Shadowing a DO before applying completely necessary?

[BasilDancingCheese]

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Hello my fellow pre-meds and doctors in training,

I was wondering if shadowing a DO is a Prereq for applying to DO schools. If so, what is the best way to find an opportunity. I have shadowed an MD, pediatrician so I guess that won't help.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Stoptheclot]

Definitely not a prereq, but a few schools require or "strongly recommend" (which is code word for "require" coughCCOMcough) a letter from a DO. Wish I had! I still got ii/accepted at schools with extensive MD shadowing, but it definitely helps! Plus, it can help you prepare for questions like "why DO? what do you see as the MD/DO diff?" I got both of these questions in interviews and had never really wrestled with these Qs before.

Good luck!!!!

 

[LuckandthenSome]

Definitely not a prereq, but a few schools require or "strongly recommend" (which is code word for "require" coughCCOMcough) a letter from a DO. Wish I had! I still got ii/accepted at schools with extensive MD shadowing, but it definitely helps! Plus, it can help you prepare for questions like "why DO? what do you see as the MD/DO diff?" I got both of these questions in interviews and had never really wrestled with these Qs before.

Good luck!!!!

I was accepted to CCOM and never shadowed a DO, but I did shadow 3 MD's.

Hello my fellow pre-meds and doctors in training,

I was wondering if shadowing a DO is a Prereq for applying to DO schools. If so, what is the best way to find an opportunity. I have shadowed an MD, pediatrician so I guess that won't help.

Thanks for the help!

Look up and call local DO physicians and just straight up tell them that you want to shadow them because you want to go to DO school. It may sound straightforward but I have heard many of my friends do this and it works.

 

[misseskwee]

I would say shadowing any doctor is necessary (note that I'm not saying required) because it tells adcoms that you know or at least have some idea what you're getting into. As for a DO/MD letter, only a small number of schools don't require it, but they do say that they strongly recommend it.
Having said that, I shadowed MDs and DOs but did not get a MD/DO LOR (I shadowed different doctors within one hospital, depending on who would be there on the days I would go, so I didn't feel that I had a good enough relationship with a specific doctor to ask for a letter.) and I was interviewed and accepted at one school so far. I only applied to 6 schools, all of which didn't require a letter. In retrospect, I feel that I should have tried to get a LOR from a doc though, it probably would have helped me more. Nonetheless, I was accepted and feel extremely blessed and happy!!!
Goodluck!

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Look up and call local DO physicians and just straight up tell them that you want to shadow them because you want to go to DO school. It may sound straightforward but I have heard many of my friends do this and it works.

^ This
Has now worked for 3 docs... I just call em up or send a short letter/statement of purpose. No prob. Some give you only a couple days of shadow time, one game me 4 months worth (got a letter out of it). Spam the city you live in until you find a DO that you like and likes you.

 

[DocWinter]

Yup, it's a great thing to have.

Keep in mind the only place you'll likely see any DO/MD practicing difference is in family med, but for the letter itself any willing DO will do.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Yes, it's enormously relevant and important. I can probably say from experience that a bit component of why I didn't have a great cycle came from limited exposure to osteopathic medicine. Apparently SDN and OMM presentations aren't enough these days to convince them.

Anywho, shadow a DO or better two,

 

[Jazzy G]

Honestly I would recommend it, even it's not "necessary." I gained a lot of valuable insight from a D.O. that I shadowed, and also saw firsthand how general opposition has (in many cases) been blown out of proportion. Gave me confidence I was going the direction I wanted.

 

[bionerd89]

Hello my fellow pre-meds and doctors in training,

I was wondering if shadowing a DO is a Prereq for applying to DO schools. If so, what is the best way to find an opportunity. I have shadowed an MD, pediatrician so I guess that won't help.

Thanks for the help!

Its not required to shadow a DO but it definitely helps if you have lowers stats. I never shadowed a DO when I applied but I did have a good reason to why I wanted to be a DO.

 

[BasilDancingCheese]

Thank you everyone! I am going to start looking for DO's that I can shadow.

 

[BasilDancingCheese]

Is there anything else I can do over he summer that you did to improve your chances of getting into DO or MD?

 

[Goro]

Not necessary, but very helpful. NOT doing so can be hurtful if you live close to a COM (like, say, in the norther suburbs of Chicago, for CCOM).

Hello my fellow pre-meds and doctors in training,

I was wondering if shadowing a DO is a Prereq for applying to DO schools. If so, what is the best way to find an opportunity. I have shadowed an MD, pediatrician so I guess that won't help.

Thanks for the help!

 

[BasilDancingCheese]

Not necessary, but very helpful. NOT doing so can be hurtful if you live close to a COM (like, say, in the norther suburbs of Chicago, for CCOM).

Lol.. Thats is so close to the ball park example. I will definitely search to see DOs who would want a student Yo shadow.

Quick question for you crazy bunch. Is it hard to find DOs in neuro filed. That is what I want to go in at least of now. It be cool if I could find a neuro do to shadow.

Thanks a bunch! You guys are awesome.

 

[GUH]

Hello my fellow pre-meds and doctors in training,

I was wondering if shadowing a DO is a Prereq for applying to DO schools. If so, what is the best way to find an opportunity. I have shadowed an MD, pediatrician so I guess that won't help.

Thanks for the help!

I never shadowed an DO nor did I get a DO LOR. If you can attend any demonstration of OMM, it will help, but is still not necessary.

Signed,
A current OMS-1