Finding a doctor to shadow in hometown?

[masterMood]

Thread says it all. I'm having trouble finding doctors to shadow over winter break seeing as many are reluctant and don't feel like being bothered.

Any suggestions as to how to get shadowing experience? My ultimate goals are to get into a specialty because pediatrics doesn't seem like my thing (though I would still go for the exp)

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[Doc.Holliday]

Thread says it all. I'm having trouble finding doctors to shadow over winter break seeing as many are reluctant and don't feel like being bothered.

Any suggestions as to how to get shadowing experience? My ultimate goals are to get into a specialty because pediatrics doesn't seem like my thing (though I would still go for the exp)

do they not feel like being bothered in general? or maybe its just because its the holidays?

 

[gujuDoc]

Do you live near a teaching hospital??? In other words, do you live near a hospital affiliated with a medical school??? If that's the case then you might have more luck. Otherwise, I'd s3ee if you know of any family friends or what not that are willing to help out.

I shadowed at the VA near my school. But keep in mind that it is affiliated with the medical school so most everyone there was staff for the medical school and there were residents and everything there as well. Tha tmade it easier to find people that were willing to allow you to observe them.

 

[Risa]

Have you talked to your own doctors? That's the cool thing about medicine: we're all consumers so we all know at least a few people in the business. I've done some minor shadowing with my dentist and my GP, and an extensive summer externship with a surgeon I met through the dentist. All three were great experiences.

Good luck!

 

[Vista04]

Hermit MMood, my advise would be to be persistant and to be patient. Some doctors don't want to deal with premeds. Don't take it personally, it's not you. Just keep trying to contact other physicians. It took me 4-5 until I finally found someone who would be willing to let me shadow him (in this case) during spring break.

 

[Chinorean]

Someone told me not to go through the secretaries, try to contact the doctor directly and there's less bureacracy to wade through.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I think your best bet is to volunteer at a hospital, get to know (or at least meet) one or two doctors, and then ask them about shadowing. I know that, as a physician, there is NO WAY I would allow a random premed to shadow me if I don't know them. There are so many creepy premeds out there! Think of those premeds in your bio classes that can't hold a conversation with a normal human being if there life depended on it. You wouldn't want them to shadow you, right? Meet a few docs and then ask them, if possible. Good luck

 

[thinknofu3]

Almost all of my shadowing (and I've done a ton) has come through personal contacts - especially from asking my own doctors. I've been lucky in that they're all really enthusiastic and willing to teach...and if you or your folks know anyone who's a doc, that's a great way to go - and don't think in terms of just family, because I have no docs anywhere in my family. You just have to find ways of making it happen for yourself

 

[gujuDoc]

I think your best bet is to volunteer at a hospital, get to know (or at least meet) one or two doctors, and then ask them about shadowing. I know that, as a physician, there is NO WAY I would allow a random premed to shadow me if I don't know them. There are so many creepy premeds out there! Think of those premeds in your bio classes that can't hold a conversation with a normal human being if there life depended on it. You wouldn't want them to shadow you, right? Meet a few docs and then ask them, if possible. Good luck

Ok if you sayyyyyy soooooo!!!!!!!!! But frankly, I shadowed without having to volunteer in the department first and it worked quite well.

I also placed many other students in with doctors at the VA, with the help of the volunteer coordinator, without doing any true volunteering. He had no problem with it and neither did any of the doctors. They were all for premeds who were serious about coming, as long as there were not too many at once.