Does shadowing a doctor in the EU count?

[numbersloth]

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I have a close family friend who is one of the top pediatric oncologists in an EU country. He offered that I could shadow him for a week. I also have shadowing hours in the US. Should I include my shadowing hours in the EU country as well?

Obviously I'm going to take the opportunity no matter what, just curious whether I should include it in my eventual app or not?

 

[CHoge25]

I don't see a problem with it as long as you shadow in US too so you know what life is like for an American Doctor. As long as you are just shadowing and not doing procedures and what not I can't see how it will hurt you. Exposure to different healthcare systems can be beneficial.

 

[gyngyn]

It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't inform your understanding of US medical practice.

 

[mimelim]

I have a close family friend who is one of the top pediatric oncologists in an EU country. He offered that I could shadow him for a week. I also have shadowing hours in the US. Should I include my shadowing hours in the EU country as well?

Obviously I'm going to take the opportunity no matter what, just curious whether I should include it in my eventual app or not?

What exactly are these "counting" toward?

 

[CHoge25]

It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't inform your understanding of US medical practice.

Would adcoms look positively on an experience where you shadowed doctors in a country like Spain and got to experience a different health care system while also improving on Spanish fluency.... Especially if being able to interact with hispanic patients is one of your goals as a future physician?

 

[gyngyn]

Would adcoms look positively on an experience where you shadowed doctors in a country like Spain and got to experience a different health care system while also improving on Spanish fluency.... Especially if being able to interact with hispanic patients is one of your goals as a future physician?

Do whatever will develop your communication skills, understanding of others and personal potential. You don't have to go to Spain for that.

 

[mimelim]

Would adcoms look positively on an experience where you shadowed doctors in a country like Spain and got to experience a different health care system while also improving on Spanish fluency.... Especially if being able to interact with hispanic patients is one of your goals as a future physician?

Positive, yes. But, positive in the sense that it will overall broaden your horizons. But, if a core part of becoming a physician is working with Hispanic populations in the US, spend time with physicians/groups caring for the Hispanic patients in the US. Lord knows they are underserved...

 

[gyngyn]

Positive, yes. But, positive in the sense that it will overall broaden your horizons. But, if a core part of becoming a physician is working with Hispanic populations in the US, spend time with physicians/groups caring for the Hispanic patients in the US. Lord knows they are underserved...

Beat me to it.

 

[numbersloth]

What exactly are these "counting" toward?

I'm referring to my total number of hours shadowing.

 

[gyngyn]

I'm referring to my total number of hours shadowing.

We don't really care, that much.
Shadowing is for you. We do want to know that you understand what you are getting into, though.

 

[CHoge25]

Beat me to it.

I had the aforementioned experience in Spain and it motivated me to seek an internship working with hispanic populations as a mentor/tutor and also volunteering n a free clinic... people told me that doing shadowing in a different country would hurt my app but quite frankly I loved it and took a lot away from it.

 

[gyngyn]

I had the aforementioned experience in Spain and it motivated me to seek an internship working with hispanic populations as a mentor/tutor and also volunteering n a free clinic... people told me that doing shadowing in a different country would hurt my app but quite frankly I loved it and took a lot away from it.

I also love Spain and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
The practice of medicine in Spain is quite dissimilar though, and the people of Spain have little in common with the Spanish speaking people we serve in the US.
Whatever got you engaged is still a plus.

 

[CHoge25]

I also love Spain and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
The practice of medicine in Spain is quite dissimilar though, and the people of Spain have little in common with the Spanish speaking people we serve in the US.

I love Spain, my family is originally from there (Spain -> Cuba -> US) so being able to see my roots and some relatives over there was awesome. It was very interesting seeing their socialist system at work and also what the doctors there thought of the US health system/US physicians. Agree the population I saw there was much different than the low SES hispanic I have been exposed to here.