Letters of recommendation

[gildas]

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How essential is it to have a letter from a doctor? Would they look down on your application if you don't have one. would they even accept your application? I have been trying to get a doctor to write me a letter but I could not find any. Am I screwed?

 

[crys20]

Most people, doctors or not, are usually pretty responsive with writing letters. How have you approached them?

 

[NeuroDO]

If you've put all the work into taking the MCAT and taking all those GD premed classes, finding a DO to shaddow should be easy. By not doing it, you do put yourself at a slight disadvantage for osteopathic schools as most everyone will have a DO letter. I just asked my family doctor, who is a DO, if I could shaddow her, she said yes, I spent 3 days doing it, and I got my letter. I actually had fun shaddowing her too. In short, get a DO letter.

 

[LVDoc]

For allopathic schools, you do not need a letter from a physician. For all osteopathic schools, you will need at least one from a medical doctor; some require D.O. only, and others D.O. or M.D. If you are having trouble getting a letter from a D.O., first try to find one you can shadow for a few days, and ask him/her afterwards. Otherwise try arranging a meeting with your local D.O. just to talk, and hopefully he might also be able to write you one (it's not that hard to tell if you're enthusiastic about the profession). Just so you know, not having a D.O. letter will not really hurt you that much. I didn't have one, even though I shadowed a D.O., and I still got interviews at half the schools I applied to.

 

[richarDsOn]

The schools I applied to did not require DO LORs, PCSOM required a "physician" lor, and OU-COM "highly suggested" a DO lor. At first I didn't really want to try to meet up with a DO... talk to them for a day and have them write me a letter (seemed so ...fake), but as it turned out, I did just that. I met a DO through another physician, and he was more than willing to have me come to visit his clinic and even volunteered to write a letter for me. I hadn't even asked him to write one, but he knew that it would be the "icing on the cake"...even though my files were already complete at those schools. When I interviewed the first question I was asked was about my experience with the recommending DO.

Good Luck!

 

[DOCpa]

It depends on which school you apply to and if they put alot of importance on the DO letter. Keep in mind that most of the people you are up against will most likely have a letter from a DO. It seems like a pain to get to know someone just so they can write you a letter, but its probably worth it in the end. Especially if you end up hitting off with them and they write you a strong letter.

 

[UNE2009LMD]

How essential is it to have a letter from a doctor? Would they look down on your application if you don't have one. would they even accept your application? I have been trying to get a doctor to write me a letter but I could not find any. Am I screwed?

No, you are not screwed. Some DO schools don't require them, some that do may waive the letter if your app is strong. I got in w/out one. So don't fret 🙂

 

[drjds]

If you've put all the work into taking the MCAT and taking all those GD premed classes, finding a DO to shaddow should be easy. By not doing it, you do put yourself at a slight disadvantage for osteopathic schools as most everyone will have a DO letter. I just asked my family doctor, who is a DO, if I could shaddow her, she said yes, I spent 3 days doing it, and I got my letter. I actually had fun shaddowing her too. In short, get a DO letter.

I am from Louisiana and the city I live in does not have any DOs. If there are some, I do not know where they are or how to locate them. I have already tried looking in the phone book. Let me know what you think. 😳

 

[smc927]

How essential is it to have a letter from a doctor? Would they look down on your application if you don't have one. would they even accept your application? I have been trying to get a doctor to write me a letter but I could not find any. Am I screwed?

Ask the school. One of mine gave me the option of an employer.

 

[DRJME]

I am in a bind. I applied late and really did not think that I would get secondaries, but it happened!! Now I need a letter of rec from an osteopath. There are many in my city, but I am unsure how I should approach them. I think that I will write a letter explaining my situation and attached a resume. In the letter I will express my interests in osteopathy, the current app situation, and ask for the letter?? Does anyone think that this might work??

 

[LVDoc]

No way...do not do that. Go call their offices, tell them you're interested in learning more about osteopathy, that you want to talk to them for a couple hours, ask if you could possibly shadow them, hint to them somewhere along the way that you're applying and you may need a letter of rec - ask them if they would be willing to do that - they've gone through the process, so they know how it is.

Don't write a letter, send your resume, or anything like that. You need to have a personal touch - you need to talk to them, see them, etc. They need to feel comfortable enough with you to write you a good letter.