Answering "Why DO" without any shadowing?

[JustDoMed]

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This or some variation of the questions seems like a repeating secondary question that I'm having trouble answering.
I've been reading up on the principles/Fundamentals of osteopathic medicine as well as the history of Dr. Stills
to answer this, but I have no shadowing experience with a DO to use as an anecdote.

I've tried asking the few in my area, but I've been rejected by two (Due to company policies?) and the third I don't think is practicing here anymore. I would have to fly out to shadow a DO, which isn't really in my budget right now especially with the future costs of traveling for interviews (I hope).

Anyway,
Tldr, Does anyone have any advice on how to tackle the big "Why DO" question without having actual shadowing experience?

Also knowing that shadowing hole in my app, will that hinder my chances at making it at a DO school?

 

[sunshinefl]

I had shadowing hours with MDs only. But I was a nurse so I had hospital/work experience with DOs, just not from dedicated shadowing. So I focused on that. Even if you don’t have shadowing with DOs, were you around DOs during any volunteering or paid experience?

 

[JustDoMed]

@sunshinefl
Not that I'm aware of. when I volunteered in the ER, I was in and out may different departments depending on where I needed to transfer my trauma patients. I never really paid much attention to the physician's title, which goes with my whole "I just want to help people" which is why I was very open to DO. but I'm sure that answer won't come off too well to adcoms?

 

[Magus5454]

This or some variation of the questions seems like a repeating secondary question that I'm having trouble answering.
I've been reading up on the principles/Fundamentals of osteopathic medicine as well as the history of Dr. Stills
to answer this, but I have no shadowing experience with a DO to use as an anecdote.

I've tried asking the few in my area, but I've been rejected by two (Due to company policies?) and the third I don't think is practicing here anymore. I would have to fly out to shadow a DO, which isn't really in my budget right now especially with the future costs of traveling for interviews (I hope).

Anyway,
Tldr, Does anyone have any advice on how to tackle the big "Why DO" question without having actual shadowing experience?

Also knowing that shadowing hole in my app, will that hinder my chances at making it at a DO school?

No, what may hinder is that schools often require a physician letter, and some strictly require a DO letter

 

[sunshinefl]

@sunshinefl
Not that I'm aware of. when I volunteered in the ER, I was in and out may different departments depending on where I needed to transfer my trauma patients. I never really paid much attention to the physician's title, which goes with my whole "I just want to help people" which is why I was very open to DO. but I'm sure that answer won't come off too well to adcoms?

So in my primary, secondaries, and interviews, when asked “why DO”? I would answer that as in why a physician. I didn’t answer it as though there were an unspoken “vs MD” unless specifically asked. Sometimes this prompted them to ask a follow-question about DO specifically, sometimes not. But anyway I didn’t have a DO letter but I did have an MD letter. Whether all of this helped or hurt there is no way to know for sure. I did interview at and get accepted to 3 out of 8 DO I applied to, withdrew from 4 as soon as I got the first acceptance to one I would pick over any of those, and let one more ride out the cycle but was complete after they had “filled” their interview slots.

 

[JustDoMed]

No, what may hinder is that schools often require a physician letter, and some strictly require a DO letter

I have an MD letter and have avoided schools that require a DO letter, thanks though!

So in my primary, secondaries, and interviews, when asked “why DO”? I would answer that as in why a physician. I didn’t answer it as though there were an unspoken “vs MD” unless specifically asked. Sometimes this prompted them to ask a follow-question about DO specifically, sometimes not. But anyway I didn’t have a DO letter but I did have an MD letter. Whether all of this helped or hurt there is no way to know for sure. I did interview at and get accepted to 3 out of 8 DO I applied to, withdrew from 4 as soon as I got the first acceptance to one I would pick over any of those, and let one more ride out the cycle but was complete after they had “filled” their interview slots.

Very interesting! That was my plan of action with these types of questions.
Curious though, did anyone ever probe you further into specifics of DO? From there how did you elaborate?

Also late, but congratulations on your success!

 

[sunshinefl]

I have an MD letter and have avoided schools that require a DO letter, thanks though!




