Does an RN need “official shadowing” before applying?

[Pepega]

I’m an RN work on a post op ortho/spine floor with medical overflow everyone once in a while. Do I need to shadow physicians before applying? I watch them round on my patients every day at work. I’ve watched 5 orthopedic surgeries as a part of orientation at the hospital.

During nursing school I also watched general surgery/ interventional cardiology procedures and 4 days on ob/gyn.

Also how would I write describe this on the application? I’m not applying this for 2 years but just getting everything ready.

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[NuttyEngDude]

I would say no. But I'd try to see more than just ortho and ob/gyn for a well rounded presentation. I'd presume you'd have some good rec letters at this point.

 

[deleted966164]

I've heard mixed opinions on this. I am an ED tech and I have seen a fair share of different specialties "in action" (IM/surgery/radiology/OBGYN/gastro, you name it, even ophthalmology...). Plus, you know, it's the ER so I partook in stuff you can't even make up.

But then I was told that to have a well-rounded application I still have to play the game and follow along to see the "off-time".

 

[Moko]

You should still shadow. This is a checkbox that many will still expect to be performed. It's great that you have observed and worked with physicians, but you have likely only seen a small component of what they do. Consider shadowing them in their clinics to see who they decide to operate on and what factors go into this decision-making process. Shadowing will hopefully also give you new insights and appreciation into their day-to-day workflow. If you already have a good handle of these things and don't feel that much would be gained, then consider shadowing another specialty that you're curious about. No one should be losing points because of lack of shadowing. Just my thoughts

 

[RNthenDoc]

I got a resounding “no” (I actually got laughed at) and 5 accepts without shadowing, but that is dependent on your nursing career and how much you’ve done in it prior to applying.

If you are questioning it, might as well do so! I love shadowing and learning how different docs do things; I actually find their workflows fascinating. Everyone is a little different

 

[deleted709753]

From my perspective as an ms4, I would say no. The nurses can run circles around me clinically putting in IVs foleys ng tubes and basic medications. They just don’t have the higher order decision making, that I don’t even have yet. They have the best clinical experience to determine that want more.

If I saw your app with a good amount of hours as an RN that is more than enough shadowing experience. Anyone that says otherwise I would suspect they aren’t an md or rn. But that’s just my opinion as a student.

 

[Pepega]

I got a resounding “no” (I actually got laughed at) and 5 accepts without shadowing, but that is dependent on your nursing career and how much you’ve done in it prior to applying.

If you are questioning it, might as well do so! I love shadowing and learning how different docs do things; I actually find their workflows fascinating. Everyone is a little different

Did you group all shadowing into one on the application?
Or did you just list nursing as your experience in the medical field?

 

[RNthenDoc]

Did you group all shadowing into one on the application?
Or did you just list nursing as your experience in the medical field?

I didn’t shadow in UG at all. I put each nursing experience as a separate experience, with my main field being the “most meaningful.”

 

[DO_or_Die]

I'm a pediatric trauma RN and I did shadow 100 hours between one of the attendings I work with and an ED physician. It is a box everyone else checks off, so I did it so that box would be checked, too.

 

[nimbus]

As a nurse who takes direct care of patients and interacts with doctors on a daily basis, you have more experience than 99% of applicants. To me it sounds absurd that someone like you would need to “shadow”. You already live it.

 

[deleted966164]

As a nurse who takes direct care of patients and interacts with doctors on a daily basis, you have more experience than 99% of applicants. To me it sounds absurd that someone like you would need to “shadow”. You already live it.

And yet some adcoms say that it is necessary.

 

[MisterMukwa]

I would just to be on the safe side. As others have said before me, it's a box that you might as well check off. Will you likely learn anything new about the profession? No, but at the very least it shows you are willing to jump through the hoops to make yourself a better applicant.

 

[operaman]

Seconding the advice to do it. You probably don’t need as much as a traditional student, but enough to check the box.

Despite your experience, the bulk of your shifts are not spent with the docs. There is value is getting a better sense of what they do for the other 11 hours a day after rounds are done and how much the reality of the day to day appeals to you. It will also be helpful in answering the inevitable questions about why the MD and why not NP, etc.

I don’t know if there are any data on this yet, but anecdotally I’ve seen a few nurses end up dropping out of Med school in the clinical years as they find they don’t really like the day to day. Many Med students have these feelings but the nurses also have a nursing license and guaranteed employment to fall back on.

 

[chicandtoughness]

I’m not an RN, but I’m a psychiatric mental health clinician who works inpatient, and apparently even that isn’t enough clinical experience to check off the box. I was also a CCMA for a few years, and apparently that’s not enough either. So, off to shadowing I go. It’s just the nature of the game, alas.

 

[kbRD2MD84]

Do it if you can, but like others have said - a smart adcom will realize you've already got more than enough clinical experience. I'm planning on using a bit of my clinical RD experience but also doing a little shadowing.