How much will a DO letter help

[Uafl112]

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So I dont have a DO letter yet (hopefully, I can get it on Monday), but I was just wondering, how much does a DO letter influence the decision to accept you or decline you at schools that require either MD or DO letters?

 

[AlteredScale]

So I dont have a DO letter yet (hopefully, I can get it on Monday), but I was just wondering, how much does a DO letter influence the decision to accept you or decline you at schools that require either MD or DO letters?

it's dependent on the quality of the DO letter really!

 

[studentp0x]

Well Goro says it shows you've gone the extra mile, so you want to be a DO more badly than your competitors who don't have a DO letter. It's difficult to really "quantify" how much it really helps considering there's so many components to an application.

 

[NontradCA]

I think in general, that admissions folks view students without DO letters as applying to osteopathic medical schools as a backup.

 

[Sean Lee]

Some/many DO schools either require or strongly recommend a letter from a DO physician. I would go out of my way to get one.

 

[Uafl112]

ok good to know. What if I have shadowed a DO physician, updated AACOMAS about it since im still being verified, but dont have a letter? How does that look? Im not asking because I dont feel like doing the work to get one, im just asking as a worst case scenario. I already met with a DO physician and had a conversation and convinced him to write me a letter. Hopefully, he can get me a letter by Monday like he promised

 

[AlteredScale]

I think in general, that admissions folks view students without DO letters as applying to osteopathic medical schools as a backup.

Eh I wouldn't go that far to say that. If anything what qualifies that type of judgment is if they are asked if they applied to both MD and DO and also don't have a DO letter. But I may be/probably am wrong.

 

[studentp0x]

I think in general, that admissions folks view students without DO letters as applying to osteopathic medical schools as a backup.

If you have MD like stats then yes. If not then it shows you want it badly which is practically a requirement for success in this career.

 

[NontradCA]

Eh I wouldn't go that far to say that. If anything what qualifies that type of judgment is if they are asked if they applied to both MD and DO and also don't have a DO letter. But I may be/probably am wrong.

I don't really see a reason not to have a DO letter in all honesty, and if there anyone can call the admissions staff and let them know, they'd be understanding. I just assume someone who did not get a DO letter as not taking the necessary steps to apply to osteopathic medical schools. It's a requirement at some places akin to doing the pre-req science courses.

 

[AlteredScale]

I don't really see a reason not to have a DO letter in all honesty, and if there anyone can call the admissions staff and let them know, they'd be understanding. I just assume someone who did not get a DO letter as not taking the necessary steps to apply to osteopathic medical schools. It's a requirement at some places akin to doing the pre-req science courses.

I think for me coming from a place that is predominately MD run (UCSD) that finding and shadowing a DO is very hard and therefore adcoms understand that. But yes I do agree that shadowing and getting an LOR should be an applicants focus if they want to go to DO school.

 

[NontradCA]

I think for me coming from a place that is predominately MD run (UCSD) that finding and shadowing a DO is very hard and therefore adcoms understand that. But yes I do agree that shadowing and getting an LOR should be an applicants focus if they want to go to DO school.

It's relatively easy to find a DO in San Diego. I don't think they will understand quite honestly.

 

[AlteredScale]

It's relatively easy to find a DO in San Diego. I don't think they will understand quite honestly.

Easy to find. Not so easy to shadow. It took me about a year.

I actually think they will, that's coming from admissions committee. I'm not saying they won't question or be concerned, just saying they aren't going to throw your app out the window. After coming from WesternU for preview day, I directly heard the executive director of admissions stay that they do accept many without a DO letter.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

It's in your best interest to have a DO LOR when applying to DO school not only in that it allows you to apply to half of them, but it gives you something to talk about when answering "why DO?"

 

[deleted407021]

I'll probably be getting an MD letter at some point, but I think that will mostly speak to my hospital and surgical exposure. Hopefully, I can leverage my clinical experience - and the fact that I'm not a freshman - to show a DO somewhere around town that I'm legit.

I've done a bit of looking and it seems that most schools require a pre-health committee letter. Is this true for all schools?

 

[theone0709]

So I am in a similar situation as OP. I have worked as a Scribe in the ED and during my time I have worked with two different DOs on a very limited basis. I think it would be inappropriate to ask them for a letter as they probably don't even remember me but I do have some DO experience. I have another LOR from an MD, and can speak to some extent about an osteopathic physician. I won't likely be able to work the DOs that I worked with previously as one DO left and another is now the head of a department I can't scribe for. What do you guys think I should do? Sorry I don't mean to hijack the thread OP!

 

[IslandStyle808]

I'll probably be getting an MD letter at some point, but I think that will mostly speak to my hospital and surgical exposure. Hopefully, I can leverage my clinical experience - and the fact that I'm not a freshman - to show a DO somewhere around town that I'm legit.

I've done a bit of looking and it seems that most schools require a pre-health committee letter. Is this true for all schools?

I thought they were recommended? But then again my school does not have a pre-medical committee, so I did not think too much about it when I last applied.

 

[deleted407021]

I thought they were recommended? But then again my school does not have a pre-medical committee, so I did not think too much about it when I last applied.

Most state it's either that or three letters, two from science professors. I'll have a good committee letter, thankfully.

How many letters can we have? I'll have probably another one from the clinic I work at. Maybe 4-5 total letters?

Also, do you know if two people could jointly write one letter? Thanks.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Most state it's either that or three letters, two from science professors. I'll have a good committee letter, thankfully.

How many letters can we have? I'll have probably another one from the clinic I work at. Maybe 4-5 total letters?

Also, do you know if two people could jointly write one letter? Thanks.

I think a good average is 5. Some schools may even limit the amount you can send (maybe 7+ not sure).

Also, I see why not have people jointly write a letter. This is true especially for a TA who has taught a few years and you were in his or her lab. For those science letters, its usually safer to have a PhD sign off on it along with the TA who wrote the letter.

Even if it is two faculty professors, I would think it adds more power as well. So in my opinion the more the merrier.