Best Way to Ask a DO Doctor If You Can Shadow Her or Him - In Person, Phone Call or Email???

[oldpremed38]

Hello all, I wish to begin shadowing a DO Doctor as soon as possible and I was wondering if everyone could share what they feel is the best way to go about this process. I felt that I could just call the Doctor's office and ask the individual who answers the phone if the Doctor is receptive to allowing individuals who are interested in medicine to shadow him or her. Is this an adequate way to go about getting an opportunity to shadow a DO Doctor? Do you feel that going down to the Doctor's office in person or perhaps emailing the Doctor would lead to a higher success rate? Any input from anyone will be greatly appreciated!!!

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[Kardio]

Some options:

1. Checking out the AOA's website. Scour the website and see if there is a section for doctors who are interested in having premeds shadow them
2. Find local osteopathic physician associations (at the state or local level) and contact them
3. Network with friends and family; maybe your aunt Lucy's doc has been a DO all these years. Ask them.
4. Cold call offices (I found this to be the least effective method)
5. Go to the office in person and ask. This is more of a last resort move, if all of the aforementioned fail.

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

I was having trouble finding a DO to shadow. I got desperate enough to just walk into the nearest urgent care and ask. The front desk people were very helpful and put me right in touch with their HR dept who said they frequently had students shadow. I tend to think it's better to go in in person because then they can tell you're not a weirdo (harder to do over the phone). However I ended up getting a better opportunity randomly through one of my mother's friends.

 

[PapaGuava]

I’m always a proponent of going in-person to a clinic or office to speak with the front desk so they can put a face to a name rather than cold calling. I’d suggest doing it if you don’t have any connections through family or friends at the moment.

 

[samosamosa]

Do you have any connections to the medical field? It's difficult for doctors to allow random premeds into their office and be near patients because they don't know this premed or if they can be trusted. However, if you ask your own PCP or doctor friends/family if they or someone they know would be willing to host you for a week or two, you're no longer a stranger and are more likely to get a yes.

If you have no connections, I'd agree with the above posts and say go in person. It helps them put a face to a name and you look more committed and more trustworthy since they have seen you in person. Dress nice when you go in, and bring your resume and a cover letter.

Also, keep trying even if you get told no! It takes calling/visiting lots of places but once you land that one shadowing gig it's all worth it. Personally I searched for 3 months before finally shadowing a DO ophthalmologist.

 

[paradoxic_toxic]

Do you have any connections to the medical field? It's difficult for doctors to allow random premeds into their office and be near patients because they don't know this premed or if they can be trusted. However, if you ask your own PCP or doctor friends/family if they or someone they know would be willing to host you for a week or two, you're no longer a stranger and are more likely to get a yes.

If you have no connections, I'd agree with the above posts and say go in person. It helps them put a face to a name and you look more committed and more trustworthy since they have seen you in person. Dress nice when you go in, and bring your resume and a cover letter.

Also, keep trying even if you get told no! It takes calling/visiting lots of places but once you land that one shadowing gig it's all worth it. Personally I searched for 3 months before finally shadowing a DO ophthalmologist.

In my area there are several large hospital networks and a few of them have shadowing programs. You have to undergo security clearance, sign waivers, and bring proof of immunization. Although it's a pain to complete, it makes it more likely for doctors to trust you.

@oldpremed38 I'm not sure if there is something similar in your area. Call a department's administrative office and see if they offer something similar.

 

[group_theory]

Back when I was a premed, I was volunteering at a hospital near my undergrad - I searched for a DO who worked for that hospital health system, and emailed her ... and got a positive response (I guess it helped that I started out with saying I'm a volunteer in the same hospital health system)

I've had premeds from the volunteer office at the hospital I work now shadow me. A few students did informal shadowing (they were kids of fellow physicians, pharmacists, nurses, etc). I had a few who called (or email) my office manager and asked if any of the physicians would be available - my office manager passed it along to the physicians to see if any were interested/free.

I don't take random strangers from the internet ... it's either through the volunteer office at the hospital, through a colleague or friend, or someone local (who goes through my office manager)

 

[DO_or_Die]

Hello all, I wish to begin shadowing a DO Doctor as soon as possible and I was wondering if everyone could share what they feel is the best way to go about this process. I felt that I could just call the Doctor's office and ask the individual who answers the phone if the Doctor is receptive to allowing individuals who are interested in medicine to shadow him or her. Is this an adequate way to go about getting an opportunity to shadow a DO Doctor? Do you feel that going down to the Doctor's office in person or perhaps emailing the Doctor would lead to a higher success rate? Any input from anyone will be greatly appreciated!!!

Over the phone should be okay. I'm a nurse and had to walk one of my patients down through the ED, I saw a DO I had never met before and told him I wanted to shadow him and he agreed. You just have to tell them what you want, they were in your shoes at one point.

 

[inksloth]

Have you had any clinical volunteer experience? Because if you know any nurses, secretaries, or front-desk staff then you could ask them for help.

Last winter, I needed to get about 30 hours of D.O. shadowing experience and contacted a nurse that I had befriended from a previous volunteering experience, and within an hour she was able to get me shadowing experience with an IM D.O.

Other than that, I think phone-calls and written letters work best (the majority of my shadowing experiences we're achieved through letter writing.)

 

[hungrydoc710]

I asked my urologist and maxillofacial surg (MD's) when I was at an appt. I also had my Mom ask her neurologist (DO).
Got glowing letters from 2 of the 3.

In person is prob best, but a call will do.

Pro tip - do an MD and DO shadowing, so you can compare and contrast in interview/secondaries when going for that DO spot.