About to shadow...how should I approach this?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

DOwnage

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
189
Reaction score
0
Anybody who has shadowing experience wanna give any advice for a fellow pre-DO that is about to shadow an attending DO?

What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?

How should I dress?

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?

To people who have shadowed before: are there any things that you may have not done but wish you had during your shadowing experience?
Thanks a lot everybody! I know these are broad array of questions but I figure everybody has at least experienced or heard about something related to one of them at some point.
 
Dude, I got this.

1. Dress in full suit and tie. You can always leave the jacket somewhere, but you want to one up the doc you shadow.

2. Be very involved. Finish the doctor's sentances to show how much you know and if he/she gives you the opportunity to get physically involved with examinations be sure to let them know you have seen it done before already, but that you don't mind helping.

3. The letter of rec is a given. They will give you one and you should ask for it soon and often. Remember, doctors are a little busy so reminding them often for stuff really helps. I would recommend email, phone, and verbal reminders. You could even give them subtle hints as to what you feel your strong points are if you think they need more help. Make sure to mention your GPA often.

4. Ask the doctor anything from medicine to sports, religion, and politics. Just don't let there be any long periods of silence. No one likes that.


5. Don't do any of 1-4... Just dress in business attire for the first day and see what's appropriate for the office and make a change after that. Some docs I know sport t-shirts and jeans on Fridays under their jackets. Wait to ask questions. A lot of times they will take extra time with patients just to show you things and answer your questions before you need to ask them. Most physicians who take on a student for shaddowing like to teach. Stay quiet, but attentive during moments with patients. Try not to look bored... though sometimes it can be boring like after the 15th mundane exam of the day. Relax and talk about whatever comes up. Just be yourself, doctors are people too. As far as the letter goes, just wait a while and see how things go. Don't push it, they were in your shoes not long ago and they know you need their letter so if things go well they will write one.

Shaddowing is really cool. Have fun!
 
What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Although before you start the day, ask the physician if he would prefer you to wait until after you leave the patient to ask.

How should I dress?
Dress professionally. Nice pants and shirt and comfortable shoes.

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)
Depends on the physician. I shadowed a one who wanted me to take the vital signs of the patient, a different one had me just watch him. Ask the doctor before you start.

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?
If you are going to shadow them more than once, then wait to ask until they have met you more than once. Also bring a resume that you can give them to help them with writing the letter if they do not know you that well. If you don't have a letter they you should ask for one, but be prepared they may want to ask you more questions before they write the letter.

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?
Ask what they like most about being a physician and what they like least?

To people who have shadowed before: are there any things that you may have not done but wish you had during your shadowing experience?
My first shadowing experience I didn't ask that many questions because I was afraid they were stupid questions, now I wished I had asked them.

You may want to bring a pad of paper that you can carry around so that you can write down questions to ask the physician later.
 
Dude, I got this.

1. Dress in full suit and tie. You can always leave the jacket somewhere, but you want to one up the doc you shadow.

2. Be very involved. Finish the doctor's sentances to show how much you know and if he/she gives you the opportunity to get physically involved with examinations be sure to let them know you have seen it done before already, but that you don't mind helping.

3. The letter of rec is a given. They will give you one and you should ask for it soon and often. Remember, doctors are a little busy so reminding them often for stuff really helps. I would recommend email, phone, and verbal reminders. You could even give them subtle hints as to what you feel your strong points are if you think they need more help. Make sure to mention your GPA often.

4. Ask the doctor anything from medicine to sports, religion, and politics. Just don't let there be any long periods of silence. No one likes that.

:laugh: 👍
 
What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?
Dont get in the way.
Do show a lot of interest.
Ask questions not only about whats going on with the patients, but also about the profession/lifestyle

How should I dress?
Professional. Really depends on the setting and if they have a dress policy (ie, some emergency departments dont allow ties). Wear slacks, button down shirt, and a tie (you can always take it off if you have to)

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)
You will get a sense for how busy the doctor is and whether or not you should ask a ton of questions. For the most part, observe and try to ask questions if the doc seems receptive, which they probably will be. If youre in an ED and the doc is juggling 20 patients, a ton of questions wouldnt be the best idea

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?
Definitely not after 1 shadowing go-round. Im sure the docs presume you are only shadowing to solicit a letter, but no need to reinforce that. Once you have built a decent relationship with them and feel they would write you an outstanding letter, then ask

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?
Lifestyle questions, why they chose their specialty, etc
 
What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?
Dont get in the way.
Do show a lot of interest.
Ask questions not only about whats going on with the patients, but also about the profession/lifestyle

