DO Letter and NOVA question

[LilyMD]

Okay so I'm applying to Nova and they want a LOR from a DO, but the thing is I don't know any DO's personally. It seems weird to call up a DO that I have no assocition with and ask if I can meet with them to discuss writing a recommendation letter. Was anyone else in similar position? If so, what did you do? I know that people shadow the DO and then the DO will write a LOR? But I very soon I will really have my hands fulls between school, volunteering and part-time work, so I'm not sure that I can shadow a DO for any significant period of time. My thing is that I want to be a doctor and I don't particularly care if I am MD or DO, but I'm not like some people who are really, really want to go down the DO route exclusively for philosophical reasons.

I'm not really sure what to do here...does anyone know of any DO's in the South Florida area who might be willing to help out a perfect stranger?

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[shttthttle]

I didn't know any DO's where I went to school when I was applying. I called some random DO's that worked for the hospital in my town and ask if I could talk to them about osteopathic medicine. We talked for about 15 minutes and then I asked them if they would allow me to shadow them for a couple hours each day for two weeks. Most said yes. Then I took two weeks off before school and just shadowed DO's...and at the end of that experience I would ask for a letter of reccomendation. It sounds sort of scary, but if you are considering osteopathic medical school its something you really should do...although some schools will accept a letter from an MD.

 

[LilyMD]

Also, I've heard that some DO schools will allow you substitute an MD letter for a DO letter. Does anyone know if Nova allows this substitution? Thanks in advance.

 

[MJB]

Here's my suggestion.

Go to aetna.com and go to DocFind...do a search for PCP's in your area, then look for any DO's at all. Make a list, and call until you find one you can shadow with, telling them that you're applying to medical school and you are interested in Osteopathic Med and would like to spend some time shadowing with a DO to learn more about it...

Go from there.

 

[CuttinEmUp]

Okay so I'm applying to Nova and they want a LOR from a DO, but the thing is I don't know any DO's personally. It seems weird to call up a DO that I have no assocition with and ask if I can meet with them to discuss writing a recommendation letter. Was anyone else in similar position? If so, what did you do? I know that people shadow the DO and then the DO will write a LOR? But I very soon I will really have my hands fulls between school, volunteering and part-time work, so I'm not sure that I can shadow a DO for any significant period of time. My thing is that I want to be a doctor and I don't particularly care if I am MD or DO, but I'm not like some people who are really, really want to go down the DO route exclusively for philosophical reasons.

I'm not really sure what to do here...does anyone know of any DO's in the South Florida area who might be willing to help out a perfect stranger?

Honestly, a lot of people misunderstand the reason of getting a letter from a DO. Its not that the letter has some magical powers, but it shows that you have a reasonable degree of understanding of the osteopathic approach. Many of the DO secondaries I have received come with "Evaluation Forms" which can be filled out by any DO after a 10 minute question and answer session with them. I happened to have worked with a DO for about 2 years when I was a medical assistant, so I am fortunate that I have a strong DO letter of rec.

In addition, if you express interest and tell a DO that you are an aspiring osteopathic physician currently in the application process and that process requires some getting to know or "shadow" a DO, MOST (not all) will be absolutely delighted to help out....part of the osteopathic oath includes furthering the osteopathic principles, and this includes helping qualified students get into DO school.

Dont fret too much about it. Call the schools your interested in and tell them your predicament if you absolutely have no contacts and no DO is willing to help out (I highly doubt this is the case so be careful before you do that!)

Dont be shy or embarassed!! You have to be assertive and take initiative, because that is a quality that will be essential as you progress through medical school.

Good luck!!

 

[MikeyLu2010]

No you cant subsitute a MD letter for the DO requirement...lol

 

[LilyMD]

I mean, I understand why they would like the letter from a DO, but it a bit ironic that many DOs and DO schools will forever chant the mantra that DO's are exactly the same as MD's except with different initials after the name, but all the while holding onto this intellectual construct of DO's being more "whole body" approach. To me, it's ridiculous. I want to be a doctor, period...whether that means DO or MD is up to this application process. I suppose that there are select group people who want to go to DO school only and would rather sit out the process than go to an MD school. Yes, I know that there are many people who only apply to DO schools, but I think that might be a self-selective process based on knowing their application for whatever reason has a better chance at DO schools. But mostly, I think that what determines whether someone is a DO or MD is how the numbers/stats pan out and how those acceptance/rejection letters roll in.

