Im a junior pre med student, with a high interest in orthopedic surgery. I recently had shoulder surgery, and my surgeon is known as the best shoulder surgeon in my city, with 30+ years of experience, and is also a team physician for many universities and my cities NBA team. Therefore, I think I could learn a lot from shadowing his surgeries. I was thinking of asking him at my next follow up appointment if he allows students to shadow him, but I'm not sure if there would be an issue considering I'm one of his patients. Has anyone shadowed their own doctors before? Is it something that would be appropriate to ask? I don't personally see a big issue with it, but I just wanted others opinions first.
Can I ask to shadow my own surgeon?
- Thread starter emmabean
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Awkward. Ask for an introduction to one of his referring primary care docs.
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It becomes difficult to separate the professional from the quasi-professional.
I regret allowing a former patient do a rotation with me because she presumed a familiarity that wasn't appropriate for student-teacher (or frankly for doctor-patient but that's another story).
I regret allowing a former patient do a rotation with me because she presumed a familiarity that wasn't appropriate for student-teacher (or frankly for doctor-patient but that's another story).
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now I gotta know...
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My surgeon actually offered me to shadow him. This was after we did some background chatting and he found out I was pre-med. The shadowing was still very professional and a great experience. I wouldn't get your hopes up, but I don't think it would hurt--granted you kept it professional.
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This is the reverse, though.
She is putting him in an awkward position.
At a minimum this is another example of why shadowing letters are not objective.
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I think it's what you make it in terms of awkwardness. I shadowed my pediatrician of 18 years and it was so cool to see how he treated patients aside from me--very interesting to see the "other side" of his practice from the provider perspective, especially now that my knowledge of healthcare and clinical practice has grown.
Professionalism the key here--approach it appropriately, and if he/she says no then I wouldn't push it too much.
Professionalism the key here--approach it appropriately, and if he/she says no then I wouldn't push it too much.
It all depends on the situation and your relationship with your surgeon. I shadowed my surgeon, but it was a year after my last post-op appointment with him. It was a great experience as he is really skilled in his specialty and does some cool surgeries and treatments. He actually turned around in the middle of one of his surgeries and said: "So this is really similar to what I did to you last summer..."
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Creepy.
Strangely, I was not at all creeped out. Though, that may be because I actually developed a kind of friendliness with this physician because he was a very close family friend with one of my friends from school (though I had no idea of that when I was referred to him for my injury).
D
deleted393595
"Winged Scapula, want to go out for coffee sometime?"
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Gyn I know this is kind of random, but if you are a physician as well as an adcom, how does your life balance out? Do you spend some time of the day reviewing apps and other times working as a doctor?
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Oh nothing exciting or salacious.
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Based on the experiences of others, sometimes they'll let you, sometimes they won't, but usually it's the latter. Most doctors don't like mixing their colleagues, clientele and personal lives for good reason.
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I have shadowed my own docs! I have only asked two, and because we already had a good relationship it went well!
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My life is divided into: teaching residents (in the hospital in clinic and OR), teaching medical students (in the classroom and in the hospital), advising students (career, and everything else!), research and publication, work for my specialty (oral boards, MOC), work for society (foundations, colleges, organizations...) and administrative work for the university (including admissions).
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That's cool. What kind of doc are you?
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With a username like gyngyn, it should be quite obvious that gyngyn is a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon specializing in rhinoplasty.
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Are you not supposed to shadow your own doctor? I need some serious advice on who to shadow and how to ask!
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if you can shadow your own go for it.
otherwise network with people. maybe ask a doctor at a hospital you volunteer at. cold calling can also work but you will go through a bunch before one bites. ask your pre med advisor for other good sources.
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Speaking from experience, I find it puts us in an awkward situation.
Most recently I had a patient asked me if she could rotate with me. It felt awkward saying no since she knew I had other students and residents doing the same. I felt pressured into saying yes to maintain a good physician patient relationship but now I regret it.
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If they offer, I'd say go for it. I was in a very similar position (I decided to go to med school because I had an awesome orthopedic surgeon). He offered, I accepted, and he has become a great mentor for me. Most of my premed shadowing was with him.
It only becomes awkward when you need the same surgery on the other side of your body after you have shadowed him, gone to med school, etc. Not that that is happening to me right now...
It only becomes awkward when you need the same surgery on the other side of your body after you have shadowed him, gone to med school, etc. Not that that is happening to me right now...
