How important is a letter from a DO?

[ocdoc]

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Some schools ask for a letter of rec from a DO, but some people say it's ok if it's from an MD. Is this true? If so, does it have to be an MD you've shadowed or can it be from say a Research P.I. that has an MD and PhD?

 

[Xclone]

Some schools ask for a letter of rec from a DO, but some people say it's ok if it's from an MD. Is this true? If so, does it have to be an MD you've shadowed or can it be from say a Research P.I. that has an MD and PhD?

I just worked for a MD as a medical assistant for 3 summers. Apparently, that was good enough for them. I had no letters from a DO. I never knew a DO but I had an interest in osteopathy. Of course, I suggest you have some sort of involvement with a DO.

 

[Boner]

Personally, I would urge you to have a letter from a DO that you've shadowed. It shows that you've had contact and exposure to osteopathic medicine. From what I've heard, the only reason you should have an MD letter in place of a DO letter is if the MD knows you very well and can speak of your qualifications moreso than a DO, or if there are absolutely no DOs in your area. Either way, you should try your absolute best to shadow a DO to gain first hand exposure to the profession and have him/her write you a letter of rec. If I were on an adcom, I would be a bit suspicious if you didn't have a letter of rec from a DO. My two cents.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Some schools ask for a letter of rec from a DO, but some people say it's ok if it's from an MD. Is this true? If so, does it have to be an MD you've shadowed or can it be from say a Research P.I. that has an MD and PhD?

Some schools REQUIRE a letter from a DO. This means that you will be automatically denied admission if you don't have it.

I don't have the list of schools, but my school, OSU-COM requires it.

You don't have to shadow someone to get a letter of recommendation. This is a common misconception.

 

[scpod]

Some schools ask for a letter of rec from a DO, but some people say it's ok if it's from an MD. Is this true? If so, does it have to be an MD you've shadowed or can it be from say a Research P.I. that has an MD and PhD?

It's true, some schools don't require a DO letter. But, if I were on the admissions committee of a DO school and had to make a choice between two people-- one with a DO letter and one who never bothered to take the time out of of his/her busy schedule to get a DO letter-- which one do you think that I would choose?

 

[Orthodoc40]

Some schools REQUIRE a letter from a DO. This means that you will be automatically denied admission if you don't have it.

You don't have to shadow someone to get a letter of recommendation. This is a common misconception.

Why would I want someone who I hadn't shadowed or worked with to write a letter for me? How good could it be?

 

[OSUdoc08]

Why would I want someone who I hadn't shadowed or worked with to write a letter for me? How good could it be?

Mine was from a Boy Scout leader in my troop.

Another one was from the medical director of my EMS agency.

Both were physicians.

 

[Amy B]

Why would I want someone who I hadn't shadowed or worked with to write a letter for me? How good could it be?

I could not find a single DO that would allow me to shadow them. Instead I looked up the AOA officers and found one in the greater DC area. He agreed to meet with me to interview me. I sent him my personal essay and a few of my secondary essays. He meet with me and talked to me for an hour and then agreed to write my letter for me. This was just fine to get into a DO school.

I would encourage all of us to remember just how hard in some areas of the country to find a DO to shadow and when are are DOs to allow students to shadow us. Also make sure your staff knows this so the students dont get told no by your office staff.

 

[drwannabe44]

Some schools REQUIRE a letter from a DO. This means that you will be automatically denied admission if you don't have it.

I don't have the list of schools, but my school, OSU-COM requires it.

You don't have to shadow someone to get a letter of recommendation. This is a common misconception.

should i ask them to just interview me instead of shadowing them ?

 

[maxhealth]

Some schools ask for a letter of rec from a DO, but some people say it's ok if it's from an MD. Is this true? If so, does it have to be an MD you've shadowed or can it be from say a Research P.I. that has an MD and PhD?

I got into AZCOM, CCOM, WesternU/COMP and TUCOM-CA with MD LORs. They didn't even ask why I didn't have a DO letter. I did, however, call each admissions office first and explain to them that I didn't know any DOs well enough to ask them to write me a letter. They advised me to get one from a MD who knew me well instead.

 

[OSUdoc08]

should i ask them to just interview me instead of shadowing them ?

Shadowing would be better, I would think, but if they are not available, that could be an alternate solution.