hours are adequate. I am surprised you have not received any DO interviews. If you do not receive a DO acceptance by May post here again and I can suggest schools you can apply to in June.

Thank you very much for your advice, I will do so!

I was guessing that I haven’t received any DO interviews in part because I don’t have any DO shadowing, and I applied pretty late for a cycle with such an increased number of applications.

 

[Osteosaur]

I got in with about that much shadowing, to be fair. Did you call your state schools and see if they are willing to give feedback? I would expect something unless its just COVID and lateness.

Did you apply with a DO letter?

it is strange you received no interviews...

Apply earlier and to more schools

For MD:
Georgetown
George Washington, Albany
Drexel
Tulane
Temple

For DO you should add Touro Harlem, Rocky Vista, Burral or whatever, AZCOM

 

[SunMouse]

@Osteosaur thank you kindly for the advice! I don’t believe my state schools give feedback, but I will ask after the cycle is over.

No, I didn’t have a DO letter which is likely not helping along with no DO shadowing. Not to go into specifics here, but I suppose my Why DO essay may have been an issue as well.

I definitely should have applied earlier and to more schools, ended up burning out on secondaries. At least that’s easily fixed for next time.

 

[Osteosaur]

Did you watch any youtube videos on OMM? Its really very hard to articulate 'why DO' to be honest because the answer is 'I couldn't get into MD'. I read that horrible "THE DOS" book to try and get an idea. It was useless. Your best bet is maybe watching some videos and discussing it more in the context of, "another tool to treat pain", or something. 'Holistic' is meaningless because MD programs push the 'know your patients' stuff too.

Maybe use a connection where you're clinically volunteering to find a DO? I know it can be very hard. I know some schools really don't care about the letter.

For secondaries try to write just two big essays on 'challenge'/'diversity' because most schools have them.

 

[SunMouse]

I did watch some virtual OMM demonstrations through one of the DO school expo webinars, read (way too much) about the history/principles and I tried to relate that to my personal experiences. Not going to lie, it felt pretty artificial though haha.

I will certainly pull out all the stops in finding a DO to shadow when COVID makes that possible again, it’s tricky since there aren’t many around here. But where there’s a will there’s a way...

Thank you again, I really appreciate your taking the time to respond and the detailed suggestions!

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

The magic words for many DO schools are "primary care", "rural medicine" and "underserved populations" depending on their mission statement. Lip service to OMM & holistic health. Some schools take OMM more/less seriously than others. According to the big shot DO I shadowed, the only significant remaining difference between DOs and MDs now is DOs train PCPs first and foremost, then you're welcome to specialize. Whereas many MDs are gunning for a competitive speciality, whether they say it or not.

Just an anecdote but my apps written after this DO shadowing experience and discussion got more attention than apps written prior.

 

[SunMouse]

Thank you for the perspective! That’s a good point, and my essays did focus on primary care/missions of each school.

I’ve assumed that minimal volunteering and applying late were my weaknesses, rather than essays, but of course I don’t know. Could be all of the above.