Do I need more shadowing hours?

[Smartypants92]

I am applying this cycle (submitted June 1) and I was feeling pretty confident but now I'm starting to wonder if I need more domestic shadowing experience. I have a lot of clinical experience (working at a residential treatment program) and I have international shadowing experience. Should I spend the summer shadowing and send an update letter to schools?

cGPA: 3.71/ sGPA: 3.70
MCAT: 519
Outline of significant Work/Activities:
Community Residence Counselor at Residential Treatment Program (clinical experience): 5000 hours
Volunteering/Physician Shadowing in Peru: 250 Hours
Senior Neuroscience Thesis: 1000 Hours
Other Undergraduate Research Experience: 400 Hours
Physician Shadowing (pediatric endocrinologist): 8 hours
Lab TA: 240 hours
Resident Counselor: 800 hours
Student Health Educator (undergrad): 1000 hours
Internship at Medical Research Institute: 500 hours
Certified Yoga Instructor: 400 hours

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[candbgirl]

I think you are probably okay but for your own good find a PCP and spend some time with him/her. Medicine and the practice of medicine is probably very different in the USA. It might be very helpful if you had a local experience to talk about during Interviews. Also what experiences do you have that are non-clinical that serve the underserved or those less fortunate than yourself? Many schools like to see your altruistic side.


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[Catalystik]

I am applying this cycle (submitted June 1) and I was feeling pretty confident but now I'm starting to wonder if I need more domestic shadowing experience. I have a lot of clinical experience (working at a residential treatment program) and I have international shadowing experience. Should I spend the summer shadowing and send an update letter to schools?

cGPA: 3.71/ sGPA: 3.70
MCAT: 519
Outline of significant Work/Activities:
Community Residence Counselor at Residential Treatment Program (clinical experience): 5000 hours
Volunteering/Physician Shadowing in Peru: 250 Hours
Senior Neuroscience Thesis: 1000 Hours
Other Undergraduate Research Experience: 400 Hours
Physician Shadowing (pediatric endocrinologist): 8 hours
Lab TA: 240 hours
Resident Counselor: 800 hours
Student Health Educator (undergrad): 1000 hours
Internship at Medical Research Institute: 500 hours
Certified Yoga Instructor: 400 hours

Adcomms will want to know that you have a realistic view of what it's like to practice medicine in the USA. Eight hours of US specialty shadowing may not give them this reassurance. I think you would be well advised to do additional shadowing, ideally with a primary care doc, which will have the broadest appeal to schools. Get in about 30-40 hours of this (possibly over the next few weeks) and you'll be in a better position with those schools that accept update letters or have a space on Secondaries to insert relevant information.