Shadowing a DO

[DoctorPenguin]

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Hey guys!

So I'm about ready to request shadowing for a DO. I'm using the AOA mentor website to search and contact for osteopathic physicians in my area. The only problem is I won't be able to shadow until mid-September/October. This is because, along with all my other ECs/academics, I agreed to volunteer through September at a hospital, and don't have the time to continue my commitment to this hospital and shadow.

Questions...
1. If I were to send my DO LOR by December, would this be really late? I just got my secondaries in this morning for most of the DO schools... would they frown on the fact I sent the secondaries 4 months after? (since I have to send them with my LOR).

2. Would it be wise to contact this DO right now to request a shadowing position for October? Or would it be insulting to the physician for putting him on hold?

Thanks in advance for all ya'lls advice. 🙂

 

[Kalamazoo]

When you sign up on the site, it asks you to describe yourself and what you're looking for in a mentor. I would put it in that blurb that you are looking for a DO to shadow at a later time.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Hey guys!

Questions...
1. If I were to send my DO LOR by December, would this be really late? I just got my secondaries in this morning for most of the DO schools... would they frown on the fact I sent the secondaries 4 months after? (since I have to send them with my LOR).

I don't think any DO schools except for MSUCOM have a deadline earlier than January so it would be okay, except that with rolling admissions earlier is always better than later. There are fewer spots in the class available, fewer interview dates, too, and adcoms get a littler choosier as the season goes on. I would get the rest of your apps done and submitted ASAP so that you can just send the letters when you get them in a few months and complete everything as quickly as possible. Are you sure all the schools require LORs to review your file? I know for a fact LECOM does not require LORs until you are invited for an interview and you don't need a DO letter until after you are accepted. I only applied to one DO school so I don't know if others do this?

2. Would it be wise to contact this DO right now to request a shadowing position for October? Or would it be insulting to the physician for putting him on hold?

Thanks in advance for all ya'lls advice. 🙂

When I shadowed a DO earlier this year it took awhile to set it up. I sent a letter, followed up with a phone call a week later, and was scheduled for a short meeting with him two weeks after that. He apparently wanted to meet me first to make sure I wasn't a lunatic before I followed him around his practice. 🙂 I was then scheduled for a shadowing day two weeks later which ended up getting rescheduled two weeks after that and... well, it was about seven weeks from the time I initiated contact until I actually had a day of shadowing. Of course, different docs have different schedules and will handle this differently but I'd say this will maybe take longer than you think so get started on setting up the shadowing now.

 

[DoctorPenguin]

Thanks for the replies guys!!

I already sent my secondary in for LECOM Bradenton and Erie. I'm so glad they don't need a DO LOR until acceptance.

I just sent a message to the DO physician I'd like to shadow. Hopefully he gets back to me soon!!