 

[vt hokie]

I went through the phone book and called DOs. Several did not allow students to shadow them or only accepted students in their 3rd year of med school, but many of them were willing to talk with me about osteopathy and even offered to write a letter without me shadowing them. I eventually found one to shadow, and it was only for two days. So even if you are busy, you should be able to swing a few hours. Before I shadowed the D.O. I didn't care if I was a DO or MD, but now I am not even considering applying to MD schools. You will definitely get a better understanding of what osteopathic medicine is and how it differs from allopathic medicine, which is very important for the interviews. I think the experience is well worth the time and inconvenience of fitting it into your schedule.

 

[LilyMD]

I went through the phone book and called DOs. Several did not allow students to shadow them or only accepted students in their 3rd year of med school, but many of them were willing to talk with me about osteopathy and even offered to write a letter without me shadowing them. I eventually found one to shadow, and it was only for two days. So even if you are busy, you should be able to swing a few hours. Before I shadowed the D.O. I didn't care if I was a DO or MD, but now I am not even considering applying to MD schools. You will definitely get a better understanding of what osteopathic medicine is and how it differs from allopathic medicine, which is very important for the interviews. I think the experience is well worth the time and inconvenience of fitting it into your schedule.

Thanks for the responses. It seems like from most of the responses that actually most doctors don't really want you to shadow them for an extended period of time and I can definately find the time to shadow for a day or two...more importantly, it seems that many people found it highly instructive. So thanks for your reply about your experience without a condescending tone.

I just find it annoying that somone would scoff of the idea of substituting an MD letter for a DO letter, as if that would be so ridiculous. I can't imagine an MD school invalidating/discounting a shadowing/health care experience simply because it involved DO's and not MD's. So anyway what i'm trying to say is

 

[MikeyLu2010]

i only think its funny..because when DO schools REQUIRE a DO letter...thats exactly what they want...not an MD letter...anyone can get that....but the DO letter..a lost artifact...the treasure at the end of a maze...etc etc. But i agree with you.. MD DO letters should be equivalent

 

[rack]

but DOs know more than MDs!

 

[LilyMD]

i only think its funny..because when DO schools REQUIRE a DO letter...thats exactly what they want...not an MD letter...anyone can get that....but the DO letter..a lost artifact...the treasure at the end of a maze...etc etc. But i agree with you.. MD DO letters should be equivalent

Well, the only reason I asked about Nova is because I had seen on other threads regarding DO shadowing that some DO schools actually do allow you to substitute an MD letter for a DO letter. So it is a flexible requirement...where they prefer a DO letter, but will accept an MD letter as evidence that you have some exposure to medicine, period...Crazy, but true. Anyway, I now know that Nova is not one of them.

 

[MikeyLu2010]

oh..i didnt know that existed..my apologies..You may want to call the admissions office..but im pretty sure NSU isnt the case...there were a couple of students at my interview who didnt have DO LORs (only MD) and they were called out and said to have one submitted by the time the adcoms met which was around 2 weeks..So you still have time to get one..i applied rather early..and interviewed in november ..gluck

 

[LilyMD]

oh..i didnt know that existed..my apologies..You may want to call the admissions office..but im pretty sure NSU isnt the case...there were a couple of students at my interview who didnt have DO LORs (only MD) and they were called out and said to have one submitted by the time the adcoms met which was around 2 weeks..So you still have time to get one..i applied rather early..and interviewed in november ..gluck

Thanks! Oh no, I definitely don't want to be called out during an interview! It's good to know that I they will give you an interview before receiving the letter as I am only now starting to find these DO letter writer. I've submitted, but I'm still waiting on stupid AACOM to calculate my GPA. Anyhow, I got in touch with a DO who used to be in Florida but now moved to Las Vegas and looks like he's willing to help, so hopefully something good will come out of that.