Shadowing a DO who doesn't do OMM

[trinitrotoluene]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm currently shadowing two FP DOs. As much as I want them to do an OMM (although I would not dare ask), they never do any OMMs. I'm I missing something important here? Will my shadowing experence not be complete without seeing an OMM? Will I be at a disadvantage appling to or interviewing at DO schools if I don't see an OMM?

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

I doubt it. The DO I shadowed was the head trauma surgeon at a Level 1 trauma center. Obviously he didnt use any OMM and there was no adverse effect from my lack of OMM shadowing.

 

[crys20]

Nah, not at all. Honestly I think it's a technicality sort of. If you want to go DO enough you'll shadow to get the necessary letter, you know? I think it's a way for them to make sure only people who really want DO or will take it at least will apply. Because honestly when it comes down to it 90% of shadowing basically sucks. 🙂

 

[OSUdoc08]

I'm currently shadowing two FP DOs. As much as I want them to do an OMM (although I would not dare ask), they never do any OMMs. I'm I missing something important here? Will my shadowing experence not be complete without seeing an OMM? Will I be at a disadvantage appling to or interviewing at DO schools if I don't see an OMM?

I worked with multiple DO's in the emergency department setting, and one wrote a recommendation for me.

I never saw OMM in any form until I began class.

There is no requirement to shadow a specific specialty anyway. You could shadow a DO psychiatrist.

 

[jkhamlin]

Nah, not at all. Honestly I think it's a technicality sort of. If you want to go DO enough you'll shadow to get the necessary letter, you know? I think it's a way for them to make sure only people who really want DO or will take it at least will apply. Because honestly when it comes down to it 90% of shadowing basically sucks. 🙂

Exactly. I don't know why med schools put so much emphasis on this, if you shadowed once you shadowed a million times. What is the BFD? BTW, just a rant: It especially sucks as a guy to shadow a female FP, because they get 90% of the gyno stuff, so you end up sitting behind the front desk staring at the wall almost the whole time. I totally understand why, but it sucks not to have some kind of learning experience while you're taking the time out of your life to be there. 🙁

Also: I totally support OMM, and you should see it if you get a chance, but it never came up in either interview I went on. There is more to Osteopathy than just OMM.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Exactly. I don't know why med schools put so much emphasis on this, if you shadowed once you shadowed a million times. What is the BFD? BTW, just a rant: It especially sucks as a guy to shadow a female FP, because they get 90% of the gyno stuff, so you end up sitting behind the front desk staring at the wall almost the whole time. I totally understand why, but it sucks not to have some kind of learning experience while you're taking the time out of your life to be there. 🙁

Also: I totally support OMM, and you should see it if you get a chance, but it never came up in either interview I went on. There is more to Osteopathy than just OMM.

I still can't figure out why everyone feels they must shadow a FP.

Why not shadow in the ER or surgery? It would make it alot more fun.

 

[CoverMe]

The only people I got to see snap-crackle-popped were the ER nurses. They'd come walking up to my mentor (D.O.) with one shoulder higher than the other and a hitch in their giddy-up after moving some ginormous patient in c-spine into the CT, and it was AWESOME to see them get straightened back out.

I also finally got to see some killer cranial stuff... pt was transported after a high-speed MVC and ended up having no injuries, but while talking to the trauma surgeon (also a DO) mentioned that he hadn't been able to breathe through his nose for 10+ years and had chronic sinus problems. After about 10 minutes of manipulation, the pt started gagging and nearly vomited due to the sheer volume of mucous which was draining. Truly impressive. I asked my mentor, he said that the surgeon does cranial manip. regularly, and therefore keeps his skills up. 👍 👍 👍

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Why not shadow in the ER or surgery? It would make it alot more fun.

Becase not everyone is as badass in their shadowing as me.

 

[jkhamlin]

I still can't figure out why everyone feels they must shadow a FP.