Very interesting! That was my plan of action with these types of questions.
Curious though, did anyone ever probe you further into specifics of DO? From there how did you elaborate?

Also late, but congratulations on your success!

Yes sometimes followed by probes. This is where you have to draw from your experience. I talked about how it was a natural transition from my nursing background, which is focused on patient-centered care and holistic factors of health.

And thanks lol but I’m currently in the throes of M2, so you’re really late. I was just trying to illustrate that for me that approach worked but YMMV of course.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Its interviewer specific on the importance of shadowing a DO or DO LORs. One thing to be acutely aware of, you may have an MD interviewer, so dont say something like"DOs look at the whole patient and MDs just treat the disease,etc..." You have just insulted the MD interviewer! I have seen this more than once. Good luck and best wishes.

 

[JustDoMed]

Its interviewer specific on the importance of shadowing a DO or DO LORs. One thing to be acutely aware of, you may have an MD interviewer, so dont say something like"DOs look at the whole patient and MDs just treat the disease,etc..." You have just insulted the MD interviewer! I have seen this more than once. Good luck and best wishes.

Oh yes I'm quite aware! (I've read some older threads on this)
This is why I find it a bit difficult when making the distinguish if asked Why specifically DO?

Though I'm guilty of having that generic response riddled all over my secondaries lol.

 

[sunshinefl]

Oh yes I'm quite aware! (I've read some older threads on this)
This is why I find it a bit difficult when making the distinguish if asked Why specifically DO?

Though I'm guilty of having that generic response riddled all over my secondaries lol.

Be positive about the DO aspect without mentioning MDs. Like in the example above, stop at “DOs focus on the whole patient”.

So if asked why DO, this is the progression I followed:

Step1—talk about why you want to be a physician period.

If then probed about DO specifically,
Step 2—focus on positives about DO without contrasting against MD, PA, NP.

If then probed specifically about why not ______ (MD/PA/NP)
Step 3—explain the part of your journey that leads you to DO vs ____ as appropriate. Still don’t disparage other professions.

 

[JustDoMed]

Be positive about the DO aspect without mentioning MDs. Like in the example above, stop at “DOs focus on the whole patient”.

So if asked why DO, this is the progression I followed:

Step1—talk about why you want to be a physician period.

If then probed about DO specifically,
Step 2—focus on positives about DO without contrasting against MD, PA, NP.

If then probed specifically about why not ______ (MD/PA/NP)
Step 3—explain the part of your journey that leads you to DO vs ____ as appropriate. Still don’t disparage other professions.

Much appreciation for the step by step breakdown! haha.
although I'm not completely sure how to talk about the 3rd step without disparaging the other 2 occupations, particularly the MD side.

I strayed from nursing as I wanted more leadership and independence during practice.
(Was also thinking about medical missions in underdeveloped areas both in america and abroad, but I'm aware of the limited practice DOs have in other countries).

Also we have quite a bit of nurses where I'm from, but not so much Docs, which lead me to MD/DO.

I was also thinking about going into my childhood experience about giving my parents massages when they came home after taking in more hours at their job (low income family) and how that seemed to help alleviate their pain better than over-the-counter medications. I was thinking about using that in conjunction with OMM as a reason for DO, but I'm not sure if that would come off superficial or raise some brows?

 

[sunshinefl]

Much appreciation for the step by step breakdown! haha.
although I'm not completely sure how to talk about the 3rd step without disparaging the other 2 occupations, particularly the MD side.

I strayed from nursing as I wanted more leadership and independence during practice.
(Was also thinking about medical missions in underdeveloped areas both in america and abroad, but I'm aware of the limited practice DOs have in other countries).

Also we have quite a bit of nurses where I'm from, but not so much Docs, which lead me to MD/DO.

I was also thinking about going into my childhood experience about giving my parents massages when they came home after taking in more hours at their job (low income family) and how that seemed to help alleviate their pain better than over-the-counter medications. I was thinking about using that in conjunction with OMM as a reason for DO, but I'm not sure if that would come off superficial or raise some brows?

If you focus on realizing you could use your hands to provide immediate relief/better relief then NSAIDs/etc rather than sounding like you’re simplifying OMT down to massage/massage therapy, I think that’s a great reply.