Do Lor

[musiclink213]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I've just been wondering about this. Why do most DO schools require an LOR from a DO? I understand that they want to know you're committed, but then shouldn't any LOR from a doc work? Why the specification?

 

[DrMom]

They want some idea that you know something about osteopathic medicine. The assumption is that you get this info from a practicing DO.

 

[dr.z]

Not all DO schools require LOR from DO. Some are fine with letters from MDs.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Not all DO schools require LOR from DO. Some are fine with letters from MDs.

I wouldn't say that. Those that don't require state on the website that they PREFER a DO, but will accept an MD.

I'd want to appeal to the school's preference.

 

[AlaskaGirl]

I would just check with each school's website. I only submitted a letter from an MD doc and I managed to do just fine in the application process to each DO school I had applied to. They might ask you more questions on how you know about DO, but as long as you are educated in that regard I think you will be fine.

 

[TheFish005]

My thoughts on this were that a letter from an MD who's known you for 3 years is far superior to a letter from a DO who's just met you. It obviously worked for me, as I'm finishing my first year at COMP. Like the above posters have stated, however, if you don't have a DO letter, make sure you've done your research on 'What's a DO?' because you WILL be asked that question in some form.

-E-
COMP 2008

 

[kyriacos01]

They want some idea that you know something about osteopathic medicine. The assumption is that you get this info from a practicing DO.

I agree with Dr. Mom; however, as stated by AlaskaGirl & TheFish005, I too submitted a letter from an MD and everything has worked out quite well. The MD I referenced has been a colleague and acquaintance of mine for several years. IMHO it seems logical that, irrespective of the school's preference, a letter from an MD who knows me well, knows of my goals and aspirations, and with whom I have a longstanding professional and personal connection is a first-rate alternative to the DO with whom I am unfamiliar. Again, IMHO.

All the best,
-ky

 

[OSUdoc08]

I agree with Dr. Mom; however, as stated by AlaskaGirl & TheFish005, I too only submitted a letter from an MD and everything has worked out quite well. The MD I referenced has been a colleague and acquaintance of mine for several years. IMHO it seems logical that, irrespective of the school's preference, a letter from an MD who knows me well, knows of my goals and aspirations, and with whom I have a longstanding professional and personal connection is a first-rate alternative to the DO with whom I am unfamiliar. Again, IMHO.

All the best,
-ky

I wouldn't recommend sending only MD letters to the DO schools that REQUIRE DO letters, such as OSU-COM.

 

[kyriacos01]

I wouldn't recommend sending only MD letters to the DO schools that REQUIRE DO letters, such as OSU-COM.

Agreed; but thank you for re-stating the obvious.

Perhaps you should read my statement in its entirety; I said "irrespective of the school's preference", not mandate.

It is not my intent to start a semantic pissing match. I simply wanted the OP to know that 1) there are alternatives, 2) said alternatives have been successful, and 3) he/she should proceed in a manner that makes him/her the most comfortable as well as competitive. As you stated, "I'd want to appeal to the school's preference." I on the other hand, in entirety, did not. I agree that appealing to the school's preference is a prudent measure; IMHO, however, it is not a vital component of one's acceptance.


All the best,
-ky

 

[tacrum43]

Hi D.O. people. This is my first time posting in this forum. I don't have a letter from a D.O. I was thinking about applying to Western, Touro, Philadelphia and Michigan. Does anybody know if these schools require a letter from a D.O.?

 

[drgreeneatutk]

A DO School Representitive from WVSOM came to my campus a couple weeks ago (WVSOM requires a DO letter) and I asked her this very question. She said that the adcom was considering changing this policy in light of the small % of DO docs out there and how much it limits their application pool. However, she did say, that as it stands now, they make no acceptions to this rule. Her advice was to get the "good" letter from the MD that knows you but also a letter from a DO even if it's nothing more than the DO doc saying that you have indeed done some investigation into the spcifics of the feild and know what a DO is.

By the way if you go to www.aacom.org and go to "medical schools" they have a list of all the DO schools in the country and they also tell you which ones "require" and which ones just "prefer" DO LOR's. Most of the DO schools only prefer them. I think only about 5 out of 20 require them

 

[TheFish005]

Hi D.O. people. This is my first time posting in this forum. I don't have a letter from a D.O. I was thinking about applying to Western, Touro, Philadelphia and Michigan. Does anybody know if these schools require a letter from a D.O.?

I don't know what the official 'policy' is, but I was accepted at both Touro and COMP without a DO letter, so I assume they don't 'require' DO letters. I can't comment on Phili and Michigan.

 

[tacrum43]

A DO School Representitive from WVSOM came to my campus a couple weeks ago (WVSOM requires a DO letter) and I asked her this very question. She said that the adcom was considering changing this policy in light of the small % of DO docs out there and how much it limits their application pool. However, she did say, that as it stands now, they make no acceptions to this rule. Her advice was to get the "good" letter from the MD that knows you but also a letter from a DO even if it's nothing more than the DO doc saying that you have indeed done some investigation into the spcifics of the feild and know what a DO is.

By the way if you go to www.aacom.org and go to "medical schools" they have a list of all the DO schools in the country and they also tell you which ones "require" and which ones just "prefer" DO LOR's. Most of the DO schools only prefer them. I think only about 5 out of 20 require them

Thanks for the info and thanks to TheFish too. The website is quite helpful.