Do I need a DO letter based on my situation?

[pre med 2014]

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So I was wondering if it is necessary for me to shadow a DO at this point? I got all my boxes checked for volunteer/ shadowing. I do not think that there is anything more I can get out of shadowing another MD doctor. I am applying to MD/DO schools next summer, and I feel like shadowing another doctor now would only reduce the amount of time I spend studying for the MCAT.

So what do ya'll say? Is it really necessary for them to see that you know what DO is? Or do you basically just need to know 50% of DOs go into family medicine (correct me if I'm wrong here).

 

[MedPR]

So I was wondering if it is necessary for me to shadow a DO at this point? I got all my boxes checked for volunteer/ shadowing. I do not think that there is anything more I can get out of shadowing another MD doctor. I am applying to MD/DO schools next summer, and I feel like shadowing another doctor now would only reduce the amount of time I spend studying for the MCAT.

So what do ya'll say? Is it really necessary for them to see that you know what DO is? Or do you basically just need to know 50% of DOs go into family medicine (correct me if I'm wrong here).

Wrong. 80% of DOs go into family medicine. 15% go into IM/Peds. 5% don't match at all and end up homeless because of their student loans.

 

[pre med 2014]

Wrong. 80% of DOs go into family medicine. 15% go into IM/Peds. 5% don't match at all and end up homeless because of their student loans.

I thought the statistics were 50%, where did you find the data for the homelessness rate?

 

[Ost3oclast]

I thought the statistics were 50%, where did you find the data for the homelessness rate?

Hahaha oh lord.....he's messin with you bro.

 

[DrMeows]

I thought the statistics were 50%, where did you find the data for the homelessness rate?

1. He's kidding about being homeless...

2. It depends on what DO schools you are applying to. Many REQUIRE a DO letter (if not, prefer it, but MD letters are accepted).

3. Some DO schools care, probably not all of them depending on your stats, that you are interested in DO. If you haven't even shadowed a DO it looks pretty crappy - there is evidence of this happening (recent examples on this forum if u wanna search).

If u actually are interested in DO...shadow a DO. It's not going to take days and days out of your schedule and actually affect your MCAT score. As a pre-med you should know how to juggle things anyways. Hope that helps!

 

[phikapdoctor]

I thought the statistics were 50%, where did you find the data for the homelessness rate?

You can match specialty you just have to jump through some more hoops.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile app please excuse punctuation and spelling

 

[pre med 2014]

You can match specialty you just have to jump through some more hoops.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile app please excuse punctuation and spelling

I didnt say you can't match specialty, I said 50% match FM, implying that the other 50% match specialty. However, if you factor in the above poster, 45% match specialty, leaving 5% to account those who go on to become homeless.

 

[pre med 2014]

1. He's kidding about being homeless...

2. It depends on what DO schools you are applying to. Many REQUIRE a DO letter (if not, prefer it, but MD letters are accepted).

3. Some DO schools care, probably not all of them depending on your stats, that you are interested in DO. If you haven't even shadowed a DO it looks pretty crappy - there is evidence of this happening (recent examples on this forum if u wanna search).

If u actually are interested in DO...shadow a DO. It's not going to take days and days out of your schedule and actually affect your MCAT score. As a pre-med you should know how to juggle things anyways. Hope that helps!

hmmm, this makes me nervous.

 

[dsoz]

hmmm, this makes me nervous.

But it is true. I applied to several DO schools this cycle, and a few of them REQUIRED a DO letter. Many stated that a DO letter was preferred (read REQUIRED).

If you want to apply DO, then you need to know what you are getting into. Try to find a DO that actually does manipulations. There are many in sports medicine or PM&R that will do the OMM side. There are also many PCPs that will do OMM.

Ask them to explain the manipulations that they do, and why they are doing it. That will show interest in OMM. That is something that DO schools like to see.

I started cold calling DOs in my area, asking for the office manager or something like that. I explained I was going to apply to DO schools next year, and I would like to shadow a DO in hopes of getting a letter for the schools to which I was applying. I did not get a lot of hits out of this method. I was lucky that there was a pre-med program put on by the Osteopathic professional association in my state. I met two great physicians through the program that allowed me to shadow. One of them gave me a letter after two days of shadowing (he was so busy that he didn't have time for more).

Good luck, but just do it.

dsoz

 

[DrMeows]

But it is true. I applied to several DO schools this cycle, and a few of them REQUIRED a DO letter. Many stated that a DO letter was preferred (read REQUIRED).

If you want to apply DO, then you need to know what you are getting into. Try to find a DO that actually does manipulations. There are many in sports medicine or PM&R that will do the OMM side. There are also many PCPs that will do OMM.

Ask them to explain the manipulations that they do, and why they are doing it. That will show interest in OMM. That is something that DO schools like to see.

I started cold calling DOs in my area, asking for the office manager or something like that. I explained I was going to apply to DO schools next year, and I would like to shadow a DO in hopes of getting a letter for the schools to which I was applying. I did not get a lot of hits out of this method. I was lucky that there was a pre-med program put on by the Osteopathic professional association in my state. I met two great physicians through the program that allowed me to shadow. One of them gave me a letter after two days of shadowing (he was so busy that he didn't have time for more).

