Shadowing MDs

[WSUCougar2012]

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Hi,

The school I go to is in a very rural area and there is only one big hospital around. At this hospital, every single physician is an MD, there are no DOs.

My question is, will shadowing only the MDs hurt my chances at the DO schools?

Thank you.

 

[endocardium]

Hi,

The school I go to is in a very rural area and there is only one big hospital around. At this hospital, every single physician is an MD, there are no DOs.

My question is, will shadowing only the MDs hurt my chances at the DO schools?

Thank you.

Of course not. A physician is a physician. Both types of physicians essentially approach the patient in the same way, unless you seek out a DO that actively uses OMM and the use of OMM is indicated. So, it is just as good to follow one or the other.

However, check the LOR requirements for the osteopathic medical schools in which you intend to make application. A few of them require you to specifically get a LOR from a DO. In that case, you may need to shadow a DO, or find a DO mentor, so that you can get such a letter. Also, it wouldn't hurt to shadow a DO who uses OMM regularly just to gain some perspective on it. You'll be learning it for two years, so...

 

[WSUCougar2012]

Oh..I see.

The only reason I thought that I would be at an disadvantage is because I thought most adcoms wanted to see that the applicant has enough exposure to the DO side of things. The last thing I want for them to think is that I am a MD applicant, but using DO schools as a sort of fall back option.

Any ideas on how to prevent that?

 

[endocardium]

Oh..I see.

The only reason I thought that I would be at an disadvantage is because I thought most adcoms wanted to see that the applicant has enough exposure to the DO side of things. The last thing I want for them to think is that I am a MD applicant, but using DO schools as a sort of fall back option.

Any ideas on how to prevent that?

http://www.osteopathic.org/YOM/Mentor_exchange.htm

 

[RySerr21]

Oh..I see.

The only reason I thought that I would be at an disadvantage is because I thought most adcoms wanted to see that the applicant has enough exposure to the DO side of things. The last thing I want for them to think is that I am a MD applicant, but using DO schools as a sort of fall back option.

Any ideas on how to prevent that?

if you apply early (say June)...it will be pretty hard to argue that you are using DO is a back up option.

show them that you have done something to learn more about the DO profession. go to an osteopathic awareness conference...visit a school...etc. etc. if you are really worried you could talk about it in your personal statement. (although i've heard this debated--whether or not you should talk about osteopathic medicine in your PS or save it for the secondaries or interview).

if you cant do any of those, i think just the fact that you applied early will let them know you are genuinely interested in beocming a DO.

 

[WSUCougar2012]

I will definitely keep this in mind, thank you.

 

[HarMegido]

if you apply early (say June)...it will be pretty hard to argue that you are using DO is a back up option.

show them that you have done something to learn more about the DO profession. go to an osteopathic awareness conference...visit a school...etc. etc. if you are really worried you could talk about it in your personal statement. (although i've heard this debated--whether or not you should talk about osteopathic medicine in your PS or save it for the secondaries or interview).

if you cant do any of those, i think just the fact that you applied early will let them know you are genuinely interested in beocming a DO.

i disagree. i used an MD letter of rec for all my DO schools, including those that ask for one from a DO, there wasn't a problem and still got a lot of DO interviews. the schools just want to know that u r capable of working in a physician setting and enjoy being with patients.

 

[RySerr21]

i disagree. i used an MD letter of rec for all my DO schools, including those that ask for one from a DO, there wasn't a problem and still got a lot of DO interviews. the schools just want to know that u r capable of working in a physician setting and enjoy being with patients.

i dont understand what you are disagreeing with.... i never said the OP couldnt use an MD letter.

what i did say was that he/she should show interest in the osteopathic profession.... i dont think that is arguable. furthermore, if the OP has no access to shadowing a DO, or no access to a DO school to explore, etc. the way one way to show them you are interested would be

a) apply early
b) talk about his/her interest in the personal statement

 

[theserbatron]

i would shadow whoever you can, but make it a meaningful shadowing experience. whether it's an MD or a DO, be sure to ask questions and shadowing the physician long enough to learn about their practice. any meaningful experiences you'll hopefully talk about in the interviews.

in terms of learning more about DOs, I recommend you read "The DOs" by Gevitz... it's a great primer on the history of osteopathic medicine, and gives some good insight on the unique history behind the profession. every interview i had loved to hear that i had read this book and how that influenced me to apply to DO schools.

edit: i used an MD letter, tho some schools consider DO letters more favorable. you'll have to do some research to uncover that.

 

[AlbertCPham]

Hi WSUCougar2012, Dr.James Clark at Pullman Regional Hospital is a DO in the ER department. You should send him an email and ask him if you could shadow him. If you stay in Pullman for this summer, I don't think it will be a problem for you because you won't have a lot of competition 🙂

Go Cougs...
I just graduated yesterday.

 

[zenlike]

I recommend you read "The DOs" by Gevitz... it's a great primer on the history of osteopathic medicine, and gives some good insight on the unique history behind the profession.

Man. That book was dry.

 

[Bond8204]

The above is correct. To add my experience, I had an MD letter (and my premed advisor is an MD so that technically is 2). However, I worked a fulltime internship at a clinic whose medical director was a DO and shadowed her sometimes...unfortunately we really didn't like each other (more on my side not liking her) and I didn't know I was going to apply DO that summer so I let the bridge burn.

I talked about my experience with that DO in interviews. I actually was asked why I didn't get a rec from her in one, and my answer was that I was under the direct supervision of the clinic's head nurse and so she knew me much better and would have been able to speak for my abilities much better. And that her letter made 6 in total so another would have been overkill. They accepted that answer fine...and accepted my app a few weeks later.

As people said above, an MD letter is just fine, though a DO letter would be an extra bonus point. If you do get an MD rec, as was said above I'd find some way to be able to talk about osteopathic experience in interview settings.

 

[WSUCougar2012]

Thanks AlbertCPham! I'll definitely look into him. Congrats on graduating!

The more I know about the DO profession, the better.

For those of you who shadowed DOs and MDs, was the difference clear?

 

[RySerr21]

Thanks AlbertCPham! I'll definitely look into him. Congrats on graduating!

The more I know about the DO profession, the better.

For those of you who shadowed DOs and MDs, was the difference clear?

if you shadowed 100 doctors...50 were DOs and 50 were MDs....there is no way you would be able to pick out which ones were MDs and which ones were DOs.

this is assuming that none of the DOs practice OMM (in the real world most do not).

i shadowed a DO orthopedic surgeon who was in pratice with an MD orthopedic surgeon...i interacted with both although shadowed the DO during patient visits....there was absolutely no difference.

what differences were you looking for???

 

[DrMidlife]

For those of you who shadowed DOs and MDs, was the difference clear?

Yeah, the DO shadowing opportunities were easier to find, and the DOs put more effort into answering questions and being available for letters/calls/etc. I shadowed 2 DOs and 3 MDs, and each was well worth it. And I'm a big fat know-it-all over-40-year-old.

Don't forget to look in Moscow and your other surroundings. It's worth driving to Walla Walla or Spokane for a day's shadowing. When you search for a mentor just look at the state - don't do any other filtering.

 

[MossPoh]

I think it would be difficult to fault you. It isn't as if you didn't try. If your town really does lack a DO and where you go to school lacks DOs then it is perfectly legit. Oddly ehough, I have the opposite problem of you. ALL of my letters are DOs and I have to find an MD. (I did shadow a few, but I want a strong letter). I think you'll be fine. Its better to have solid letters from people that know you over half assed letters from people that don't.

 

[ATrain]

I know that UNECOM, without requiring it, "highly recommends" a letter from a DO

 

[endocardium]

The last thing I want for them to think is that I am a MD applicant, but using DO schools as a sort of fall back option.

Well, are you using osteopathic medical schools as a sort of fall back option? So, let's frame it this way: let's say that you are applying to both types of programs, MD and DO; if you received only two acceptances, one from a pretty solid osteopathic program, say MSU, and an allopathic one that isn't necessarily one of your top choices, say OHSU, which one would you pick and why? I'm not looking for answer here, exactly. Just think about it and know why you would attend choose to attend a given school and why you would choose DO. By the way, an osteopathic medical school actually asked me a similar question during an interview.

 

[WSUCougar2012]

I think I'd choose MSU.

Why would you say OHSU at an osteopathic medical school's interview??

 

[jimboapu]

I think I'd choose MSU.

Why would you say OHSU at an osteopathic medical school's interview??

man, MSU is effin expensive for us out of staters. I was gonna apply there but its not worth it to me..you gonna apply to the new school in yakima? its pretty close to Pullman right? im reppin the WA too my friend, wish UW wasn't so hard to get into

 

[WSUCougar2012]

Pacific Northwest University?

I think I will..I still have this opinion that it's one of those colleges that advertise with commercials and stuff, but it'll build a good reputation.

UW interviews 1/5 in-staters and accepts 1/10..at least that's why my pre-med advising department tells me.

 

[deleted212936]

i disagree. i used an MD letter of rec for all my DO schools, including those that ask for one from a DO, there wasn't a problem and still got a lot of DO interviews. the schools just want to know that u r capable of working in a physician setting and enjoy being with patients.

REALLY?????
It's so good to know since it's SO hard to find a D.O. in my area, too!

 

[Dissected]

REALLY?????
It's so good to know since it's SO hard to find a D.O. in my area, too!

I only had an MD letter too (my DO shadowing was a family member, kind of a problem for LOR's). MD is fine, the most important thing is the quality of the letter. Unless of course, the school requires a DO letter.

 

[RySerr21]

i disagree. i used an MD letter of rec for all my DO schools, including those that ask for one from a DO, there wasn't a problem and still got a lot of DO interviews. the schools just want to know that u r capable of working in a physician setting and enjoy being with patients.

😕 I'm confused about what you disagree with. We have the same opinion.

 

[hopeanddream88]

i am really interested in shadowing a MD or DO. i am just unsure of how i should go about it. i have a list of phone numbers of doctors in a hospital nearby. should i just call them and ask them if i can shadow them?

 

[Dissected]

i am really interested in shadowing a MD or DO. i am just unsure of how i should go about it. i have a list of phone numbers of doctors in a hospital nearby. should i just call them and ask them if i can shadow them?

DO: Mentor Program

MD: Find Docs and email/call them

If you are persistent enough you will eventually find something. You've just gotta put yourself out there!!

 

[Unis]

Wow, thank you for posting that link DoktorB! I also have wondered how in the heck I can find someone to shadow and maybe now I can find someone. That's great, thanks again!!!