Dentist shadowing- to include or not to include on AMCAS?

[premed-molecule]

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I'm applying to both MD and DO schools and I job shadowed a dentist for about ~20 hours. I wasn't sure if I should include this experience or if including it would raise some questions?

 

[Mcat513]

.

 

[LizzyM]

I would. It raises the question, "Have you considered careers other than medicine?" and your response indicates that you have considered others and you have made what might appear to be a very informed choice based on having shadowed more than one health profession.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

Just be well prepared to answer "why not dentistry" during interviews

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I was gonna write more or less what LizzyM wrote. Gives you an opportunity to show you've made an informed choice. Just be ready in interviews with a well thought out answer

 

[barbararoberts]

I'm wondering the same thing. I shadowed a variety of providers (DO, MD, dentist, podiatrist, pharmacist, PA) all to confirm that I wanted to be a doctor. I also have a LOR (have a feeling its a good one too, but no way to 100% confirm) from a dentist that I did research with. Now I'm second guessing including the other shadowing and LOR....advice??

I can indicate on one of my most meaningful experiences that the experience solidified my choice to pursue medical school. Would this be enough?

Any advice from @LizzyM , @Goro ,or @gyngyn would be much appreciated!!

 

[Crayola227]

if it's just one shadow experience outside of what you are actually intending to apply for - it looks bad

if there are enough that span quite a few, it will look like you did a lot of sampling to make a well informed choice - this is good

 

[bc65]

All shadowing looks good. I would definitely include the dentist. I think shadowing PAs and nurses looks good too. It's a great opportunity to see what your colleagues are doing. You'll understand what the nurses do all day and have an understanding of their point of view.

 

[OrangeTub]

I shadowed a dentist for a month or so the summer between my fresh/soph years of undergrad, so I put that on my AMCAS. It wasn't brought up in any of my interviews so I can't really tell you whether it helped or not. Ended up with 9 interviews and 6 acceptances for reference.

The only reason why I wrote it down really on my application was to use it as proof in case an interviewer were to ask me how sure I was about choosing medicine among other healthcare professions, but that honestly that kind of question didn't show up at all. 😵