How to go about DO shadowing

[DocRo]

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Hi Everyone,

I'm currently a post-bacc and have recently taken on a strong interest in osteopathic medicine. Since I plan on applying to schools this year, I realize that I need to shadow a DO this semester. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about finding and contacting a DO to shadow? I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Boxer1]

The two easiest things I have found:

1. If there is an Osteopathic medical school close to you, call their admisions department and ask who you can speak with to get names of local physicians who they think would be okay with you shadowing them.

2. If you aren't close to a DO school, then contact your state Osteopathic association (Here http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=lcl_assoc ). They should be able to put you in touch with local DO's.


You can try the phone book, but I don't think that will be very efficient.

Good luck.

 

[HunterGatherer]

The two easiest things I have found:

1. If there is an Osteopathic medical school close to you, call their admisions department and ask who you can speak with to get names of local physicians who they think would be okay with you shadowing them.

2. If you aren't close to a DO school, then contact your state Osteopathic association (Here http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=lcl_assoc ). They should be able to put you in touch with local DO's.


You can try the phone book, but I don't think that will be very efficient.

Good luck.

also check the FAQ. There is a "DO finder" website that others have used to find DO's to shadow.

If you are in a state with a DO school you could try volunteering in one of their clinical sites. If you go to one of the departments where the students rotate through there should be osteopathic attendings, residents, and possibly directors as well. Any of them are good for DO letters.

 

[DocRo]

also check the FAQ. There is a "DO finder" website that others have used to find DO's to shadow.

If you are in a state with a DO school you could try volunteering in one of their clinical sites. If you go to one of the departments where the students rotate through there should be osteopathic attendings, residents, and possibly directors as well. Any of them are good for DO letters.

Thanks guys! That was great advice.

 

[redwings54]

DocRo, what I did was maybe a more unique way of doing things but it worked for me. I was working in a hospital as a phleb so I got to go around and see all the nurses and docs as well as the residents on staff. The residents were pretty cool and the only ones who had their pictures posted so I found out which ones were grads of DO schools and tried to seek them out when I was out. So I got to talk to current DO residents about their schools, why they went to a DO school and if they had liked it or would do things differently. Some of the residents said, well if you are interested in osteopathic medicine, have to talked to Dr so and so, he/she graduated from XCOM and is awesome. I actually got introduced to the Doc I eventually shadowed and had write my LoR while I was talking to a resident. I told the doc I was really interested in becoming a DO and wondered if I could shadow her. She gladly agreed and told me to email her and call her office. She was the doc in charge of the AOA residents in the FP residency program and introduced me to a bunch of the other residents. So my way to go about things was a little different. I also was able to shadow another DO simply by finding her on the AOA website, calling her, explaining who I was and that I was interested in shadowing her and she agreed. A lot of DOs understand that schools require a DO letter to apply and are usually pretty willing to help someone out who truly seems interested in the field. Just make sure you know why you want to shadow a DO and a little about the field too. Any other help I can provide, just ask.