DO LOR Dilemma

[hev]

Hello all! Just got my secondaries in at all of my schools (mostly Feb 15 and April 1 deadlines) and am collecting my LORs. I have been trying to shadow a DO (there are very few in my area) since October but due to varying office-related issues have been cancelled and postponed until the first week of February when I can finally begin shadowing ~8-10 hours/week for the rest of my semester. All but one of the schools that I am applying to require all letters in to be marked complete. I don't think the Dr. would be comfortable writing me a LOR after only 8-10 hours of knowing me, but I haven't directly asked.

Should I contact the schools and explain the situation and ask for an extension for that particular letter in order to get a better, more detailed LOR?
or
Bite the bullet and ask the DO who I am planning to shadow through May for a LOR at the beginning?
or
Screw the schools with a Feb deadline?

Thank you!

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[JDMcNugent]

You can maybe see if this physician you are shadowing would be so kind and have lunch with you or meet with you outside of patient contact and observation. This could give you an opportunity to present yourself with your CV/resume and explain your motivation for becoming a physician and can aid him in writing a quality letter.

You are definitely pushing the february deadline and it may take awhile for your doctor to put a letter together and get it sent in. It can't hurt to ask and emphasize your commitment to continued shadowing but I would be pretty wary about not getting a quality letter written and meeting the february 1 deadlines.

 

[mnsman]

Bite the bullet. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best letter ever written, but having one is important.

 

[Mad Jack]

Unless you are a superstar AND apply broadly, you're probably too late in the cycle. Most schools do rolling admissions, so your application might very well never see the light of day regardless of stats if you submit it at the deadline. I would just save your money and submit next cycle.

 

[medickdb]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you apply early.

In your case, you almost have to bite the bullet. It's the only way you might have a chance at the few remaining spots. I hope the physician can write you a decent letter though considering you will be putting him or her under pressure to have everything in on your now limited timeline.

 

[Stephanopolous]

I agree on the applying late part, but you already knew that. I think sitting down with this doc for a few minutes and explaining your circumstances as to why you applied late, your background, and why you want to become a doctor, would be your best bet. Be straight up about your situation and ask for the letter beforehand. The worst case scenario is a "no" answer.

 

[Dreamstoo]

I agree on the applying late part, but you already knew that. I think sitting down with this doc for a few minutes and explaining your circumstances as to why you applied late, your background, and why you want to become a doctor, would be your best bet. Be straight up about your situation and ask for the letter beforehand. The worst case scenario is a "no" answer.

Agreed.

 

[kderekb]

I shadowed a DO for only 4 hours and asked him for a LOR. I had a letter from an MD but a DO letter was required for certain schools. I agree that you should just explain your circumstances and ask them for one. I would even say you could write the letter and they could approve it so it would be less work for them.

 

[Stephanopolous]

I would even say you could write the letter and they could approve it so it would be less work for them.

I think that's a bad idea.

 

[Mad Jack]

I think that's a bad idea.

You'd be surprised how common it is. It took me a lot of searching and shadowing to find a doctor that didn't want me to just write their letter for them.

 

[kderekb]

I think that's a bad idea.

It's a great idea and very common. You write the letter and they approve it and make any changes they want to. If I ever get asked for a letter of recommendation in the future I am pretty sure this is what I will do.

 

[medickdb]

It's a great idea and very common. You write the letter and they approve it and make any changes they want to. If I ever get asked for a letter of recommendation in the future I am pretty sure this is what I will do.

I wonder how common this is. It kind of defeats the purpose of a letter of recommendation. Of course, there's always someone willing to cheat the system.