AOA shadowing wait time

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I honestly would not have waited three weeks but I say go ahead and try to contact them again. When I was looking for a DO to shadow, I contacted over 20 doctors in two days-many of whom I had to leave messages on voicemail or with nurses. Then, I waited about 2 days to check back. I just kept checking until I got an answer. Don't be afraid to be persistant. The worst they will tell you is "no"
 
Hahaha I e-mailed that link about six weeks ago without reply. I've also been calling DOs on my own without any luck :(
 
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There are a few schools that require specifically DO shadowing. But with HIPAA rules the way they are, the busy practices that require more patients per hour due to low insurance reimbursements, personally I think DO specific shadowing is crap and should be done away with. Unfortunately, I don't make the rules.

I would seriously look into each school you are applying to and call them to see if they require specifically DO shadowing. Many do not. Most want to see some kind of medical exposure. I would make some phone calls to each school and ask some specific questions, then look at your options. You may do just as well volunteering in an ER or a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Run a race to raise money for a local free clinic. Offer to solicit donations of medical supplies for a free clinic (heck, if every doc gave one box of gloves or one box of syringes, that's a big deal). There are options out there.

If your quest is for a DO letter, call every single DO in the phone book and leave a detailed message that says something like "I'm applying to osteopathic schools and they require a LOR from a DO. I would love to come shadow you if possible or just meet and discuss osteopathic medical education. Please call me back if you can help me with the requirements of getting into a DO school." Document every single phone call and response. If EVERY DO turns you down, you should then go to the AOA and the schools you applied to and offer them the documentation of your attempts. If ANY DO offers you his/her time, TAKE IT. Take ALL offers. Bring a CV to any meeting offered and leave it with the doc so they have something to put in your letter.

Every DO knows there are still schools that require a DO letter. To refuse to help a budding student (or worse, an applicant) is a disgrace.
 
I also emailed the AOA. My first response from them said that after I emailed all of the requied information I should receive an email from someone by 10 days. If not email the AOA again and they will expand the search. The womans name from AOA is Verna. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the input.

There are a few schools that require specifically DO shadowing. But with HIPAA rules the way they are, the busy practices that require more patients per hour due to low insurance reimbursements, personally I think DO specific shadowing is crap and should be done away with. Unfortunately, I don't make the rules.

I would seriously look into each school you are applying to and call them to see if they require specifically DO shadowing. Many do not. Most want to see some kind of medical exposure. I would make some phone calls to each school and ask some specific questions, then look at your options. You may do just as well volunteering in an ER or a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Run a race to raise money for a local free clinic. Offer to solicit donations of medical supplies for a free clinic (heck, if every doc gave one box of gloves or one box of syringes, that's a big deal). There are options out there.

If your quest is for a DO letter, call every single DO in the phone book and leave a detailed message that says something like "I'm applying to osteopathic schools and they require a LOR from a DO. I would love to come shadow you if possible or just meet and discuss osteopathic medical education. Please call me back if you can help me with the requirements of getting into a DO school." Document every single phone call and response. If EVERY DO turns you down, you should then go to the AOA and the schools you applied to and offer them the documentation of your attempts. If ANY DO offers you his/her time, TAKE IT. Take ALL offers. Bring a CV to any meeting offered and leave it with the doc so they have something to put in your letter.

Every DO knows there are still schools that require a DO letter. To refuse to help a budding student (or worse, an applicant) is a disgrace.

You are right on the money, I've got clinical experience, just not shadowing specifically or a LOR from a doc.
It's ok to ask for a letter without shadowing? I will take your advice, I was just under the impression that LOR came post shadowing, and if you don't shadow, you don't get a letter.
 
There are docs who will give you a letter after a meeting without actually shadowing. How about a LOR from your supervisor? I had two from my paramedic supervisors that were well received - one was from the EMS clinical affairs supervisor at the hospital. I think only one school had a problem with my LORs and was insistent on a DO letter, so I decided that school wasn't worth applying to (that was 3 years ago, and I just can't remember which school it was, sorry).

Call the schools and ask some specific questions. Give them your alternatives, don't just say "gee, I don't got one, is it a problem?" Say "Well, I don't have one by a DO, but I have one from my clinical supervisor who I've worked with for over x number of years". Show them your letter is a better deal. And then still call every DO in the phone book just to try and jump through the idiot hoop.
 
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