Worst Case Scenario: Shadowed a D.O. but cannot get a LoR

[D.O.YourBest!]

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I shadowed a D.O. for ~20 hrs at the beginning of July, and asked for a LoR at the end of my experience. He said he had no problem writing me one, so I thought I was all set. However, I e-mailed him (both a "Thank You" message and an AACOMAs Letter Request Form) about two weeks ago and have not heard any confirmation that he had received both. I recently re-emailed him again and still no response. I do not want to over-pester him, as I know a doctor's schedule can be very busy. Though if I wait too long, it is possible that the letter may not be as strong and could delay my application's review if the letter remains pending in AACOMAs. None of the schools I applied to require shadowing and a LoR from a D.O., but all STRONGLY RECOMMEND it.

Worst Case Scenario: If offered an interview at these schools and asked the question, "Why did you shadow a D.O., but lack a LoR?", how should I respond? I do not want to come off as lazy, uncaring, and uninterested, as I sincerely tried. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help!!

 

[deleted103644]

People get LoRs from someone they shadow?

Does this person actually know anything about you?

 

[D.O.YourBest!]

People get LoRs from someone they shadow?

Does this person actually know anything about you?

Yes, this is strange to me too, but supposedly this is quite a common thing requested by D.O. schools...
I get what you mean, but the D.O. did tell me straight up that he could write a positive one for me. Though maybe the lack of response is actually a soft let down :/ ?

 

[deleted103644]

Yes, this is strange to me too, but supposedly this is quite a common thing requested by D.O. schools...
I get what you mean, but the D.O. did tell me straight up that he could write a positive one for me. Though maybe the lack of response is actually a soft let down :/ ?

People are people and writing a LoR is sometimes a painful thing to do. Occasionally people will even ask you to write one yourself.

How long ago did you first ask? Is it possible he’s on vacation, in the hospital, etc? Realize he has other priorities in life and you’re probably not at the top of you just shadowed him.

It’s only been two weeks. If you really needed this, you should have requested at the end of your shadowing.

Don’t annoy him, if he responses and says says he hasn’t had time offer to write a draft for him, etc.

Definitely don’t let this delay your application. If asked (which I can’t believe they would), I would just volunteer that you asked and he offered, but still waiting for the letter and they can contact him as a reference if needed.

Yet another reason not to go DO....

 

[cantankerous]

As long as you're polite, there's nothing wrong with sending emails every couple days or calls to his office. He'll be annoyed, but if he promised a letter, he will write one. It's on you, not him, to get the letter, so you need to do everything you can. Send him a bullet point list to write about or a draft of a LOR to make it easier.

 

[Goro]

I shadowed a D.O. for ~20 hrs at the beginning of July, and asked for a LoR at the end of my experience. He said he had no problem writing me one, so I thought I was all set. However, I e-mailed him (both a "Thank You" message and an AACOMAs Letter Request Form) about two weeks ago and have not heard any confirmation that he had received both. I recently re-emailed him again and still no response. I do not want to over-pester him, as I know a doctor's schedule can be very busy. Though if I wait too long, it is possible that the letter may not be as strong and could delay my application's review if the letter remains pending in AACOMAs. None of the schools I applied to require shadowing and a LoR from a D.O., but all STRONGLY RECOMMEND it.

Worst Case Scenario: If offered an interview at these schools and asked the question, "Why did you shadow a D.O., but lack a LoR?", how should I respond? I do not want to come off as lazy, uncaring, and uninterested, as I sincerely tried. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help!!

Chill. It happens. Just use an LOR from another doctor.

Just tell the truth if asked about this.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Go to them in person. Write your own good letter. There's a good chance they'd just sign it and upload it right there

 

[gensurghopeful]

People get LoRs from someone they shadow?

Does this person actually know anything about you?

Lol - I got letters from class prof's simply for 4.0 them...

Aside from that, yes if you properly shadow a doctor and engage in multiple talks with them through out weeks of shadowing (when not in patient rooms), they should def know something about you... otherwise that's on you

 

[Magus5454]

Lol - I got letters from class prof's simply for 4.0 them...

Aside from that, yes if you properly shadow a doctor and engage in multiple talks with them through out weeks of shadowing (when not in patient rooms), they should def know something about you... otherwise that's on you

The DO I shadowed pulled me into his office to talk in between patients, whatever he put in his letter worked

 

[BostonGeorge]

If you shadowed someone for 20 hours it's going to be a generic letter anyways. I don't think it's going to help you as much as you think.

 

[Magus5454]

If you shadowed someone for 20 hours it's going to be a generic letter anyways. I don't think it's going to help you as much as you think.

It doesn't matter, some schools require a physician letter, some schools require a DO letter specifically.

 

[Robin-jay]

People get LoRs from someone they shadow?

Does this person actually know anything about you?

Required for 80% of DO schools, preferred at 100% of them.

 

[BostonGeorge]

Required for 80% of DO schools, preferred at 100% of them.

Not sure exactly what you mean but most schools do not require a DO letter. Yes you need a physician letter, I just assumed that most people would get that from a more in depth experience than 20 hours of shadowing, but if that's all you have then I guess you have to roll with it. Obviously most will say they prefer a DO letter but if you have exposure to osteopathic medicine and can speak intelligently about it then it likely won't matter.

The only one's that specifically require a DO letter are Lake Erie, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pikeville, Edward Via, and West Virginia.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Not sure exactly what you mean but most schools do not require a DO letter. Yes you need a physician letter, I just assumed that most people would get that from a more in depth experience than 20 hours of shadowing, but if that's all you have then I guess you have to roll with it. Obviously most will say they prefer a DO letter but if you have exposure to osteopathic medicine and can speak intelligently about it then it likely won't matter.

The only one's that specifically require a DO letter are Lake Erie, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pikeville, Edward Via, and West Virginia.

Lol are you even an OMS? The first time I applied osteo, I didn’t have a single DO letter. And you want to know what happened? Rejected without a freaking secondary. Forget not getting an interview

 

[BostonGeorge]

Rejected without a freaking secondary.

Maybe your app wasn't very strong though. Getting a junk letter to check a box is not nearly as good as getting a strong letter from someone who knows you even if they are MD. However if the school you're applying to requires a DO letter then try to get the DO letter.

Edit: I should mention I've received every DO secondary I've applied to before my committee packet with my letters has been uploaded. Therefore a pre secondary rejection was almost certainly not because of letters.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Maybe your app wasn't very strong though. Getting a junk letter to check a box is not nearly as good as getting a strong letter from someone who knows you even if they are MD. However if the school you're applying to requires a DO letter then try to get the DO letter.

I agree. But DO schools still prefer DO letters over MD’s. How else will they know you “appreciate the DO philosophy?” A philosophy that nearly every physician school has adopted....but that’s a discussion for another day

 

[BostonGeorge]

I agree. But DO schools still prefer DO letters over MD’s. How else will they know you “appreciate the DO philosophy?” A philosophy that nearly every physician school has adopted....but that’s a discussion for another day

Because you can say insightful things in your secondary about times when you worked with osteopathic physicians and their patients and what you appreciate about the philosophy. I could've gotten DO letters but my strongest letters weren't from DOs so I chose not to get those. If your best letters were from DOs then by all means get those. Any school is going to prefer a strong letter to a random letter, that's why it says preferred. If they simply wanted to see the DO initials signed at the bottom then they would say required.

 

[xnnsx1]

Yeah I won't have a DO letter either. Yall are making me nervous

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Because you can say insightful things in your secondary about times when you worked with osteopathic physicians and their patients and what you appreciate about the philosophy. I could've gotten DO letters but my strongest letters weren't from DOs so I chose not to get those. If your best letters were from DOs then by all means get those. Any school is going to prefer a strong letter to a random letter, that's why it says preferred. If they simply wanted to see the DO initials signed at the bottom then they would say required.

I feel like we’re the blind leading the blind How about we continue this discussion later on in the cycle. If you get in, I will gladly retract my statement

 

[xnnsx1]

I feel like we’re the blind leading the blind How about we continue this discussion later on in the cycle. If you get in, I will gladly retract my statement

Guess I will have to scramble to find a DO letter...

 

[deleted103644]

Required for 80% of DO schools, preferred at 100% of them.

Oh, is this part of the whole making sure you’re actually buying into the philosophy of osteopathy bologna?

 

[Magus5454]

Not sure exactly what you mean but most schools do not require a DO letter. Yes you need a physician letter, I just assumed that most people would get that from a more in depth experience than 20 hours of shadowing, but if that's all you have then I guess you have to roll with it. Obviously most will say they prefer a DO letter but if you have exposure to osteopathic medicine and can speak intelligently about it then it likely won't matter.

The only one's that specifically require a DO letter are Lake Erie, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pikeville, Edward Via, and West Virginia.

You missed some.

 

[Robin-jay]

Oh, is this part of the whole making sure you’re actually buying into the philosophy of osteopathy bologna?

You must be fun at parties.

 

[SergeantBuzzKill]

The only one's that specifically require a DO letter are Lake Erie, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pikeville, Edward Via, and West Virginia.

Oklahoma lifted their requirement for a DO letter, but they say it’s still preferred (now just require physician letter). So I guess that’s good news for OP

How To Apply - Oklahoma State University

 

[Robin-jay]

The only one's that specifically require a DO letter are Lake Erie, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pikeville, Edward Via, and West Virginia.

Oklahoma lifted their requirement for a DO letter, but they say it’s still preferred (now just require physician letter). So I guess that’s good news for OP

preferred in this case means really preferred.

A DO letter will do wonders for OP's application. I'd advise finding another physician to shadow.

I can't tell you how many schools talked about shadowing experiences under a DO. Also, your interviewers ask you questions regarding DO shadowing too. It's safer to just have the letter.

 

[D.O.YourBest!]

Thanks for your input, everyone. I've decided to just give it another go and call the office in a couple days to see if he will respond. Today I received my first II of the cycle, so it is possible to get to this stage without a D.O. rec, but with an overall solid application. Though I've heard that having one definitely helps!

 

[RNtoMD87]

I don't understand the point of a school wanting a LOR from someone you shadow. How do they know about your performance if all you do is ask questions and watch?

 

[Magus5454]

I don't understand the point of a school wanting a LOR from someone you shadow. How do they know about your performance if all you do is ask questions and watch?

It's not necessarily from a doctor you shadow. For me that was the in to talk to the doctor between patients

 

[Medic741]

I shadowed a D.O. for ~20 hrs at the beginning of July, and asked for a LoR at the end of my experience. He said he had no problem writing me one, so I thought I was all set. However, I e-mailed him (both a "Thank You" message and an AACOMAs Letter Request Form) about two weeks ago and have not heard any confirmation that he had received both. I recently re-emailed him again and still no response. I do not want to over-pester him, as I know a doctor's schedule can be very busy. Though if I wait too long, it is possible that the letter may not be as strong and could delay my application's review if the letter remains pending in AACOMAs. None of the schools I applied to require shadowing and a LoR from a D.O., but all STRONGLY RECOMMEND it.

Worst Case Scenario: If offered an interview at these schools and asked the question, "Why did you shadow a D.O., but lack a LoR?", how should I respond? I do not want to come off as lazy, uncaring, and uninterested, as I sincerely tried. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help!!

Got multiple accepts wo DO LOR

 

[Robin-jay]

Got multiple accepts wo DO LOR

Can be done with high enough stats. But you were at a disadvantage all other things being equal.

 

[BurntFlower]

Worst case scenario, if you are unable to get a DO or MD letter, apply to the schools that don't need one as a requirement. I applied to DO schools without a physician letter and got two interviews and one acceptance. It’s not ideal, but it is doable.

 

[tsmleague]

Worst case scenario, if you are unable to get a DO or MD letter, apply to the schools that don't need one as a requirement. I applied to DO schools without a physician letter and got two interviews and one acceptance. It’s not ideal, but it is doable.

What school is that?

 

[D.O.YourBest!]

Happy to say that, after a few more e-mails and two phone calls, I received confirmation that the D.O. letter was sent in today ! Good luck to all during the 2018-2019 application cycle!