Question about getting an LOR from a doc I'm shadowing

[sharpieLIFE]

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I'm about to shadow a doc that I contacted via email.
So I have a few questions. How long do people shadow a particular doctor for? And do people usually as a doc for a LOR after shadowing them for like 2 days?
What have your situations with LOR's and shadowing been?

 

[theseeker4]

I'm about to shadow a doc that I contacted via email.
So I have a few questions. How long do people shadow a particular doctor for? And do people usually as a doc for a LOR after shadowing them for like 2 days?
What have your situations with LOR's and shadowing been?

Are you applying to a school that asks specifically for a doctor LOR? If not, don't bother, it will not make one bit of difference to your application.

 

[Osteoth]

Are you applying to a school that asks specifically for a doctor LOR? If not, don't bother, it will not make one bit of difference to your application.

Do any schools ask for this?

 

[Doctor Strange]

Doctor LORs are generally useless unless you did research with them.

 

[theseeker4]

Do any schools ask for this?

Osteopathic schools do, possibly a MD school or two does it, but if so I don't know which ones.

 

[circulus vitios]

Do any schools ask for this?

Osteopathic schools can range from "strongly recommending" to requiring a LOR from a physician. Some schools like USF require a character reference letter which can come from a physician you shadowed.

 

[sharpieLIFE]

But for those students who have asked MD's for a LOR, how long did you shadow them for?

 

[circulus vitios]

But for those students who have asked MD's for a LOR, how long did you shadow them for?

I haven't shadowed yet but it's going to be awkward either way unless you two hit it off and are like best buds, which isn't going to happen. Shadow for however long you want to and be like "Dr. X, some schools require a physician LOR and I was wondering if you would write me one." I really have no idea what schools expect out of these letters, probably just generic stuff like "sharpeLIFE shows a strong and mature interest in medicine blah blah blah would recommend with absolutely no reservations."

 

[desphil]

But for those students who have asked MD's for a LOR, how long did you shadow them for?

I shadowed a cardiologist for a week (he's also a family friend) and asked for an LOR after that.

 

[imcanadaian]

Doctor LORs are generally useless unless you did research with them.

I don't know about having to do research with them, but you'll want something more substantial than "I followed them around for two days". I've shadowed a doctor for almost a year, visiting for 3-6 hours a week at the clinic and hospital. Our relationship has grown from simple shadowing and observation to almost a mentoring experience. We've collaborated on an outreach/teaching project where I've taken some of the stuff we've worked on together and created presentations and modules for students in science and interested in medicine. Through this, they were able to write a LOR for me, and had enough things to say beyond, "oh hey this kid follows me around for a week". I'm still shadowing and working with him, and honestly I really think his letter is one of my strongest in my application.