Anyone shadow an ME in WA state?

[handstanding]

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Hello all,

Has anyone here had the opportunity to shadow, volunteer with, or otherwise get some exposure to a medical examiner in WA state? I'm in King County and would really love to shadow an ME, but I can't find any information about if this is ever done in this county or any of the neighboring ones.

My plan at the moment is simply to cold call the ME offices, explain that I'm a student, and asking about shadowing. But I'm hoping someone here might have had some enlightening experiences with this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BABSstudent]

I have no experience with this, but cold calling normally doesn't work. Instead, write a short statement (no more than a page) about what you would like to do, when you want to do it, and then write that you will follow up in two weeks about their response if you do not hear anything before then. Include some information about yourself so they know you are actually interested in medicine and tell them about your previous experiences too.

Hopefully that works out for you.

 

[handstanding]

I have no experience with this, but cold calling normally doesn't work. Instead, write a short statement (no more than a page) about what you would like to do, when you want to do it, and then write that you will follow up in two weeks about their response if you do not hear anything before then. Include some information about yourself so they know you are actually interested in medicine and tell them about your previous experiences too.

Hopefully that works out for you.

Has this tactic worked for you? So far I am pursuing other shadowing opportunities through channels that don't involve cold calling, so I haven't done either. My fear with writing something and sending it (emailing it? mailing it? you don't sepcify in your response) is that it's easy for the receiver to not read any of it. I was hoping by calling I could at least be heard by whoever answers the phone.

Is sending a statement generally more effective when requesting shadowing opportunities with strangers?

 

[BABSstudent]

Has this tactic worked for you? So far I am pursuing other shadowing opportunities through channels that don't involve cold calling, so I haven't done either. My fear with writing something and sending it (emailing it? mailing it? you don't sepcify in your response) is that it's easy for the receiver to not read any of it. I was hoping by calling I could at least be heard by whoever answers the phone.

Is sending a statement generally more effective when requesting shadowing opportunities with strangers?

Worked for me both times I did it. And I didn't email it or mail it. I went and dropped it off. Put on some nice clothes, smile and present the letter to the receptionist and she should pass it on to who it needs to go to.

The reason why cold calling doesn't work, in my opinion, is you call and leave a message with the receptionist. They don't have to pass the message on, and if they do, it is just a handwritten note. What is it going to say? "Student X, Shadow?" Image you are the physician, does that make you want to have that student shadow you?

A letter specified to the person you want to shadow should end up with just that person and you will give background that shows that you are really interested in shadowing.

 

[handstanding]

Worked for me both times I did it. And I didn't email it or mail it. I went and dropped it off. Put on some nice clothes, smile and present the letter to the receptionist and she should pass it on to who it needs to go to.

The reason why cold calling doesn't work, in my opinion, is you call and leave a message with the receptionist. They don't have to pass the message on, and if they do, it is just a handwritten note. What is it going to say? "Student X, Shadow?" Image you are the physician, does that make you want to have that student shadow you?

A letter specified to the person you want to shadow should end up with just that person and you will give background that shows that you are really interested in shadowing.

That's good to know. Thank you for the input. I'm not sure if this tactic will be possible at the medical examiner's office, but I will certainly keep this in tactic in mind for pursuing shadowing in the more typical settings.