Shadowing - best way to ask?

[700003]

I'm trying to find some private clinics that will allow me to shadow. Would it be okay to call the office and ask them if they allow students to shadow or is it better to go to the clinic and ask in person?

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[dr.sartorius]

I'm trying to find some private clinics that will allow me to shadow. Would it be okay to call the office and ask them if they allow students to shadow or is it better to go to the clinic and ask in person?

I would call first.

 

[FutureOncologist]

From personal experience I would start out volunteering at a hospital/clinic.

1. The volunteer coordinator, assuming this isn't a new project, knows which doctors, PAs, NPs, etc. that are very nice to volunteers that will let you shadow
2. If the coordinator doesn't, then you will meet doctors where you volunteer. Be friendly, make a conversation, then ask. This works great if you see him/her again and again in the hospital/clinic.
3. Tell the volunteer coordinator that you are looking for surgical hours. Usually they can put you in to a few during the duration of your time of volunteering (this usually means that you have to come in a morning that you don't usually come into the hospital.)

 

[NTheo91]

To add to above, you can contact some medical schools for alumni that indicated they would be willing to allow pre-meds to shadow them.

 

[DodoBird8]

For physicians I had no connection to, I just emailed and called. Going in person might be a waste of time because they could just say no.

 

[RaidenXVC]

I've tried cold calling random physicians and their offices and it has never worked, so here's my method that I have found works more often than not.

1. Call a clinic affiliated with a teaching hospital in whatever specialty you are interested in shadowing. This is an important note, many places in my area have policies against pre-meds shadowing them.
2. When the secretary answers the phone immediately say "may I please speak with your manager". If the manager is not in for whatever reason offer to call back, don't let the secretary take a message. Don't say anything more than that; you don't owe her an explanation as to why you are calling anyway. If you do tell the secretary that you are trying to shadow someone I guarantee you that she will send her manager a quick email about it, and her manager will give you a prompt NO. She will say no regardless of if they allow people to shadow the doctors there because it is much faster/easier for her to do so than to spend five minutes writing an email asking one of the doctors if he will allow a student for the day.
3. When you start talking to the manager in person that is the time to introduce yourself. Try to keep it brief, but be cordial. It is much, much harder for her to say no on the phone, especially if you present yourself well.

Volla, with a little practice you will have no trouble landing your next shadowing experience.

 

[FutureMD129]

I prefer to make in person contact because the staff sees that I'm serious about shadowing and there's no "we never got the call/email/letter" excuse. When I give the staff person my business card, I tell him/her that I will follow up in two weeks if I do not hear from someone.