Do I need shadowing?

[deleted1088242]

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[LindaAccepted]

First of all different schools and adcoms have different views of shadowing. Some require, and some don't value it much at all because the shadow is entirely passive. Given what you wrote above, you don't "need" it. However if you are interested in programs that highly value shadowing, it might make sense for you to explore other areas of medicine by doing a little bit of shadowing.

 

[gyngyn]

The passiveness is sort of what is holding me back. At my job, nothing about what I do is passive. I am the one helping remove ployps and cauterizing bleeds, as well as having the ability to see the start to finish of the doctors’ interaction with patients. I feel like if I pursue shadowing on top of this (where I personally feel I would get much less out of compared to my job) I am simply just doing it to “check a box.”

Much of the reason for shadowing is to make sure that the applicant knows what most physicians do: taking care of their own patients over time, not procedures or care of sedated or EM patients. For that reason I recommend at least 40 in primary care offices...not surgery, not EM, not tertiary care.

 

[LindaAccepted]

The passiveness is sort of what is holding me back. At my job, nothing about what I do is passive. I am the one helping remove ployps and cauterizing bleeds, as well as having the ability to see the start to finish of the doctors’ interaction with patients. I feel like if I pursue shadowing on top of this (where I personally feel I would get much less out of compared to my job) I am simply just doing it to “check a box.”

I think @gyngyn gave you the rationale for shadowing even given your work experience. I recommend against shadowing a GI. Let this shadowing show you a different part of medicine, where as gyngyn points out you observe a physician dealing with awake patients.

And for those schools that value shadowing, let the box be checked. After all the work required to prepare for medical school, do you really want to be at a disadvantage at some school(s) that you would be happy to attend and that value shadowing because you didn't do 30-40 hours of shadowing?