3 hour drive for shadow worth it?

[shffl]

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Basically I found an opportunity to shadow a prestigious cardiovascular surgeon for a week but it's 3 hours away o-o I have gift cards for free lodging somewhere around there. Right now the thought of a 3 hour drive is making me 🙁 and I am not sure if it's worth it (mainly because I am pretty sure I can find physicians to shadow that is less than an hour away even though I have failed to locate any around my area so far). Worth it?

 

[wlee43]

3 hours one way? Def. not worth it especially for shadowing

 

[Rustifer]

If you think you can find physicians closer to home then perhaps not. I don't know when you are applying to med schools, but if you still have a couple years to go then I wouldn't waste my time (or money).

Shadowing experience is nice to have, but is is hardly the "end all, be all" of med school requirements.

 

[shffl]

Shadowing experience is nice to have, but is is hardly the "end all, be all" of med school requirements.

That's kinda my mentality towards it as well. I am actually going to be applying to SMPs this application cycle instead.

 

[PJ meowerton]

Basically I found an opportunity to shadow a prestigious cardiovascular surgeon for a week but it's 3 hours away o-o I have gift cards for free lodging somewhere around there. Right now the thought of a 3 hour drive is making me 🙁 and I am not sure if it's worth it (mainly because I am pretty sure I can find physicians to shadow that is less than an hour away even though I have failed to locate any around my area so far). Worth it?

It might be worth it if you think the doc would write you a letter, especially if he is well known.

 

[Kevin Baker]

Absolutely not worth it. Shadowing is more of a thing ADCOMS mark off on a checklist. You don't need some prestigious person. Maybe, if he was prestigious and an alum of your top choice school, and would write you a letter, I'd do it, but I bet there is a physician near you, MD or DO. Worst case, just get their business addresses and cold call / cold message them.

 

[DaisyBuchanan]

Bah humbug, kids nowadays. In my day, pre-meds walked ten miles through snow, uphill both ways, carrying a 50-lb sack of potatoes on our backs in order to get any shadowing experience, and we were happy about it.

Just kidding, definitely not worth it.

 

[jvesco22]

brb leaving California to go shadow a family care doc in Las Vegas...lol

If you have to ask...lolwut

 

[MeowMeowCAT]

If you think it will be really worth it and is just for a week, just stay at a motel nearby.

 

[gettheleadout]

Unless he's personally known you for an extended period of time, and you are sure that he'll write you some amazing, intimate letter, then its not worth having one from him anyway. In any case, don't drive 3 hours away to rack up a single specialty on your shadowing list.

 

[cbrons]

Basically I found an opportunity to shadow a prestigious cardiovascular surgeon for a week but it's 3 hours away o-o I have gift cards for free lodging somewhere around there. Right now the thought of a 3 hour drive is making me 🙁 and I am not sure if it's worth it (mainly because I am pretty sure I can find physicians to shadow that is less than an hour away even though I have failed to locate any around my area so far). Worth it?

You decide whether it is worth the $

 

[Wakesc]

Worst case, just get their business addresses and cold call / cold message them.

Thats what I did and it worked great, actually the best shadowing gig I've gotten yet without the aid of anyone. I called up a ton of clinics/doctors asking if they needed a volunteer and got a call back letting me shadow. Good luck

 

[KTownGT]

brb leaving California to go shadow a family care doc in Las Vegas...lol

If you have to ask...lolwut

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I am on the side of if the guy is going to write you some amazing letter about how he thinks you're the best candidate ever, do it... If you're not sure if the guy will write you a letter, then maybe not...