Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat Mother
Would it look bad if I claim my interest in primary care (which is true) in my essay but I haven't shadowed a pcp yet? I've shadowed more specialized docs at hospitals... currently talking to a number of family practice offices, hopefully somebody will let me, but I don't want to wait until that happens to submit my app.
(This is rural Indiana by the way - I've been trying to shadow since last year, and when I called the local hospital, they said "we don't let anybody come shadow unless they are IN MEDICAL SCHOOL now." They are very busy and always understaffed. Office-based docs are in shortage as well and they've been telling me they are too overwhelmed to accommodate a student now, "wait till around September and we'll have something for you."
I started working as a tech at the hospital, which opened some doors for me and let me shadow a couple specialized docs recently.)
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It wouldn't look
bad, but it might look insincere without a demonstrated interest in primary care, either through shadowing or volunteer work with a community hospital. You should definitely get some experience in a primary care setting (not necessarily physician shadowing) to demonstrate your interest before expounding on it in your personal statement.