How much DO shadowing?

[Deepa100]

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Hi,
Good news is I found a DO to shadow tomorrow👍. He is a nice guy, unlike the other one that never responded the minute I brought up shadowing. The one I am shadowing tomorrow agreed to have me over for 1/2 day.

I am just wondering how much do the adcoms expect? I have shadowed an MD for 1 day before.
Thx!

 

[Deepa100]

Sorry, looks like I some how posted this on the wrong forum. I would appreciate it if a moderator can move this to preosteopathic forum. It was unintentional.

 

[DragonWell]

Sorry, looks like I some how posted this on the wrong forum. I would appreciate it if a moderator can move this to preosteopathic forum. It was unintentional.

Done.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Hi,
Good news is I found a DO to shadow tomorrow👍. He is a nice guy, unlike the other one that never responded the minute I brought up shadowing. The one I am shadowing tomorrow agreed to have me over for 1/2 day.

I am just wondering how much do the adcoms expect? I have shadowed an MD for 1 day before.
Thx!

The more the better but you know that!

I will say that one of the secondaries I filled out required 20+ hours of shadowing from a DO for what its worth. Might give you a ballpark of expectations from other schools also.

 

[anon y mous]

The more the better but you know that!

I will say that one of the secondaries I filled out required 20+ hours of shadowing from a DO for what its worth. Might give you a ballpark of expectations from other schools also.

I volunteered/shadowed a DO for about 200 hrs.

 

[Bamish]

I shadowed a DO (surgoen) for about 20 hours. Next week I shadow a PCP for a few days (probably another 20 hours or so). I expect that to be plenty. Although it does look like I will have some more opportunities come up in the next few months, so I'll probably take advantage of those. I think the 40 hours I'll have at the end of next week will be enough, but I agree with the above poster that mentioned "the more the better". 😉

 

[udlax16]

Sorry to steal the thread but i have a question for u guys. How did u find a DO to shadow, I've been looking everywhere around me for one but can't find any. I've shadowed MD's but i'd really like to get a DO also.

 

[Cp22kjer]

I volunteered/shadowed a DO for about 200 hrs.

Good?!#

That is more than sufficient and will surely help your case! I'm around 50.

But it's not essential and some people will be fine with 20 hours or less I'd say.

I know a few people on here that shadowed a DO for only a day and had no trouble.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Sorry to steal the thread but i have a question for u guys. How did u find a DO to shadow, I've been looking everywhere around me for one but can't find any. I've shadowed MD's but i'd really like to get a DO also.

You can search and find many answers.

I would look for your state program first. For me it was KOMA (Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association). You can also go to the AOA website and find docs that way by your zip.

 

[Bamish]

Sorry to steal the thread but i have a question for u guys. How did u find a DO to shadow, I've been looking everywhere around me for one but can't find any. I've shadowed MD's but i'd really like to get a DO also.

I am a non-trad and to be honest, I would imagine it to be a little easier for us to find doctors to shadow. The PCP I shadow next week is my mother's doctor. The surgeon I shadowed earlier this summer did surgery on my grandmother. The opportunities that I mentioned coming up, they mostly stem from doctor's that have come into my wife's, friends, brother's...etc. work. Plus, I really have no problem just calling up DO's and asking about shadowing. I generally have a lot in common with the nurses (kids and such) that you usually have to set up the volunteering through.

 

[Deepa100]

This DO I shadowed is awesome! However, he said he couldn't accommodate me more than once because he gets so many students 🙁

I might be able to find one more DO but I doubt that I can have a lot of hours like some of you.

So far, I have 8 (MD)+5(DO)=13 hrs.

 

[Empi]

Holy molly, I was hoping to get one day of shadowing. Perhaps two DO's for one day each.

I figure I'm imposing on the poor DO's time and energy.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Holy molly, I was hoping to get one day of shadowing. Perhaps two DO's for one day each.

I figure I'm imposing on the poor DO's time and energy.

Hey if you get a LOR from it then you're golden.

 

[medready]

This brings up a question. How do I go about asking the doctor im currently shadowing for a LOR? Do doctors know that when they allow you to shadow them they can expect the LOR request? The doctor Im shadowing seems like a nice guy but he's always busy so I dont know how to bring up the LOR. Any suggestions (btw I've been shadowing him for about 20 hours)

 

[Cp22kjer]

This brings up a question. How do I go about asking the doctor im currently shadowing for a LOR? Do doctors know that when they allow you to shadow them they can expect the LOR request? The doctor Im shadowing seems like a nice guy but he's always busy so I dont know how to bring up the LOR. Any suggestions (btw I've been shadowing him for about 20 hours)

I believe that many doctors expect you to ask them after some shadowing. My DO offered before I even asked. This may not be the case with you but I'd imagine he'll understand and write one. It maybe the waiting process that kills you. Don't fret too much! Just politely ask!

 

[scpod]

Like I've said a gazillion times before, there is no requirement for shadowing at all. You can get in with zero hours shadowing. Some schools require a letter and you don't actually have to shadow a DO to get that; all you have to do is meet with them at some point.

That said, in many cases, shadowing can be valuable. IMHO, the younger you are and the fewer life exeriences you've had, the more important it becomes. At 21, you may need to show that you've had exposure to medicine in order to indicate to the admissions committee that you haven't made the decision to attend med school lightly. OTOH, at 30, when planning a second career, it can be assumed that you've had a lot of time to think about the decision first.

The DO letter, if required, is really kind of a formailty-- just another hoop to jump through in the process. Shadowing is good because it gives you an opportunity to see what you might be doing in the future, and help determine if it's what you really want to do....but try not to dwell on it. Concentrate on making your app well-rounded and you'll do fine.