Crazy Idea?

[singed]

With the intention of applying next year for a 2015 start, I figure I need to shadow some docs. Would like to shadow a few specialties, not too sure how to start going about that, as contact information is just general for the groups or hospitals that the physicians work for. my idea was to just to mail a letter to a few docs at nearby hospitals, addressed to their name and using the address of the group or hospital in the hope that atleast one or two would respond from a given specialty (looking for emergency medicine, surgery, anesthesia, maybe radiology as those are the ones im interested in). Am I out to lunch with this approach?

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[Patassa]

With the intention of applying next year for a 2015 start, I figure I need to shadow some docs. Would like to shadow a few specialties, not too sure how to start going about that, as contact information is just general for the groups or hospitals that the physicians work for. my idea was to just to mail a letter to a few docs at nearby hospitals, addressed to their name and using the address of the group or hospital in the hope that atleast one or two would respond from a given specialty (looking for emergency medicine, surgery, anesthesia, maybe radiology as those are the ones im interested in). Am I out to lunch with this approach?

I'm not too sure either way about your approach but maybe what I did can help you. Network. I asked my parents and friends if they knew any doctors personally well enough to make the introduction and open that door for me. I was able to shadow 5 physicians this way, which was enough for me to see what I needed to see and ask the questions I needed to ask.

 

[singed]

Well my cousin is an anesthesiologist (in her last year residency), but she lives 3 hours from me, and that's the only connection I have through family. So sol on that. But thanks for the advice.

 

[osteosurge]

3 hrs isn't bad. I'd get on it.

Check out http://cf.osteopathic.org/iLearn/home.cfm for DO shadowing.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I would definitely make use of that connection. Also, see if she knows anyone closer to you, or knows someone who knows someone closer to you. You might be surprised.

Check to see if your local hospital has a shadowing program. Mine didn't allow shadowing docs for premeds, but did have a general health professions shadowing program. I honestly wasn't quite sure what I'd signed up for, but I got to spend 4 hours stretches shadowing a bunch of different health professionals and areas from nursing, rad tech, histology tech, dosimetrist, oncology nurses, etc. What was cool was that after being friendly and respectful and inquisitive about their careers and then mentioning I was interested in medicine, a few of those staff members introduced me to the docs in their areas.

So I wound up having a pretty good convo with a rad onc doc and the pathologists are so used to being ignored by pre-meds that they were really excited to have someone come and ask them questions so I wound up talking to several of them and they sat me down at the two headed scope and went over cases/slides with me.

But yeah, best thing you can do is ask around and be persistent.

 

[singed]

Maybe I could just ask her if she knows anyone around me from med school. If she was done residency I prob would go that route, but being that shes not officially an attending yet idk how that would look on an app. Thanks for the link, but for now Im looking for md shadowing. Just saw the above post after replying. Ill look online at a few hospitals around me and see if they have anything like that. Thanks.

 

[Patassa]

3 hrs isn't bad. I'd get on it.

This. I drove 5 hours one way in a day to get some quality shadowing. There's not a single part of this marathon that is easy.

 

[ErrantWhatever]

Get in touch w/ your cousin. She may also be able to connect you docs nearby. I once drove 7 hours to shadow an old family friend for 4 days--was a great experience (and I was able to catch up w/old friends and family too).

As for the letter, that stinks that email addresses aren't offered anywhere. It's an option, but I honestly would be shocked if any docs respond. Since its an open-ended letter from a stranger, they really have no impetus to get back to you. If you really want it, I'd call and explain who you are/what you're looking for and see what happens--it would have a much higher probability of working.

Good luck!

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

Who is your personal doctor? Have you asked them, or asked people in that group? Sometimes they say they don't accept shadows because they don't want to... Also, what state do you live in? Find the hospitals that have residency programs and ask them, they are more likely to let you shadow or have programs...

 

[singed]

Wow 5 and 7 hours, making me think the 3hr drive is nothing. Im in NH. I havnt talked to my primary doc yet, Ive got a checkup coming up this month so Ill bring it up. Yeeah I cant find any email contact info and even the phone numbers are general so im not sure where it would even connect me to, which is why I thought about the letter idea. Ill get on it this week, Im sure there are some hospitals in or around boston that might have some sort of shadow program. Thanks for the replies everyone.

EDIT: Just did a quick search and dartmouth med center (dartmouth med school hospital) is a teaching hospital and has an emergency med program. Should I email the program coordinator? or is that a no no. Also, found out at a diff hospital which is closer under the volunteer app, there are a few options to click- observation/shadow, volunteer, community service opps. So Ill fill that out this week when I get some time and see where it leads.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Wow 5 and 7 hours, making me think the 3hr drive is nothing. Im in NH. I havnt talked to my primary doc yet, Ive got a checkup coming up this month so Ill bring it up. Yeeah I cant find any email contact info and even the phone numbers are general so im not sure where it would even connect me to, which is why I thought about the letter idea. Ill get on it this week, Im sure there are some hospitals in or around boston that might have some sort of shadow program. Thanks for the replies everyone.

EDIT: Just did a quick search and dartmouth med center (dartmouth med school hospital) is a teaching hospital and has an emergency med program. Should I email the program coordinator? or is that a no no. Also, found out at a diff hospital which is closer under the volunteer app, there are a few options to click- observation/shadow, volunteer, community service opps. So Ill fill that out this week when I get some time and see where it leads.

You may or may not get an answer to your email. I would go in person if you can and talk to human resources or at least call and inquire. Email is cold and generic. You need to show you are serious.