would it be a bad idea to send a DO letter to an MD school?

[eyesfeeltired]

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I shadowing an ER DO and he wrote me a letter of recommendation. Should I use his letter?

 

[partypantss]

I shadowing an ER DO and he wrote me a letter of recommendation. Should I use his letter?

Yes, of course.. I'm sure you've gotten letters from professors who aren't MD's either. A doctor is a great person to have a letter from.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Yes, of course.. I'm sure you've gotten letters from professors who aren't MD's either. A doctor is a great person to have a letter from.

If we are talking about doctor's you shadowed and not one you did research with this is completely false.

MD's with few exceptions don't want letters from doc's you shadowed; MD or DO. DO's like that letter and it can be an MD instead of DO in some cases.

 

[DreamingDoc]

If we are talking about doctor's you shadowed and not one you did research with this is completely false.

MD's with few exceptions don't want letters from doc's you shadowed; MD or DO. DO's like that letter and it can be an MD instead of DO in some cases.

Not sure this is true. Physician (MD or DO) LORs can show you have some type of clinical experience, and most schools like this. Just make sure you look at each school's letter requirements, and meet those guidelines first. If they don't mention a physician letter, it can be added as an extra if you really feel like it will give you an extra boost.

 

[gyngyn]

Not sure this is true. Physician (MD or DO) LORs can show you have some type of clinical experience, and most schools like this. Just make sure you look at each school's letter requirements, and meet those guidelines first. If they don't mention a physician letter, it can be added as an extra if you really feel like it will give you an extra boost.

A physician you shadowed is not going to provide useful information.
The nature of successful shadowing requires that you not become involved in the interactions.
I understand that DO schools value these letters but I can assure you that they are complete fluff at MD schools.
If you are limited in the number of letters you can send, do not waste one on a physician letter to an MD school.

 

[Cotterpin]

@gyngyn But letters from doctors we did clinical research with would be useful to MD schools, right?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Not sure this is true. Physician (MD or DO) LORs can show you have some type of clinical experience, and most schools like this. Just make sure you look at each school's letter requirements, and meet those guidelines first. If they don't mention a physician letter, it can be added as an extra if you really feel like it will give you an extra boost.

None of this is true. Gyngyn elaborates on it very well why

 

[Inventor of Post-Its]

Not sure this is true. Physician (MD or DO) LORs can show you have some type of clinical experience, and most schools like this. Just make sure you look at each school's letter requirements, and meet those guidelines first. If they don't mention a physician letter, it can be added as an extra if you really feel like it will give you an extra boost.

Your "Activities" page shows how much clinical experience you have. If the point of the entire letter can be accomplished just by putting that doctor as the contact person for the activity entry, then it's not a useful part of your application.

 

[eyesfeeltired]

rosland frankilin "If you choose to submit three individual letters, we prefer (but do not require) at least one recommendation to come from a medical professional (not necessarily an MD) with whom you have worked."

I have a DO letter so far, but not sure if it is tailored towards osteopathic medicine.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn But letters from doctors we did clinical research with would be useful to MD schools, right?

If you have significant research with a PI who happens to be a physician, a letter is expected, just as if it were a PhD..

This is entirely different from a shadowing letter that warmly details how quietly you watched and never caused any trouble.

 

[eyesfeeltired]

A physician you shadowed is not going to provide useful information.
The nature of successful shadowing requires that you not become involved in the interactions.
I understand that DO schools value these letters but I can assure you that they are complete fluff at MD schools.
If you are limited in the number of letters you can send, do not waste one on a physician letter to an MD school.

i have 5 letters including one from a DO physician. I have met all he requirements without a physician. I am afraid it will hurt me if i dont have a physician letter

 

[gyngyn]

rosland frankilin "If you choose to submit three individual letters, we prefer (but do not require) at least one recommendation to come from a medical professional (not necessarily an MD) with whom you have worked."
.

Utah and AZ like "clinical letters" as well.

This is different from a gratuitous letter from someone you shadowed, though.
These shadowing letters are universally pleasantly positive and thus entirely useless. It's not surprising really. Physicians are supposed to be kind to others and try to be helpful. Combine that with the fact that so many of them are friends of the family or sometimes the applicants own physician. The blandly uniform positivity is easily understandable.

 

[gyngyn]

i have 5 letters including one from a DO physician. I have met all he requirements without a physician. I am afraid it will hurt me if i dont have a physician letter

Not at all.