Advice for Non-trad applicant.

[texaspsych]

I graduated last year with my degree in psychology, cum laude graduate. I was planning on going into grad school to do PTSD research. But I decided during my gap year (this year) that I wanted to do psychiatric medicine instead.

I took all the premed classes in undergrad. I'm currently employed in an addiction lab as an RA at MD Anderson in Houston. But the thing I lack for applying to medical school is shadowing experience. It obviously won't be until next year that I start my application. But how do I go about finding a doctor to shadow when I have no connections in this new city?

Any advice on finding shadowing opportunities in a new place? Also, since my undergraduate institution has a premed committee, will it hurt me that I didn't go through that process (I wasn't pre-med) even though I will have taken several years off by the time I apply?

Any light shed on this would be stellar.

Thanks.

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[NeuResurgens]

For shadowing, sometimes all you need to do is call their office and ask if they allow shadowing. It might be helpful if you ask colleagues if they know anyone that has been good in the past, your PI might have some experience with premeds and may be able to offer advice as well. If you're graduated, schools often accept letters of recommendation from employers and other professionals for whom you work in leu of professors/committees.

 

[NonTradJp]

Different schools have slightly different preferences in terms of committee letters, general LoR's and shadowing experiences. But in general it is as UNMedGa described. When you apply, with great grades and MCAT you will get plenty of choice on which schools requirements fit your situation.

And shadowing isn't hard to do with your background IMO. MD Anderson will probably have lots of friendly people to shadow. Chit chat and tell people your interest. It doesn't have to start with a physician. While volunteering I told a rad tech my plans. After checking to see if I wasn't just a starry-eyed pre-med, he picked up the phone and called the radiology residency program director advocating on my behalf. That got the ball rolling.

 

[familyaerospace]

Check my links in my signature.

 

[ndafife]

Another thing to add... Being from Texas is a very big advantage when applying. Texas has a lot of medical schools that admit a high percentage of in-state applicants relative to out of state ones. I recommend you make sure that you have residency in Texas (if you haven't already) - register to vote, get an TX driver's license, register your car there, etc...

 

[ColDocUSA]

I have no insight about the committee letter but I agree that you should look at the individual schools and check their policy about it. With respect shadowing, I can think of two approaches that you can use to find physicians that you can shadow.

1. Ask your PI if he would consider connecting you with someone that you can shadow.
2. Being an RA at M. D. Anderson, you have access to the institutional directory. You can search for physicians who work in a field that is of interest to you and send them emails explaining who you are, how you got their contact information, what your goals are (apply to medical school), and ask them if it would be possible to shadow. I personally tried this to find MDs to shadow at the hospital where I currently work.

I like the second approach because, even though you might have to send dozens of emails, if they don't mind having someone observing, they will reply to you in order to set something up but if they don't want to, they can just choose to ignore the email without making it uncomfortable for both of you.

PM me if you want a template email that I used to ask for shadowing opportunities.

 

[otterxavier]

Another option: contact your undergrad institution's alumni organization or career services office, and see if they can connect you with alums in your area who are doctors.