How should I dress?
Professional. Really depends on the setting and if they have a dress policy (ie, some emergency departments dont allow ties). Wear slacks, button down shirt, and a tie (you can always take it off if you have to)

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)
You will get a sense for how busy the doctor is and whether or not you should ask a ton of questions. For the most part, observe and try to ask questions if the doc seems receptive, which they probably will be. If youre in an ED and the doc is juggling 20 patients, a ton of questions wouldnt be the best idea

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?
Definitely not after 1 shadowing go-round. Im sure the docs presume you are only shadowing to solicit a letter, but no need to reinforce that. Once you have built a decent relationship with them and feel they would write you an outstanding letter, then ask

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?
Lifestyle questions, why they chose their specialty, etc
Agreed
 
Everything that has been said is great👍 Just remember, you're a fly on the while whilst shadowing. Observe, and only observe, while in the room with the doc and a patient. Of course, if either ask you a question or something along those lines you should speak up.
 
Everything that has been said is great👍 Just remember, you're a fly on the while whilst shadowing. Observe, and only observe, while in the room with the doc and a patient. Of course, if either ask you a question or something along those lines you should speak up.

Agreed. A few other tips:

- Try to get a feel for whether or not the doc is willing to write a rec letter early on. For whatever reason, some simply aren't and you can waste a lot of time shadowing someone who is never going to produce a letter in the end.

- Be prepared for the fact that some patients (often women, esp. if sensitive subjects are involved) may not feel comfortable having someone shadow with the doc. You may be asked to wait outside the room when the doc is with these patients. If this happens, you may want to browse the premises a bit and see what exactly happens outside the exam rooms in a doctor's office. At the offices I shadowed in, the nurses and desk staff actually encouraged this and generally were willing to explain how everything worked to me. At times I felt like I learned more from this than I did from the actual "shadowing".

- Don't come off as cocky or arrogant.

- Try to start shadowing as soon as possible during your college career. Putting this off towards when the apps are going out only makes for an epic amount of stress at times when you probably need to be focusing on other things (e.g., interview prep).

- Some docs may want to see grades, your personal statement, etc if they are going to be writing a letter for you. Try to have this ready for them as soon as possible.
 
What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?
DO let the doctor lead the way- you are "shadowing" remember? Let
them lead the way in and out of the rooms and all that jazz.

DO open up some. If you just sit like a fly on a log, the physician will
not be able to write you a good letter.

DO come prepared with your A game. Make sure you've had plenty
of rest, you've eaten, etc.

DO NOT do anything that could violate HIPAA. If you don't know
what that might entail, look it up.

DO NOT do things like chew gum, play with your cell phone, etc.

DO NOT talk just to talk. If you don't know the answers to the
questions the doc might ask, say so. You're not expected to know
just yet!

How should I dress?
I always just wore dress pants or khakis with a nice top- also, NO open toed shoes in medical settings!! I wouldn't worry about really dressing up. Just make sure you don't look dressed down enough to get confused with a patient or family member of one.Advice for girls- don't wear anything you can't move fast in, particularly the shoes. I could barely keep up with my doc between patient rooms. He would BOOK IT after each visit and heels would have killed me on those linoleum floors!

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)
This will really depend on the vibe you get from the doctor and the kind of day it is when you shadow. I usually kept quiet at first until I felt out the situation. In my experience, the docs will ask you between patients, while they are doing paperwork, if you have any questions. I would only ask legitimate questions that you come up with while observing so it doesn't seem forced.

As far as in the rooms go, I shadowed in a pediatric clinic and while I primarily kept my mouth shut, there were a few opportune moments to interact with both kids and parents. I took those and ran with them, but that is just my natural tendency. Allowing the doctor to see me interact with patients definitely helped my letter of rec. Also, be warned that even though patients get told up front that you are a student observer, they have NO idea (unless the doc says you are considering medicine as a career) that you aren't a medical student. They think you KNOW stuff. Lol I once had a father stop me in between patient rooms and ask me to watch his baby while he ran out to his car. Dress clothes make you seem important to patients, so be ready for anything!

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?
I never addressed the letter until after the shadowing and I did so via a written letter. I chose this method because I felt most comfortable with it. I don't like to bother docs because I know how busy they are- the letter allows them to address it on their own time. Plus then they have a tangible thing to post up and remind themselves to get back to you. It's really up to you how you want to do it.

