• The 2026-2027 DO School Specific Threads are now available in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 discussions are now available in the prior year discussions forum.
  • Bring your 2026 application questions to our open office hours with Emil Chuck, PhD, Director of Advising Services for HPSA, and get them answered live. Personal statements, secondaries, interview prep, school list strategy: all fair game. Sunday, May 17 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Am I too late?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

runindownadream

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hi, I'm applying to both MD and DO schools, but my committee letter writer decided to take a long time in writing my DO letter. Also I have had some experience with DO's but never in a formal shadowing experience, but I will be shadowing one in this coming week. Also I'll be sending in my secondary this coming week, and hopefully I'll get a letter of recommendation from a DO on the next couple of weeks. I'm terribly nervous that I'm too late and that I've ruined my chances. Is anyone else not finished yet? Am I too late in the cycle?
 
You're totally fine. Some people don't start the process until now! Go for it.

I never shadowed a DO either, but had one as a personal physician. So far that hasn't been a deterrant for schools.
 
You're totally fine. Some people don't start the process until now! Go for it.

I never shadowed a DO either, but had one as a personal physician. So far that hasn't been a deterrant for schools.
You are not too late. Go for it!

Thank you. I am just going to do the secondary and ask my letter writer to send in what he's got ( I think he was waiting for a letter from a DO). I will hopefully just be able to emphasize that I am interested in my secondary essays. Just a side note, do any schools require a letter from a DO in order to get in? Do they simply strongly recommend it?
 
For some it's a requirement, others preferred, others don't care. Each secondary should tell you what you want, and I think there's a thread somewhere on here that lists all the schools requiring DO letters. I just sent a DO letter and an MD letter to all the DO schools!