<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by mj:
Well I'm a Granite City girl who would be very interested in finding some good contacts for shadowing. Do you mind if I e-mail you bustin? Best of luck to everyone.
mj•
Atlas, to answer a couple of your questions, I never applied to SIU, or any other allopathic school. Once i began researching osteopathy I decided that it was the only way for me. When I first began the research and application process, however, SIU was the school I was most interested in because it IS a fantastic school. I chose osteopathy because 1)I love the philosophy and the enhanced ability to use my hands to treat and diagnose 2) My undergrad background largely dealt with the musculoskeletal system (exercise Physiology) and I want to continue along these lines, most likely in orthopedics.
Do you have any specific interests yet? I'm sure you know that at this point in your education, it is best to sample a lot of different things. You are at a great advantage because you are already starting some important processes which I wish I would have started sooner to make my road easier.
To answer another question, I was accepted at Oklahoma State and I anticipate acceptance to KCOM early next week. I had to mail 100$ to OK this morning to hold my seat in the class because KCOM is stalling on notifications right now. It's all part of the game I guess.
To Atlas and MJ: Feel free to contact me via email if you want, it's in my profile.
Here is some general info about area shadowing.
1) Scott AFB has a great volunteer rotation system set up in the hospital. IT is done through the Red Cross. YOu have to put in an application with the red cross office next to the health and wellness center on base, and then they do a background check and you have to watch a video, blah, blah. tHen they send you to the red cross office in the hospital and they set up a rotation for you based on what you want. I got to see a lot of stuff that way.
2) It is really easy to find docs to shadow in local small hospitals. Don't try to get a shadow with the world renowned specialist in cardiology. Admissions commitees will not be any more impressed with that than if you get a shadow with a country doc who makes house calls out in the boonies (actually I'm sure you are aware that admissions commitees are attracted to applicants with a desire to practice primary care medicine). Check with some of the smaller and more accessible hospitals around the region where you will get to see and possibly do more than you would in big ST. Louis hospitals.
To MJ) There is a great little hospital right there in Granite City. I am getting ready to start a part time job there as fitness director in the wellness center of the hospital (just something to kill time before school starts this fall, butI want to take a break from full time work before I start school) Anyway, there are many opportunities there, especially to see a lot of primary care and occupational medicine (a lot of the cases being the steel workers). This is a great resource right in your backyard. You could call human resources there at 798-3250 (I think it is under providence healthcare) to find out what opportunites are available there for volunteering or part time jobs.
To everyone, best of luck. You are ahead of the game, so keep playing it and HAVE FUN!! Remember that life is what is happening while you are planning for your future, so have fun through the entire process.
Keep chatting if you want or email me.
BustinBooty
[This message has been edited by bustinbooty (edited 03-15-2001).]
