LOR/Shadowing

[premeddo]

I was wondering how important it would be to have a LOR from a DO rather than an MD if you want to apply at a Osteopathic school.

A friend of mine is completing his residency right now but his brother is an practicing md. I would like to shodow him and eventually ask for a lor but I don't know how DO's schools like this? My plans are to eventually go to TCOM.

Im a int'l bus./french major and trying to get my prereq. done before I can take the mcat and apply for med school...so I still have some time and I would like to do as much shadowing/volunteering that I can get in during this time.

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[bigmuny]

Many people are admitted without a DO LOR. However, it should be obvious that a letter from a DO would be better. Given that you have time, I would suggest working on getting a DO letter. Additionally, you can significantly increase your chances of admissions by getting the right letter. All LOR are not created equal. An LOR from a TCOM(if that is where you want to go) faculty member(one that is on the admissins committee is even more powerful) carries much more weight, than joe schmoo, do. If you are not near TCOM and calling a faculty member to shadow is not possible, then I would suggest finding a TCOM grad in your area and asking them if you can shadow. The DO community is small, so who knows, maybe your local TCOM grad went to school with somebody who is faculty, plays golf, ect....and would be willing to put in the good word for you. It is always better to have someone on the inside pulling for you. However, all of this aside it is possible to get in without all this, but given you have time I would work on getting a good DO letter.

 

[premeddo]

Thanks, I will surely work on getting one from a do. Actually I live about 15-30 miles from tcom and we have a lot of DO's in the area. And several graduates of TCOM. I will get to working on getting a LOR from a DO aswell.

 

[Amy B]

If you decide to apply to VCOM or WVSOM you will have to have a letter from a DO. I know VCOM will not accept an MD letter in place of a DO letter.

You can shadow a DO or meet one for a one on one meeting and then get a letter from them. I couldn't find a DO to shadow no matter what I did, but I was able to get one to give me a 40 minute interview and then write my letter based on that meeting. I faxed him my application essay and some of the secondaries I was filling out so he could know a bit more about me beofre we met.

 

[premeddo]

Is it hard to find a DO that will let you shadow him and maybe give you a lor? Or it was just hard to find a do?

Around here there are quite a bit of DO and if I can remember right I think TCOM has a list of DO who are willing to let newcommer shadow them. I just thought I could shadow my friends brother since he is in medicine and I know them....I feel more confortable around them. But then...you gotta do what you gotta do in to get in....

 

[Aaron Earles]

Originally posted by premeddo
Is it hard to find a DO that will let you shadow him and maybe give you a lor? Or it was just hard to find a do?

I had to call about 10 DOs before I found one that would let me shadow him. I went in for a total of 10 hours of clinical time and he said that he would get my lor to the med schools as quick as possible, which ended up being about 5 months.

It was tough for me to find a DO willing to let me shadow them. Most of them said that they felt having a DO lor was the dumbest thing that they had ever heard of. I disagree with the statement, but you can tell that many of them do not like taking time to write a lor.

My advice is to shadow NOW if you are applying next year. It takes some docs a long time to actually get around to composing a letter. Let me know if there is anything else you need help with.

Aaron

 

[Amy B]

I also had a horrible time finding someone to shadow. I had shadowed an MD and had a letter from an MD that I volunteered with for three years, but couldn't find any DO, or should I say couldn't find any DO office staff willing to let me get my foot in the door so to speak. I ended up contacting the AOA officer in my area and asking him if he knew anyone I could shadow. he told me shadowing wasn't needed and that I could come in for an interview with him, which I did.

Being near a DO school is a huge plus. They should be able to give you a name of someone in the community that you can go to see.

I was sighted HIPPA regulations over and over when I called offices as a reason I couldn't shadow the docs. When I met with the DO he said he doesn't let pre-meds shadow because he is a private doc and his patients would not want to pay $130 to him just to have to deal with a student who knew nothing about medicine being in the room.

 

[Aaron Earles]

Originally posted by Amy B

I was sighted HIPPA regulations over and over when I called offices as a reason I couldn't shadow the docs. When I met with the DO he said he doesn't let pre-meds shadow because he is a private doc and his patients would not want to pay $130 to him just to have to deal with a student who knew nothing about medicine being in the room.

WOW, looks like Amy and I have a lot in common. Some of the docs were rude, like I was a burden too. I made myself a promise, that if I ever was accepted i would do anything to help future student that i could. Good luck to you.

Aaron

 

[premeddo]

Originally posted by Amy B
I was sighted HIPPA regulations over and over when I called offices as a reason I couldn't shadow the docs. When I met with the DO he said he doesn't let pre-meds shadow because he is a private doc and his patients would not want to pay $130 to him just to have to deal with a student who knew nothing about medicine being in the room.

Amy:
Im not aware of this HIPPA regulation? And paying 130$ so that you can have a student in the room. Can you give me a brief explaination. I tried to do a search but I was coming up with HIPAA regualation.


Aaron:
Im glad you think about the newcommers. I have also though...if you don't give the person a chance to succeed...how is that person going to succeed. And like my father has told me..."you are not born with the knowledge you have to gain it. So give people the chance!" (He owns a business)

 

[Amy B]

Weird, I replied to this last night but it is not here today.

Anyway, to clear this up, the doctor charges his patients $130 for his OMM treatments. He told me since they are paying patients rather than patients at a free clinic, they should not have to deal with having pre-med students in the room during their paid office visits.

As to HIPPA, I think a lot of office staff don't yet know what the regulations cover and there fore just make uneducated guesses as to what can be allowed.

 

[Chronotropic]

If you can find a DO who is a faculty member of a school he/she will be more willing to let you shadow him/her. The very first DO I asked let me shadow him. He was a family practice professor who always had a med student following him so it wasn't a big deal.

Try talking to your family practitioner. They can usually tell you whos who in town. Good luck.

 

[premeddo]

Ok...I see his reasoning Amy. They can always ask the patient if they mind...I would think?? Thanks!


Danswu: I have contacted TCOM and they have a list of DO who are willing to let you shadow them! Our family doc. is an md. I have asked him and he said he's not sure he knows that many DO's ???? Im going to ask my friends brother, he might know of some DO's. Never hurts to ask? ??