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?
I think it just really depends. I started with basics, asking them about their background in school, residency, etc. Throughout the experiences though I would start to ask more clinical questions, partially for the knowledge gain, but partially to show that I had some knowledge and wanted to expand it. I also asked questions about the patients...how to handle certain types of patients, etc

To people who
have shadowed before: are there any things that you may have not done but wish you had during your shadowing experience?
I wish that I had the opportunity to shadow longer lengths of time (not per experience, but a greater number of times with the same doc). I always presented the option of that to the doc, but I never pressed for it because again, I didn't want to burden them unless they could take me on.


WHEW! That was a lot. Hopefully it's helpful though. Good luck and most of all, have fun! 🙂
 
It all depends on what DO in what specialty you're shadowing. I shadowed an Anesthesiologist and I worked with him for a couple of weeks about 20hrs overall. They do have a busy schedule and it is definitely a great opportunity you get to shadow one. I was in the OR most of the time with him wearing scrubs and observing the surgeries. At the same time, I also asked questions relating to the patient and also personal questions like his background and why he wanted to be a doctor, specifically Doctor of Osteopathy.


What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?
Hopefully the D.O will tell you what you should do and shouldn't. I was in the operating room most of the time so I was told to stay close to him and away from the sterilized areas. So I observed mostly from afar, but at times the surgeons let me watch closely, just made sure not to touch anything. Pay attention to the rules of the office or OR and stick with the D.O at all times. Do not insist or attempt to help patients in any way whatsoever, just observe what the doctor does, that's the whole point.

How should I dress?
Depends on where you'll be working, if OR, then scrubs. Other settings such as an office may require business casual. Be intuitive.

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)
It's best to ask questions when the doc is less busy and appropriate times you think will be good to ask questions. But mostly, stand back, observe and pay attention to your surroundings.

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?
It is best you ask for a letter. Apart from showing interest in the profession and working alongside the doc, a letter of good character from the doc is essential. I requested a letter from the D.O I shadowed and he obliged to write one, after working with him for a total of 15-20hrs. Ask for a letter when you know the doc feels comfortable enough to write you one. Indeed he/she might ask for other resources like transcripts or a resume to help them write a better letter.

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?
D.O related questions like OMT/OMM and how it applies to their specialty. Also, do show some interest in the person you're working with, shows you care to know them as well. Lastly, questions about patients and their ailments, shows you also care about the wellness and care of the patients (reason for an interest in the profession afterall).

To people who have shadowed before: are there any things that you may have not done but wish you had during your shadowing experience?
Get the doctor's perspective on the whole MD vs DO debate!
 
Last edited:
Much of the same, the questions I always asked were:
Why did you pick such and such specialty and would you choose it again?
If you were to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
 
Anybody who has shadowing experience wanna give any advice for a fellow pre-DO that is about to shadow an attending DO?
What are some do's and don'ts during shadowing?

How should I dress?

How involved should I be? (ie simply stand back and observe or ask the doctor a lot of questions)

What about a letter of rec? Should I ask for one? If so, when and how do I handle the letter?

What are some good questions to be asking the doctor?

To people who have shadowed before: are there any things that you may have not done but wish you had during your shadowing experience?
Thanks a lot everybody! I know these are broad array of questions but I figure everybody has at least experienced or heard about something related to one of them at some point.

When to ask questions
This depends on what type of doc you are shadowing. My advice is to do a lot of observational work. Depending on the type of doctor, they are often busy and have a lot on their mind. Take advantage of situations like: walking up stairs, in the elevator (generalized questions, you have HIPAA to worry about), back at the office, down time, etc. I have specific advice if you are in an ER setting, just ask.

How To Dress
If you are a girl: the biggest thing, NO HEELS. Sure they look nice and all those office professionals are wearing them in the hospital but the shoes are EVIL after 30 minutes of standing. Most of the physicians I have worked with and or shadowed wear sneakers - but you don't get to wear athletic sneakers - brown or black pumas or Merrels work really well and if you don't have them it's an excuse to buy new shoes. 😉 Never wear scrubs unless specifically told to, if you are going into the OR they will provide you with them. You don't want to be mistaken for a healthcare professional (yes, this happens all the time). The safe word is "business casual" 😀
 
You are not meeting the Queen. There isn't really a rule book. Doctors are people and people are different. You might end up with a doc who likes to talk about sports or one that likes to talk about med school and residency. You have to adapt like any social situation.

Otherwise use common sense. Don't yap when the doctor is interviewing the patient, don't blab about a patient's personal info, don't be an idiot (ex. tell a patient to get over it) etc.
 
Top