Mentioning experiences at other DO schools during interview?

[novafan3000]

Hey guys

I was wondering if anyone experienced any repercussioms when mentioning experiences at other DO schools when interviewing? I have not shadowed a DO although I have spent significant time with one (conflict of interest we both thought it was best I did not get s LOR). I mostly learned of osteopathic medicine through tours of a local DO school and my experiences with OMM and such are all at a school I was prospecting. You think adcoms would care? I think everyone must know that applicants apply to multiple schools?

Thanks!

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[joeDO2]

I think it would be ok to mention in the context of why you are applying DO in general but I wouldn't make a point to highlight the other schools. Make sure if you're going to bring those experiences up you balance it out with the reasons you want to apply to their school.

 

[Jwalker]

Just to add on to what the above poster said. You are definitely trying to convince the adcoms of the school youre interviewing why you want to go THERE and not elsewhere. Whether it be class size, mission statement, location, etc... I personally would downplay other interview experiences if asked about them.

 

[Doctor Bob]

I was wondering if anyone experienced any repercussioms when mentioning experiences at other DO schools when interviewing? ... You think adcoms would care? I think everyone must know that applicants apply to multiple schools?

Well... depends on how it's handled. Certainly you don't want to say bad stuff about other schools ("oh, I thought LECOM was just terrible"). Just like job interviews, if you go around badmouthing the last boss you had, we wonder what you'll say about us to the next place.

If you use your tours of other schools to answer the "why osteopathy" question, then that will raise a few eyebrows. It sounds like you could answer the question just as easily by talking about knowing the DO (even if you didn't get a LOR from them).

Just be careful how you answer things... because, for example, after reading your question I spent less time thinking about how to answer the question and more time wondering how you have spent a significant amount of time with a DO but didn't shadow them due to potential conflict of interest (and how this could be answered in a way that would preclude it from being the answer to the "why osteopathy" question).

 

[abolt18]

Only time I mentioned another school was at KCUMB and KCOM. KCUMB asked what my second choice medical school would be, them being first of course. KCOM asked what I would do if I didn't get accepted, I said 'Well, if I don't get accepted here, I'll be attending KCUMB.' Then the doc interviewing me was actually a KCUMB alumnus and he spent ten minutes telling me why I'd be better to go to his school. I decided to go to his school lol.
I agree with what others have said.

 

[novafan3000]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Its limited in the fact that it was my only in depth experience with OMM (he nor did the docs i work with use it at least in my presence). I witnessed the students learning it. This tour was also a self initiated one, not part of the interview. But will def use a careful choice of words when explaining. I guess i could have counted the experience with him on AACOMAS but i just really didnt want to answer questions about it esp about why i didnt get a lor.

Thanks again!

 

[GUH]

Hey guys

I was wondering if anyone experienced any repercussioms when mentioning experiences at other DO schools when interviewing? I have not shadowed a DO although I have spent significant time with one (conflict of interest we both thought it was best I did not get s LOR). I mostly learned of osteopathic medicine through tours of a local DO school and my experiences with OMM and such are all at a school I was prospecting. You think adcoms would care? I think everyone must know that applicants apply to multiple schools?

Thanks!

I was in the exact same boat as you when I was applying - no DO shadowing, but I had toured a local DO school and observed an OMM demonstration there.

When prompted about my lack of a DO letter during interviews, I did mention my having observed a live OMM demonstration by a DO "at a college of osteopathic medicine" and did not name the school. This satisfied all of the adcoms as far as I could tell, I suspect because it demonstrates that you at least made an effort to observe a DO in action. Just be sure to have other reasons you are interested in osteopathic medicine to supplement your observation.