Applying without a letter from physician

[SunsFun]

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Hey all,

I know this may have been answered previously but the search button hasn't helped me.

I am a resident of AZ and would like to stay here. I am thinking about applying to A.T. Still and Midwestern. My stats should make me pretty competitive there. However, there is a problem. I do not have Lor from physician and both schools require it. I do have a letter describing clinical experience but not from a physician. Does it mean I have no shot at these schools and shouldn't even bother submitting my application?

I shadowed a doctor for 2 half-days a couple of months ago but don't feel too comfortable asking for a letter. Any suggestions?

 

[hallowmann]

If they require the LORs, most likely they won't even look at your secondary until you submit them.

You've already gone through the effort of meeting and shadowing a physician. Go and get a letter from them.

If you really don't want to do that, go find another person to shadow (or a doc at your clinical experience) and ask them for an LOR. There is no reason to be shy about this. Virtually every MD/DO applicant has an LOR from a physician, so we've all had to do it at some point or another. Just suck it up and go ask for one.

 

[TopTomato]

Hey all,

I know this may have been answered previously but the search button hasn't helped me.

I am a resident of AZ and would like to stay here. I am thinking about applying to A.T. Still and Midwestern. My stats should make me pretty competitive there. However, there is a problem. I do not have Lor from physician and both schools require it. I do have a letter describing clinical experience but not from a physician. Does it mean I have no shot at these schools and shouldn't even bother submitting my application?

I shadowed a doctor for 2 half-days a couple of months ago but don't feel too comfortable asking for a letter. Any suggestions?

I think this question would be best answered if you called them. Who knows maybe some schools will see that you have had some experience with osteopathic medicine and that might be enough for them. But honestly only they can tell you that. Call them tomorrow and find out.

 

[Nissan GTR]

How did you get LoRs from your professors? Just do the same thing for the physicians.

 

[Aerosky]

How did you get LoRs from your professors? Just do the same thing for the physicians.

Somewhat hijacking the post and I have a similar problem. I need a letter from a DO and I have one LOR from a professor that is decent and one that is pretty mediocre. Both were from a junior college though since they knew me well enough. Should I wait until next cycle to apply and get letters from my 4 year or do I still have time to do it? My stats are competitive as well.

 

[hallowmann]

Somewhat hijacking the post and I have a similar problem. I need a letter from a DO and I have one LOR from a professor that is decent and one that is pretty mediocre. Both were from a junior college though since they knew me well enough. Should I wait until next cycle to apply and get letters from my 4 year or do I still have time to do it? My stats are competitive as well.

Call around and ask. Find DOs to shadow, shadow them, and ask for an LOR. If you are competitive, as long as you have the LOR by August (or even September) you should be fine.

As far as Jr college vs university LORs, I can't imagine it would matter much. The real issue is that the LORs don't sound strong. I would see if you could find stronger ones. Personally, I wouldn't let mediocre LORs affect whether or not I apply, but its up to you.

 

[SunsFun]

Thanks for all your responses guys. I guess the only question that I have is whether I should seek a Lor from MD who knows me fairly well or DO who barely knows me if school prefers DO over MD.

 

[Goro]

If LOR is required, then yes, you won't get yoru app reviewed until it's complete.

I recommend just contacting the clinican you shadowed and asking "DR X, would be able to write an LOR for me?" or "Dr X, do you think you know me well enough to write a LOR for me, about my shadowing with you?"

Simple as that.

But best to find some more docs to shadow, just in case this doesn't work out.

It would be sad to have to blow off some schools because you didn't gett he required LOR. It makes me feel that I'm losing a protential good student.

Hey all,

I know this may have been answered previously but the search button hasn't helped me.

I am a resident of AZ and would like to stay here. I am thinking about applying to A.T. Still and Midwestern. My stats should make me pretty competitive there. However, there is a problem. I do not have Lor from physician and both schools require it. I do have a letter describing clinical experience but not from a physician. Does it mean I have no shot at these schools and shouldn't even bother submitting my application?

I shadowed a doctor for 2 half-days a couple of months ago but don't feel too comfortable asking for a letter. Any suggestions?

 

[hallowmann]

Thanks for all your responses guys. I guess the only question that I have is whether I should seek a Lor from MD who knows me fairly well or DO who barely knows me if school prefers DO over MD.

I'd get both, just so you have your bases covered for the schools that require a DO LOR. Since you have a connection with both docs, you might as well get the letters from them, and then pick and choose which you'll send to which school.