Where the heck do I find a DO?

[doit4themunki]

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How did you all find DO people to shadow? I want to shadow a DO to understand the difference between MD and see if this is what I want to do etc...hopefully obtain a rec letter at the end...but I have no connections to any DO's or even know where to start looking for one to shadow...any advice?

 

[mmikey]

How did you all find DO people to shadow? I want to shadow a DO to understand the difference between MD and see if this is what I want to do etc...hopefully obtain a rec letter at the end...but I have no connections to any DO's or even know where to start looking for one to shadow...any advice?

The beginning....
http://www.aacom.org/Pages/default.aspx

 

[doit4themunki]

Thanks! I've actually looked through that quite a bit--I guess I'm mostly asking am I just supposed to randomly approach some DO and be like hey can I follow you around even though I don't know you...

 

[mmikey]

Thanks! I've actually looked through that quite a bit--I guess I'm mostly asking am I just supposed to randomly approach some DO and be like hey can I follow you around even though I don't know you...

I wrote a letter, a mini CV if you would, explaining my interest in medicine and DOs and personalized it to each doctor's specialty and faxed or mailed it to them. I received two bites out of ten! There should be a listing of mentors somewhere on the site that lists DOs who are more responsive..

 

[doit4themunki]

Gah! Thanks so much.

 

[Mzeep]

You can try this site too, I haven't used it personally but I know some people around here have, Gluck!

http://www.do-online.org/iLearn/index.cfm?pageid=ment_exchange

 

[seap3]

I agree that it is really hard to find DOs to shadow.

I tried the mentor site, but never heard anything back. I then tried my state osteopathic assn and got contact info for a DO. I had to email him twice before he responded, but I did finally get to shadow him for a day. I've been trying to add more time, but he's really busy and I have full time clinicals for school, so it's been really hard. Every time I have off this summer he is also either on vacation or it's a bad week to have a student with. Hopefully he'll still give me a letter.

I just emailed a couple more DO's at our hospital an hour ago and actually got a response from a FP DO already. He said I could meet with him next week. I'm excited for this because I think he might actually be able to tell me more about OMM.

There weren't actually any email contacts given though, so I guessed. Many hospitals use the same pattern for emails, so find out what it is and then try just emailing DOs. Ours uses a first initial last name format, and it worked. Also, it may help if you email them from your school account. I'm sure they are more likely to open the email if it's from an edu than from some random hotmail acct.

Anyway, good luck. I understand how frustrating it can be to find a DO.

 

[Hextra]

Come on guys... google 101

http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=findado_main

Call around, send emails. You'll get bites if you're persistent.

 

[kdhmed]

Here's what I did: Osteopathic.org and click "Find a DO." I picked specialties I was interested in, called, and said "Hi, my name is _______, I'm a student at _________, and I was wondering if the doctor there allows shadowing?

May take 10-20 calls but I guarantee you will have luck!