Try this first:
1. Ask the your primary care physician or any other physician you know to connect you with a DO. Be persistent and keep reminding them. If you have any relatives or family friends who are physicians, ask them to get you in touch with a DO. Have them make the actually first call/email and CC you, that way the doctor isn't getting a rando email from someone they don't know. If you have an MD you've already shadowed (at a hospital or office), just have them introduce you to one of their DO colleagues.
If that doesn't pan out, try this. It is awkward and hard work, but has been effective for me:
2. Write professional letters to a bunch of DO physicians that you want to shadow explaining why you need to shadow them soon ("to learn about osteopathic medicine before applying blah blah"). Ambush (not literally) these physicians at their places of work. Go to their office dressed professionally and ask if you can speak to them. Tell the receptionist that you are a student. Find out from co-workers how to get in touch with. Tell them that they need to talk to them for just a minute. Meet the doctor and get their phone number and explain to them that you want to shadow them. Then, hand them the letter for them in the envelope. This helps them remember you so you can schedule a time to shadow. Focus on D.O. who are in private practice environments as there are fewer hoops to jump through. Usually, you just need to show up at their office. With hospitals, you usually need HIPAA training and badge etc.
Good luck!
P.S. try for semi-retired primary care docs. they usually wiling to teach and talk. only problem is that they tend to be M.I.A.
