Did I screw up? (Shadowing Doctors)

[dr.wolf]

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Hello all.

I have shadowed 4 doctors so far with more than 50 hours of shadowing. I have lost contact with a few of them. I do not have any documentation that says I shadowed them either. Am I screwed?

 

[WedgeDawg]

No, shadowing doesn't need documentation, though you might need a contact email or phone (can even be a hospital dept number) for the primary app.

 

[radian313]

Hello all.

I have shadowed 4 doctors so far with more than 50 hours of shadowing. I have lost contact with a few of them. I do not have any documentation that says I shadowed them either. Am I screwed?

You are not "screwed" persay. But as long as you have some sort of contact method for them, a number or an email assuming you meant that "you have not been in communication with them" = "lost contAct".

But if you have no form of contact with them, not that ad coms call each and everyone but rest assured, loosing contAct with 4/4 physicians not providing a number will def raise suspicions.

Is this total 50 hours across 4 docs or a total of 200 hours?

 

[mathnerd88]

As long as you have at least one LOR from them, you should be fine. No adcom really cares how many DOs you shadowed. It is a very tiny portion of your application. As long as you can talk about your shadowing experiences you are golden.

 

[dr.wolf]

You are not "screwed" persay. But as long as you have some sort of contact method for them, a number or an email assuming you meant that "you have not been in communication with them" = "lost contAct".

But if you have no form of contact with them, not that ad coms call each and everyone but rest assured, loosing contAct with 4/4 physicians not providing a number will def raise suspicions.

Is this total 50 hours across 4 docs or a total of 200 hours?

Thanks for your response!
I do have contact information for all 4 doctors. I guess my wording was a little confusing. I haven't spoken to some of them, and was not sure if contacting them again after months/years after shadowing will be okay. I'm sure 3/4 will definitely remember me, but the one doc (the first doc I ever shadowed.. about 2 years ago) may not...?

This is about 10+ hours for each doctors. I am getting more hours with the doc I'm currently shadowing now.

 

[dr.wolf]

No, shadowing doesn't need documentation, though you might need a contact email or phone (can even be a hospital dept number) for the primary app.

Thank you for the reply! Would you say the adcoms call each and every doctors I list to hear their input/ impression of me? What would happen is one of the doctors I list does not remember me?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Thank you for the reply! Would you say the adcoms call each and every doctors I list to hear their input/ impression of me? What would happen is one of the doctors I list do not remember me?

Adcoms definitely don't have time to do this, and if they did, they would likely call for something far more consequential than shadowing. I wouldn't worry. They would only think of calling if something seemed weird, and even then, I doubt they would anyway.

 

[dr.wolf]

As long as you have at least one LOR from them, you should be fine. No adcom really cares how many DOs you shadowed. It is a very tiny portion of your application. As long as you can talk about your shadowing experiences you are golden.

Thanks for your input! I found that definitely hard- asking for LOR from doctors I shadow. Most of the doctors I shadowed transferred to other hospitals (hence why I kept changing doctors). Do you think getting LOR of a doctor that transferred to another state could help me and my application?

 

[mathnerd88]

Thanks for your input! I found that definitely hard- asking for LOR from doctors I shadow. Most of the doctors I shadowed transferred to other hospitals (hence why I kept changing doctors). Do you think getting LOR of a doctor that transferred to another state could help me and my application?

I don't think adcoms care where you get your LOR from...as long as you get one. They're not as nitpicky as everyone on SDN thinks they are.

I think you're fine as long as you just have at least one DO LOR. What matters most is the other portions of your application, which also show your capability and desire to become a physician.

 

[radian313]

Thanks for your response!
I do have contact information for all 4 doctors. I guess my wording was a little confusing. I haven't spoken to some of them, and was not sure if contacting them again after months/years after shadowing will be okay. I'm sure 3/4 will definitely remember me, but the one doc (the first doc I ever shadowed.. about 2 years ago) may not...?

This is about 10+ hours for each doctors. I am getting more hours with the doc I'm currently shadowing now.

This is a non issue. Dont worry.
Just rack up some more hours. Give as much detail as you can on what you learned. Do provide the contact info.

The biggest hurdle I see here is obtaining a letter of substance in that you dont want it to be xyz did these many hours and was always on time.

 

[dr.wolf]

This is a non issue. Dont worry.
Just rack up some more hours. Give as much detail as you can on what you learned. Do provide the contact info.

The biggest hurdle I see here is obtaining a letter of substance in that you dont want it to be xyz did these many hours and was always on time.

Okay! Thanks for the info. When you say "give as much detail as you can," do you mean on the application?

 

[radian313]

Okay! Thanks for the info. When you say "give as much detail as you can," do you mean on the application?

Yeh like just ensure its more than I saw......xyz. They want to see what you learned. Something like, its vital to get a comprehensive history as that.....(fill it in).


Good luck.