If I am applying to both MD and DO schools, is it necessary or strongly preferred to shadow a DO? (I've had experience shadowing a surgeon and PCP MD, ~60 hrs)
Is it necessary to shadow a DO?
- Thread starter vic90
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Preferred, yes. Absolutely necessary? Not at all colleges.
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Not a necessity, however it might be recommended as it will open up the ability to apply to many other schools like LECOM.
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If you're serious about applying to DO, why would you give any school even the smallest reason to throw your app in the "no thanks" pile? Cause if it comes down to you and a similar applicant who has shadowed a DO they'd almost always take the student with DO exposure.
It's not that hard to do, and doing it shows you're serious about having an interest in DO schools.
It's not that hard to do, and doing it shows you're serious about having an interest in DO schools.
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Yeah, you should shadow one. It shows commitment to DO schools since almost all strongly recommend or require a DO letter of recommendation.
D
deleted357625
No, but it's beneficial if you plan on going the D.O route, but there are many applicants who apply both M.D/D.O and shadowed M.D physicians and still get in D.O so it's all good.
All that matters is clinical experience etc
All that matters is clinical experience etc
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Here we go again. You probably should.
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There is no "requirement" that you ever shadow anybody to get accepted. Some DO schools, though, have a requirement that you get a recommendation letter from a DO or they will not accept you. Sometimes those schools can help you find an alumni or something near you if you don't have a DO nearby.
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Some DO schools require a DO letter of recommendation. They expect you to shadow a DO and be familiar with the field. I did not shadow a DO but I was familiar with DOs and their philosophy. I had an MD LOR and received acceptance to three DO schools.
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Some DO schools absolutely require a DO LOR. You are not required to shadow but this is the traditional way that you might spend some time with a dr to get a good LOR. If you don't have a DO LOR it will limit where you can apply but this may not matter to you if the DO schools you want to apply to are not ones that require it.
Chocolate Bear has this nice spreadsheet of DO schools requiring a DO LOR though I don't know if it has been kept updated:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkQjgkrQwlmCdDdPRG15djh5NGJfRFhoVWdLdVJIaFE&hl=en#gid=0
Chocolate Bear has this nice spreadsheet of DO schools requiring a DO LOR though I don't know if it has been kept updated:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkQjgkrQwlmCdDdPRG15djh5NGJfRFhoVWdLdVJIaFE&hl=en#gid=0
I should chime in on this since I kinda know the mentality the OP has.
At first I didn't care too much about what doctor I got an LOR from. It was all about the LOR... wasn't too interested in the actual experience either (don't hate, we're all kinda this way when it comes to LORs. I'm just being blunt lol). 🙄
Anywho, I got to shadowing this AMAZING doctor the past couple months. Absolutely amazing... literally has been the biggest influence on me in my entire life (other than my parents). He's a DO, and not saying that an MD can't give you the same inspiration, but giving that I was applying to DO schools gave us something great to talk about. We discussed the philosophy, and to be able to see it in practice by a great DO doc is just priceless.
SO, while the above psoters are right in that it isn't required at most schools... you should do it to better yourself. The experience changed my life in a way I don't think shadowing an MD could. 👍
At first I didn't care too much about what doctor I got an LOR from. It was all about the LOR... wasn't too interested in the actual experience either (don't hate, we're all kinda this way when it comes to LORs. I'm just being blunt lol). 🙄
Anywho, I got to shadowing this AMAZING doctor the past couple months. Absolutely amazing... literally has been the biggest influence on me in my entire life (other than my parents). He's a DO, and not saying that an MD can't give you the same inspiration, but giving that I was applying to DO schools gave us something great to talk about. We discussed the philosophy, and to be able to see it in practice by a great DO doc is just priceless.
SO, while the above psoters are right in that it isn't required at most schools... you should do it to better yourself. The experience changed my life in a way I don't think shadowing an MD could. 👍
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This is a good post. We all may know from reading things that DO's are equal and can be just as amazing as the amazing MD doctors, but actually witnessing is different and can have a different effect on you.
Also, the DO I shadowed has been great and has given me advice about DO schools and things of that nature, and an MD obviously couldn't do that.
