Need Physician Shadowing and LoR Advice

[Darth Revan93]

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Hello everyone! I need some help and maybe someone here can help.

I am applying to mainly DO schools this application cycle, and I have been aware that most DO programs require physician shadowing and a LoR from a physician ever since I decided to apply to DO schools. However, I have been trying to get a physician to agree to allow me to shadow him or her and get a LoR for about 1.5 years, and I have been unsuccessful. I am not sure if it is because it is harder to shadow here in California or not, but do you guys have any tips on getting a doctor to agree to shadowing? All I ever get told is no because it would violate HIPAA, which is complete B.S if you ask me.

Is it really the end be all to my application if I cannot come up with a LoR from a physician by the time I submit my application? I do not want this to be the thing holding me back from getting into med school when I have worked so hard to get to this point. I am getting more and more desperate as it gets closer to submitting my application. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide!

 

[leturbinator]

Hello everyone! I need some help and maybe someone here can help.

I am applying to mainly DO schools this application cycle, and I have been aware that most DO programs require physician shadowing and a LoR from a physician ever since I decided to apply to DO schools. However, I have been trying to get a physician to agree to allow me to shadow him or her and get a LoR for about 1.5 years, and I have been unsuccessful. I am not sure if it is because it is harder to shadow here in California or not, but do you guys have any tips on getting a doctor to agree to shadowing? All I ever get told is no because it would violate HIPAA, which is complete B.S if you ask me.

Is it really the end be all to my application if I cannot come up with a LoR from a physician by the time I submit my application? I do not want this to be the thing holding me back from getting into med school when I have worked so hard to get to this point. I am getting more and more desperate as it gets closer to submitting my application. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide!

This is what I did to get a shadowing opportunity in NY:

Called up the osteopathic medical schools around me, and asked if there were any volunteering or shadowing opportunities. Most of the time, they do not, but what they will do is redirect you to the osteopathic physician directory to contact doctors. The admissions counselor I spoke to was nice enough to give me his own personal doctor's number so I can shadow him.

 

[California Bear]

Where in CA are you? I can give you a few contacts of DOs I shadowed.

 

[trimethylpurine]

What about people who live in an area that lack DO schools?

 

[leturbinator]

What about people who live in an area that lack DO schools?

You can still access the entire directory of osteopathic physicians and speak to them individually. Alternatively, you can scribe at a clinic with DOs

 

[zukunft195]

You can still access the entire directory of osteopathic physicians and speak to them individually. Alternatively, you can scribe at a clinic with DOs

How does one get access to this directory?

 

[leturbinator]

How does one get access to this directory?

Home - Doctors That DO | Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine

gotchu fam.

 

[Darth Revan93]

Where in CA are you? I can give you a few contacts of DOs I shadowed.

I'm specifically in the Sacramento area. The nearest DO school is Touro in Vallejo. If you could give me some contacts, I'd be very grateful! This has been extremely frustrating for me.

 

[DameJulie]

I'm specifically in the Sacramento area. The nearest DO school is Touro in Vallejo. If you could give me some contacts, I'd be very grateful! This has been extremely frustrating for me.

+1!