shadowing + LOR from a DO, applying for MD schools

[manutdfan]

Hi,

I will be shadowing a general internist (he is a DO) for a week and I was hoping to get a letter of recommendation from him as well.

My question is this:

1). I'm applying to MD schools; on top of my pre-health committee letter I wanted to have 1 LOR from this doctor as well.

so...will the MD schools care or not like the fact that I got a LOR from a DO?

I am mainly doing this shadowing to get clinical experience/exposure, and I know there isn't much difference between DO and MD but I just wanted to make sure that having this won't negatively impact my application.

thanks

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[TexasPhysician]

Sounds good to me. A doctor is a doctor.

 

[Doc Henry]

One of my strongest letters came from a DO I shadowed for quite a long time. I only applied MD and was accepted. I honestly think a doctor is a doctor when it comes to shadowing and getting letters

 

[Mobius1985]

so...will the MD schools care or not like the fact that I got a LOR from a DO?

They won't care. You'll be fine.

I hope you'll have clinical experience as well where you interact with/provide services to sick people and don't just stand and watch. Shadowing alone is not considered adequate, but is important as a separate experience so you get an idea of what the profession is all about.

 

[Anita817]

I asked a very similar question a couple days ago on the AMCAS questions page (and caught wayyyy more flack than I felt was necessary) but basically everyone said it did not matter, but that it was apparently stupid to get a LOR from someone you've only known a week, and if you try to defend yourself and say you've known the person longer than a week people say you're cheating the system by getting one form a family friend. Damn premeds. Bottom line is, apparently it doesn't matter.

Glad you got more helpful responses than I did.

 

[longhorn09]

It should be fine. I shallowed a podiatist (DPM) for a semester and I got a letter from him. DPM is fine too, right?

 

[TexasPhysician]

It should be fine. I shallowed a podiatist (DPM) for a semester and I got a letter from him. DPM is fine too, right?

There is nothing wrong with getting a letter from any medical professional.

Just be aware that on medical interviews you just opened yourself up to questions like:

Why not podiatry school?
Why did you shadow a podiatrist if you aren't applying DPM?
What did you learn from the podiatrist that translates to medicine?
etc. etc.

As long as you have good answers.