Submitting Early without a DO recc letter

[cmossop]

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Hi everybody! I have a question regarding submitting my AACOMAS application. I want to submit my application as soon as possible but I have not shadowed a DO yet. The only DO in the area of my university turned me down for a shadowing opportunity so I have to wait until late May/early June before I can hopefully find a DO at home to shadow (in Philadelphia). Would it be OK to submit my primary application now and hope that the timing of my secondaries should have allowed me to shadow a DO enough to get a recc letter? I know that I can apply without a letter from a DO but I know it does help a lot in your favor if you have one. Any help/insight on this issue is much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[lktm831]

i turned in my apps and had all my letters turned in by like november and my DO letter didn't get sent in til late Feb/early March b/c of some complications and the letter being lost in the mail when the DO sent it to the LOR file service at my undergrad.

i still managed to get 3 interviews... however i did also miss a few deadlines and wasn't that competitive of an applicant that late in the cycle.

if u start shadowin in like june and get a letter by the end of summer, things should be fine i think.

but what do i kno.. i've been waitlisted @ 2 of those schools and waiting for my 3rd school to reply.

GL 👍

 

[Slitherin]

So there is only one DO in your area? I would try to find another one otherwise shadow a MD now and then a DO later. If you can only manage a few hours with a DO this summer put in 10-20 hours with a MD in the meantime. I reccomend primary care since that is the emphasis of most osteo schools. Besides keep in mind that you are mainly learning about the scope of the work of a physician, in practice I think there is little difference between MD an DO.

 

[dr.z]

I never got a DO letter, and I didn't shadow them either. I had letters from MDs whom I was doing research. Some schools don't require letters from DO so double check with your schools, but I know that it does help and will give you wider range of schools to apply to.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Hi everybody! I have a question regarding submitting my AACOMAS application. I want to submit my application as soon as possible but I have not shadowed a DO yet. The only DO in the area of my university turned me down for a shadowing opportunity so I have to wait until late May/early June before I can hopefully find a DO at home to shadow (in Philadelphia). Would it be OK to submit my primary application now and hope that the timing of my secondaries should have allowed me to shadow a DO enough to get a recc letter? I know that I can apply without a letter from a DO but I know it does help a lot in your favor if you have one. Any help/insight on this issue is much appreciated! Thanks!

The DO letter need not be sent with your primary application. It can be sent with your secondary application or even later.

Some schools require a DO letter, and may hold your application until they recieve it. Others won't care.

 

[bmwrob]

Hi everybody! I have a question regarding submitting my AACOMAS application. I want to submit my application as soon as possible but I have not shadowed a DO yet. The only DO in the area of my university turned me down for a shadowing opportunity so I have to wait until late May/early June before I can hopefully find a DO at home to shadow (in Philadelphia). Would it be OK to submit my primary application now and hope that the timing of my secondaries should have allowed me to shadow a DO enough to get a recc letter? I know that I can apply without a letter from a DO but I know it does help a lot in your favor if you have one. Any help/insight on this issue is much appreciated! Thanks!

Plus, you also have to remember that it takes AACOMAS 4-6 weeks to process your application once they receive all of your transcripts. So, you would still have at least 6 weeks and probably more like 8 weeks between the time you submit your primary app. to the time that you would be getting secondaries.