Opinion about D.O. LOR

[JCPL]

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Hello everyone!

This is my first post but I've been lurking around here on SDN for the past few years. But I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been posting and I've learned a great deal from everyone's input!

I know this topic may have been beat to death but I was genuinely curious to hear some people's opinion regarding the letter of recommendation from a D.O. I was born and raised in Southern California and given the competitive nature of California MD schools I have decided just to go the D.O. route. At this point I want to be close to my family to help them out and stay in SoCal so my only school of interest at this point is Western University in Pomona.

Here is a little background about myself:

Human Biology Major from UC San Diego
sciGPA: 3.78
non-science GPA: 3.55
cumulative: 3.71
MCAT: 31R (9 PS, 10 VR, 12 BS)

I've got pretty decent EC's (3 years of research with a poster presentation, 3 trips to Mongolia to teach English, 1 summer spent in Haiti to help with relief work, featured in a 8 page magazine article about my work in Haiti, spent 5 years in a campus ministry with various leadership positions, and one summer with hands on medical experience at a health clinic).

But the problem is that I have a really great letter of rec from a MD doctor, but at this point I have never shadowed a DO before. I am learning a great deal about the little differences that Osteopathic medicine entails, but I am wondering if it is absolutely necessary for me to obtain a letter from a DO. I know that WesternU strongly recommends having one, but do you guys think it will hurt me that much if I don't have one? Should I go ahead and apply without the D.O. letter or try and wait to get a letter from a D.O.?

Sorry for the long post but I really appreciate all of your answers and input. Thanks again SDN!

-JCPL

 

[FrkyBgStok]

If they don't require it, it isn't needed. That being said, it iis a pretty bad idea to apply to only one school.

 

[ljafri14]

Your stats look good enough for MD.. why are you just applying to DO

 

[Mbeas]

But the problem is that I have a really great letter of rec from a MD doctor, but at this point I have never shadowed a DO before. I am learning a great deal about the little differences that Osteopathic medicine entails, but I am wondering if it is absolutely necessary for me to obtain a letter from a DO. I know that WesternU strongly recommends having one, but do you guys think it will hurt me that much if I don't have one? Should I go ahead and apply without the D.O. letter or try and wait to get a letter from a D.O.?


-JCPL

Obviously, you have great stats (for DO, anyways), so there is no problem there. However, see the bolded above. You are applying to DO schools, yet you have never shadowed a DO. This isn't necessarily a requirement and you can still get accepted, but don't you think you would increase your chances greatly if you spent a few hours doing some extra shadowing? Especially if it's "strongly recommended" and you are applying to one school. In essence, it can only help you to at least shadow a DO for the experience. Honestly, if I was an adcom member, I wouldn't accept anyone who hasn't even spent time with a DO. Of course, that's just me (Pre-Med FTW 😀)

 

[jinobi]

Strongly recommended, but not required. Many of my MD-applying friends who had not received interviews from MD schools by Dec sent in their primary to Western in early December. They received interviews and were accepted with only MD shadowing. Their stats were actually a bit less than yours - below the MD averages, but above the averages for Western.

Your stats are good for MD schools, you even might get an interview from UC schools if something in your application is intriguing enough. Do try to apply MD too with your scores, it would give you more flexibility and opportunities for residency in the future as compared to the DO.

 

[Goro]

With those numbers, i sure hope you apply to my COM! You're fine for most COMs...only a few require a LOR form a DO. It's fair game to ask you in an interview why you didn't shadow a DO. I've seen people rejected for giving the wrong answer on this one.

So, shadowing a DO will help, but mostly, won't hurt.

Hello everyone!

This is my first post but I've been lurking around here on SDN for the past few years. But I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been posting and I've learned a great deal from everyone's input!

I know this topic may have been beat to death but I was genuinely curious to hear some people's opinion regarding the letter of recommendation from a D.O. I was born and raised in Southern California and given the competitive nature of California MD schools I have decided just to go the D.O. route. At this point I want to be close to my family to help them out and stay in SoCal so my only school of interest at this point is Western University in Pomona.

Here is a little background about myself:

Human Biology Major from UC San Diego
sciGPA: 3.78
non-science GPA: 3.55
cumulative: 3.71
MCAT: 31R (9 PS, 10 VR, 12 BS)

I've got pretty decent EC's (3 years of research with a poster presentation, 3 trips to Mongolia to teach English, 1 summer spent in Haiti to help with relief work, featured in a 8 page magazine article about my work in Haiti, spent 5 years in a campus ministry with various leadership positions, and one summer with hands on medical experience at a health clinic).

But the problem is that I have a really great letter of rec from a MD doctor, but at this point I have never shadowed a DO before. I am learning a great deal about the little differences that Osteopathic medicine entails, but I am wondering if it is absolutely necessary for me to obtain a letter from a DO. I know that WesternU strongly recommends having one, but do you guys think it will hurt me that much if I don't have one? Should I go ahead and apply without the D.O. letter or try and wait to get a letter from a D.O.?

Sorry for the long post but I really appreciate all of your answers and input. Thanks again SDN!

-JCPL

 

[scummie]

Your numbers are fantastic.

Not shadowing a DO is like a little rite of passage most applicants do. You will be asked about this in interviews. You will avoid an awkward silence if you shadow a DO.

I shadowed a DO for two afternoons and got a letter. Was it absolutely outstanding? Probably not, but I did what I needed to do to get requirements done. Your other MD letters will make up for it.

Nike. Just do it!