Why not shadow in the ER or surgery? It would make it alot more fun.

I got stuck with that by my local medical society's program. I asked for surg or IM or FP. I told them I needed to shadow a DO because I was applying only to DO schools. FP is just what you are probably going to get when you shadow DO's. That was the short straw I got. It was actually kind of good because I got to shadow at an FP residency program and shadowed residents and faculty, DO's and MD's; also I got to go to the morning report, hospital rounds, etc. Now I shadow IM almost exclusively because that is what I decided I would most like to do.

 

[jkhamlin]

I also finally got to see some killer cranial stuff... pt was transported after a high-speed MVC and ended up having no injuries, but while talking to the trauma surgeon (also a DO) mentioned that he hadn't been able to breathe through his nose for 10+ years and had chronic sinus problems. After about 10 minutes of manipulation, the pt started gagging and nearly vomited due to the sheer volume of mucous which was draining. Truly impressive. I asked my mentor, he said that the surgeon does cranial manip. regularly, and therefore keeps his skills up. 👍 👍 👍

They can do that???? Wow, you learn something new every day! I went to a DO for chronic rhinitis. He got me addicted to pseudoephedrine. I managed to quit the addiction, but now I have rhinitis and high blood pressure. 😡

 

[crys20]

Yes I shadowed this morning and it sucked more than usual. My doc will often not let me come in if it's a new patient, or something big..Like if she's telling them they have diabetes or something...And it seemed today that everything was that...So I was just standing around basically getting in the nurses' way...One of them told me to get out of her chair. 🙁 I try to take it all with a grain of salt though. I just really need that DO letter. 🙂

 

[trinitrotoluene]

Thanks for your input, everyone.

 

[freesolo]

crys20 thats some funny stuff, i had that experience once, i was sitting in the docs office mostly looking around in his books, nothing really to do. I'm done shadowing FP, its probably the most boring to shadow.

 

[DOnut]

...One of them told me to get out of her chair. 🙁

Get used to it. I've seen nurses tell attendings to get out of their chair. You've gotta love it.

 

[crys20]

I know, it was great. It's so awkward sometimes, the shadowing.

 

[JohnUC33]

I shadowed a DO for nearly a month, and I only saw him use OMM once. However, I did observe him using the DO philosophy of medicine all of the time. He was very friendly and taught me something during each patient visit. On the flip hand, I shadowed in the E.R. for several years following different doctors. Some doctors took the time to teach me, but they taught on a level way above my head while others treated me as a fly on the wall. I say don't get discouraged with a uneventul shadow. Keep looking around for different doctors to shadow, and eventually you'll find one that gives you what you want.

 

[crys20]

On an off note, in the office I'm shadowing at now the DO does no OMM, yet one of the MDs the other day apparantly does. He was running around asking what the code for billing was or something like that; then he asked my DO if she did OMM. She was like "nope". Just a random little anecdote. 🙂

 

[crys20]

OOh, here's a shadowing question. I've been going once a week for several weeks now. I want to ask for my letter at the end of May, so I'll have gone for like 6 weeks. Do you think that's a good time? Then should I continue shadowing through the time in whcih I see she has submitted my letter? How should I ask for the letter (i mean i think i'l be ok here), and then how do i terminate the engagement? 🙂 I hate to make it seem like I'm just doing the shadowing here just for the letter; that's only PARTLY true 🙂

 

[jkhamlin]

OOh, here's a shadowing question. I've been going once a week for several weeks now. I want to ask for my letter at the end of May, so I'll have gone for like 6 weeks. Do you think that's a good time? Then should I continue shadowing through the time in whcih I see she has submitted my letter? How should I ask for the letter (i mean i think i'l be ok here), and then how do i terminate the engagement? 🙂 I hate to make it seem like I'm just doing the shadowing here just for the letter; that's only PARTLY true 🙂

You should have told her up front, but tell her now if you have a good relationship. She understands, she had to do it too.