Best way to get a DO letter of rec

[monsonss]

I'm having trouble finding someone willing to write me a letter of rec. Granted, it is pretty awkward. I've tried calling the AOA to see if they could connect me with someone in my area who would be willing to write a letter after a conversation about my desire to go into osteopathic medicine, but I keep getting left on answering machines with no response. Basically I have a few very disparate relationships with a handful of DOs but none of them enough to where I feel comfortable asking them for a letter. It is possible that I'm just being anxious and finicky about it. I've heard of people asking after shadowing or meeting just once but it seems kind of rude or at the very least, unprofessional. What do you all think?

I am having coffee with a DO in two weeks to talk about the school he went to, which is one I'm very interested in, and his life as a physician in general. He seems like a very nice, gracious guy. Would it be too abrupt to ask him for a letter of rec at the end of the meeting?

I shadowed a DO for ten or twelve hours a year ago while living in another state. Would it be weird to ask him via email for a letter of rec at this point, as I haven't spoken to him in over a year? I don't get the sense he would write a great letter, but something is better than nothing.

There was another DO, a pain doc, who I shadowed once last summer. She liked me and thought I was funny but she seemed very no-nonsense and of the opinion that premeds were generally annoying AF (which we are, I guess). Should I ask her?

I should note that I'll have a letter from my boss, who is an academic MD, in my premed committee packet letter, but I just want the DO as well to cover all my bases.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[EmilKraepelin55]

I shadowed a DO pathologist last year, and when I asked him I told him straight up that I am looking for an LOR as well as some experience in pathology because of my interests. He was pretty receptive, and wrote me a good one for this last cycle after shadowing him a total of about 10 hours over the course of a work week. Don’t be afraid to be up front. They have been through the process, and understand the hoops you have to jump through. Show them you care about the profession and are passionate during the shadow, and you should be good. Every doctor is different, and this one just so happened to have a pretty laid back work schedule so he could easily fit me in.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Best person to ask is someone you've shadowed. See if you can set up a shadowing stint for like 10-12 hours and then ask that physician.

If not, the doctor you're having coffee with should be good enough. Especially if you already have a good letter from a physician, the DO letter is more to check a box. Just make sure they don't write a bad letter, and you should be fine.