Card after shadowing

[LiteralLungs]

From other threads, I have seen that it is common to give a thank you note after shadowing a doctor. One doctor I shadowed would not accept my thank you note, saying that it would be professionally inappropriate. I'm wondering if I should attempt to give a thank you note to doctor I am currently shadowing, I have enjoyed the experience.

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[stinkycheeseperson]

that guy is weird
send an email
bwahahaha

also if a admin or ancillary was v helpful, thank them too

 

[FluffyCat1212]

I gave thank-you cards to all of mine, and even dropped off little boxes of chocolate when they were working over Christmas. Having someone shadow you can be an extra burden and I just wanted them to know that the effort that they put into it was appreciated!

That guy honestly just sounds funky. I even sent thank-you notes to my interviewers. It honestly seems safer to express gratitude in response to someone else's efforts than to not...?

 

[RespectTheChemistry]

That's very weird that s/he said that. They are very outside the norm not wanting to accept thank-you notes.

As expressed above, typically, you should send a thank-you note after shadowing someone.

 

[seanm028]

It sounds like they might have had a negative experience at some point in their career. I wouldn't worry about it. I would still send a note to the new doctor you're currently shadowing.

 

[LiteralLungs]

I have read articles about how pharmaceutical companies promising gifts/dinners/fancy vacations to physicians can be unethical, and how residency programs will teach about the bias this can create. Maybe they were translating this idea to my attempt to give a card? That they wouldn’t want to be biased towards me, or maybe it would obligate them to write a LOR down the line. Maybe they accepted cards/gifts in the past, got in trouble for it, and decided they would never do this again

 

[Blueprint Med School]

I have read articles about how pharmaceutical companies promising gifts/dinners/fancy vacations to physicians can be unethical, and how residency programs will teach about the bias this can create. Maybe they were translating this idea to my attempt to give a card? That they wouldn’t want to be biased towards me, or maybe it would obligate them to write a LOR down the line. Maybe they accepted cards/gifts in the past, got in trouble for it, and decided they would never do this again

Whatever it is it's probably super odd and the large majority of physicians you meet will be fine accepting a CVS brand thank you card or thank you email. Keep it simple and thoughtful.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors