Length of Shadowing

dmission · Mar 10, 2011

Hi,

I'm currently scheduled to shadow a physician for about 4 hours per day for a 5 days. My question is, is this sufficient time to discuss it during things like interviews, or enough time to make his LoR actually worth something? I feel like I'd be able to get a good idea of his job over this amount of time, but I'm not sure how schools will look at it.

Thank you for any input.

slatermd · Mar 10, 2011

Here is a response from an adcom member on this site:

LizzyM said:
I generally feel good about 24-40 hours of shadowing mixed among a few different specialties and lack of shadowing isn't a deal breaker as long as the applicant has had some opportunity to see doctors in action either while doing volunteer work or while employed in a setting alongside docs.

LizzyM

TexasPhysician · Mar 10, 2011

Aim for more

StudyShy · Mar 10, 2011

I'm shooting for 50-100 even though I work at the same desk as the ER docs. I'm looking at is as an opportunity to see what others do.

It's easy time.

seelee · Mar 10, 2011

I think that it is about enough to get an idea about that specialty. But if it is the bulk of your clinical experience then you need to beef it up some more.

Doctor246853 · Mar 10, 2011

dmission said:
Hi,

I'm currently scheduled to shadow a physician for about 4 hours per day for a 5 days. My question is, is this sufficient time to discuss it during things like interviews, or enough time to make his LoR actually worth something? I feel like I'd be able to get a good idea of his job over this amount of time, but I'm not sure how schools will look at it.

Thank you for any input.

Thats great. A lot of premeds cant even get that. If you can get more plus different specialties the better.👍

northpenn · Mar 10, 2011

I found it to be much better when you shadowed a physician for an entire day for a stretch of 2 or 3 days. That way you can get a much better idea of the workload and what is expected of you.

Barcu · Mar 10, 2011

dmission said:
Hi,

I'm currently scheduled to shadow a physician for about 4 hours per day for a 5 days. My question is, is this sufficient time to discuss it during things like interviews, or enough time to make his LoR actually worth something? I feel like I'd be able to get a good idea of his job over this amount of time, but I'm not sure how schools will look at it.

Thank you for any input.

You can discuss it if something meaningful happens or it changes your perceptions of medicine. And I think 20 hours can actually do that. It's not going to make you an expert on the medical profession, but you don't have to be one. You should have a couple good specific stories come up in that time.

I don't think it's too short for one doc. Again, you want to try and shadow a few different specialties, and too many hours with one doc certainly has diminishing returns (though still valuable if you enjoy it and have the time).

It's probably too short for a rec. Many people don't get a rec from an MD. It's not really necessary. And to be honest, I can't imagine a good LOR from someone you only shadowed. I mean, all you do is watch and maybe ask some questions. I doubt that MD to write a better letter than a volunteer coordinator or a professor or other person you have actually done something for.

northpenn · Mar 10, 2011

Oh yeah and that is way to short of a time to ask for a LOR

dmission · Mar 12, 2011

Thank you for the replies. I only ask about the LoR because I spoke with an admissions member, and they told me the shadowing experience is frowned upon by them if you don't come out with a LoR. They said "... all you had to do was show up on time and be professional... so you'd better have a LoR."
So if I want a LoR, more time there, then?

BiopsychStudent · Mar 12, 2011

dmission said:
Thank you for the replies. I only ask about the LoR because I spoke with an admissions member, and they told me the shadowing experience is frowned upon by them if you don't come out with a LoR. They said "... all you had to do was show up on time and be professional... so you'd better have a LoR."
So if I want a LoR, more time there, then?

That strikes me as very odd. They want an LOR saying you showed up and looked professional? I always had the impression letters of recommendation were to attest to your personal talents and virtues: Something a professor, supervisor, PI, volunteer coordinator, etc. could better speak of.

blp11 · Mar 12, 2011

dmission said:
Thank you for the replies. I only ask about the LoR because I spoke with an admissions member, and they told me the shadowing experience is frowned upon by them if you don't come out with a LoR. They said "... all you had to do was show up on time and be professional... so you'd better have a LoR."
So if I want a LoR, more time there, then?

That's weird... I remember reading on a med school's FAQ that they preferred NOT to receive LORs from doctors you shadowed because of that same reason, that you just had to "show up on time and be professional." Those letters tended to be all positive and not really go in depth about your work ethic, strengths, etc. that a professor or supervisor may be able to talk about.

classydingo · Mar 12, 2011

dmission said:
Thank you for the replies. I only ask about the LoR because I spoke with an admissions member, and they told me the shadowing experience is frowned upon by them if you don't come out with a LoR. They said "... all you had to do was show up on time and be professional... so you'd better have a LoR."
So if I want a LoR, more time there, then?

The frequent adcom contributor here, LizzyM, has called shadowing letters pretty much worthless. Clearly, you got a different opinion from whoever you talked to. If all the letter is going to say is that you are on time and professional (which is pretty much all a shadowing letter could say regardless of amount of time shadowing), I think 5 occasions of shadowing is probably enough for the doc to say that.

skiing · Mar 12, 2011

As far as getting t oknow the doc, what I did was at the end of my last shadowing session I asked the doc if I could ask him some more questions sometime about his job and career. We squeezed in time for coffee during a less busy time of his day. It was a great way to hear his version of the inside story about what it's like to go to med school and practice. It's also a great way for him to learn about you. Not sure if this would make things enough for a rec, but it's a nice start, and at least informative. He actually said he enjoyed talking to me - it was a nice break in his day and a good time for him to relax. So it can be a positive experience for the other side too. Also if you keep in touch over email with regular updates they can become kinda like a mentor.

Length of Shadowing

dmission

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slatermd

Albert Clifford

TexasPhysician

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StudyShy

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seelee

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Doctor246853

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northpenn

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Barcu

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northpenn

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dmission

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BiopsychStudent

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blp11

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classydingo

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skiing

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