How long should you shadow before asking for a Letter?

[GypsyHummus]

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I shadowed a DO for two days about five months ago and want to ask him for a letter, as I know that DO letters are great to have if you are applying to DO schools. Do you guys and gals think this is a good idea, or should I try and develop a further relationship with the doctor? It would be kind of difficult to do so in the month before AACOMAS opens up.

Edit: For those of you who picked up DO letters, did you shadow them and for how many days?

 

[MightBeACylon439]

Further establish your relationship and shadow more. Let him know very politely that you would like the shadowing to lead to you getting a LOR, and ask what you can do to ensure that he would be able to write you the best letter possible.

I wouldn't worry about AACOMAS opening up soon, because you dont have to send in all your letters immediately. Even with that, you don't send your letters in until you get secondary applications from schools.

 

[JeBrAs]

It all depends on how much you are able to share information about yourself in the time of your shadowing and how well you ask questions and interact with the physician. Also it depends on the physician's personality as well. I have been written letters for shadowing a physician ranging from 1 hour to long standing relationships with shadowing spread out over 7 years. If you don't ask then you will never know how they feel about writing you a letter.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

I shadowed a DO for two days about five months ago and want to ask him for a letter, as I know that DO letters are great to have if you are applying to DO schools. Do you guys and gals think this is a good idea, or should I try and develop a further relationship with the doctor? It would be kind of difficult to do so in the month before AACOMAS opens up.

Edit: For those of you who picked up DO letters, did you shadow them and for how many days?

You shadowed him 5 months ago, and now you want a letter? You are supposed to ask before you shadow. And even then they don't do it sometimes. Make sure you write a draft and give it too them, sometimes they will use, sometimes they don't.

I ended up getting my DO letter from a co-worker. He was a general surgeon and I actually never shadowed him. Although I think shadowing a DO surgeon may be a bit easier than say IM or FM where there are more people asking to shadow. DO letters are by far the hardest to get. Even for me, as a nurse, it took till December before I actually had a letter. I would also recommend shadowing two or three DO's for like 2 full days each, and then ask each for a letter, one of them ought to come through for ya.

 

[PlaqueBuster]

I recommend you either shadow another DO or the same one for at least 25 hours before you ask him to write you one. I shadowed my DO physician over a period of 4 months once a week for 8 hours. This way I developed a great relationship with him. You have time if you start now. You can shadow in April, May, and June. Ask him to write you a letter at the end of May. This way you will have everything ready for application in mid-June. You do not ask a DO about a letter before you actually shadow. That is unprofessional and makes it seem like your only there for the letter even though most physicians know this when you ask. Make sure you develop a relationship with them and make this seem genuine. Ask questions and take notes.