Good luck, but just do it.

dsoz

+1 - this is a great post. I shadowed a sport med/fam med doc who did OMM and it was awesome. Plus it gave me a great experience to talk about in my secondaries and interviews thus far. He taught at a DO school too and I saw hands on experience with students, which was an added plus.

Didn't mean to make you nervous, but that's the way it is. If you haven't even researched your schools, you shouldn't be applying to them. Look into them and see what letters they require. 8 out of the 9 DO schools I applied to either "require" or "strongly recommend" a DO letter. I have 2 so I sent each of them both of the letters. Can't hurt 🙄

If you have zero DO shadowing experience - this is a negative on your application. You don't want this because it's honestly just SO easy to fix. I shadowed a doctor for about 4 or 5 days and got a letter easily. Doctors get that you're interested in what they're doing, but they understand that you need letters to get to the next step because that's what they had to do. If you're not interested in putting the little bit of extra work in for the DO apps, then just stick with your MD Apps. I know you probably don't know a lot about DO and think about it as a "last minute back up to MD schools" (forgive me if I'm speculating - this is what I'm interpreting by your post, and it is really common with applicants) - but it's a process in its own and you need to read up on the schools.

...sorry for the rant lol

 

[coolingglasses]

Dude. Just get one.

 

[ValentineLissar]

Actually, I think the "DO letter preferred" doesn't mean "DO letter only." I applied to a couple of schools that preferred DO letters while using an MD letter of recommendation, and I still got interview invitations. I think the bottom line is you can use whatever letter you want at those schools as long as your GPA and MCAT are competitive and that the letter highlights your best qualities.

Of course, you still have to demonstrate that you want to be a DO. That question will either come up in a secondary essay OR your interview at the school. Either way, you need to have a good answer.

 

[DrMeows]

Actually, I think the "DO letter preferred" doesn't mean "DO letter only." I applied to a couple of schools that preferred DO letters while using an MD letter of recommendation, and I still got interview invitations. I think the bottom line is you can use whatever letter you want at those schools as long as your GPA and MCAT are competitive and that the letter highlights your best qualities.

Of course, you still have to demonstrate that you want to be a DO. That question will either come up in a secondary essay OR your interview at the school. Either way, you need to have a good answer.

I agree - I do not think it means DO letter only (idk if u were responding to me or dsoz). But in my opinion, if this person isn't applying until next year, theres no excuse not go get one with that much time. If they're not getting a letter, AT LEAST shadow a DO for a day. I've known people rejected post-interview for not having knowledge of DOs/evidence of interest in the field. Just telling u to have all ur bases covered 😀

 

[Mbeas]

shadow a DO that does OMM. if you work in a hospital or something, go find one and talk to them.

typically, you'll get a cool one and they will give you a letter after a day or two. fortunately, for me, the operating room I worked in had one DO on staff and happened to be the surgeon I worked with the most. needless to say, getting a letter (a really awesome one, too) was a piece of cake.

 

[Loudster]

Just get one. I don't even know why this is really even a question. 😕

It's not hard, just takes a couple phone calls and a bit of your time to actually spend with them. Look at your application from the perspective of a DO adcom. Do you think they'd be that impressed by an applicant who seemingly has next to no experience with the specific "brand" of medicine they're applying for? Try not to let your application look like you're only applying DO as a backup option if MD doesn't work out (even if that is why you're applying DO). Again, from the perspective of the adcoms: Would you rather accept a student who is excited about Osteopathic medicine or the one that seemingly can't be bothered to spend even a day or two with a DO... 😉

But yeah, if your question is "Can people get accepted without a DO letter?" then yeah, of course you can at some schools, but you're not doing your application any favors by omitting it.

 

[Goro]

It will definitely help you in your application to DO schools.

It MAY hurt you if you live in an area where there are a lot of DOs, or near a DO school. We have wait-listed otherwise qualified candidates in this situation.

Essentially, would you buy a new car without driving it? How about a new suit without trying it on? Why enter the osteopathic field if you don't see what the differences are between DOs and MDs. There are differences, you know.

So I was wondering if it is necessary for me to shadow a DO at this point? I got all my boxes checked for volunteer/ shadowing. I do not think that there is anything more I can get out of shadowing another MD doctor. I am applying to MD/DO schools next summer, and I feel like shadowing another doctor now would only reduce the amount of time I spend studying for the MCAT.

So what do ya'll say? Is it really necessary for them to see that you know what DO is? Or do you basically just need to know 50% of DOs go into family medicine (correct me if I'm wrong here).

 

[BabyDoc86]

I do not have a DO letter. Shadowed multiple MDs, had two really strong MD letters, shadowed one DO (4 hrs, grand total) after my secondaries were in. So far, three acceptances to DO schools. Shadowing a DO can't hurt, but I'd say not to worry.