Finding Shadowing Opportunities

[DrMelanogaster]

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Hello. This is my first post here so apologies for any forum culture nuances I'm missing.

I'm sure this is a pretty common question but I've put in decent effort looking so I'm wondering: For those who have shadowing experience or are currently shadowing, how did you find this opportunity (especially during Covid)?

I have a close family friend who has been a nurse for quite some time whom I requested to ask around for me as a favor (with no luck due to covid). I don't want to give up though because I understand this potentially very good experience and a very good LOR.

I'm to the point of compiling a list of clinics to email/call but this seems drastic. So I'm wondering if anyone has had luck with any more subtle measures.

Thank you all in advance!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

If you have no luck with finding a doctor to shadow and you are looking for clinical experience to go with your future app, try scribing or volunteering at a hospital, medical establishment dealing with patients. Get LOR from these experiences.

I don't see how a LOR from a physician you shadow will be anything other than, "Yeah they followed me around and stood silently to the side as I examined my patients."

Edit: I would also anonymize your avatar...

 

[LizzyM]

Hello. This is my first post here so apologies for any forum culture nuances I'm missing.

I'm sure this is a pretty common question but I've put in decent effort looking so I'm wondering: For those who have shadowing experience or are currently shadowing, how did you find this opportunity (especially during Covid)?

I have a close family friend who has been a nurse for quite some time whom I requested to ask around for me as a favor (with no luck due to covid). I don't want to give up though because I understand this potentially very good experience and a very good LOR.

I'm to the point of compiling a list of clinics to email/call but this seems drastic. So I'm wondering if anyone has had luck with any more subtle measures.

Thank you all in advance!

Ask your school's alumni office. They are always trying to find ways to engage alumni and they may be able to help you locate alumni in your area (where you live or near your school) who would open their doors to a student from their alma mater. I even recall a school, pre-Covid, that arranged week-long home stays with alumni-physicians in really rural areas so that a student could really get a feel for the lifestyle of a physician in that environment.

 

[DrMelanogaster]

If you have no luck with finding a doctor to shadow and you are looking for clinical experience to go with your future app, try scribing or volunteering at a hospital, medical establishment dealing with patients. Get LOR from these experiences.

I don't see how a LOR from a physician you shadow will be anything other than, "Yeah they followed me around and stood silently to the side as I examined my patients."

Edit: I would also anonymize your avatar...

Thank you, sir. I will take your advice and do so! Much appreciated.

 

[DrMelanogaster]

Ask your school's alumni office. They are always trying to find ways to engage alumni and they may be able to help you locate alumni in your area (where you live or near your school) who would open their doors to a student from their alma mater. I even recall a school, pre-Covid, that arranged week-long home stays with alumni-physicians in really rural areas so that a student could really get a feel for the lifestyle of a physician in that environment.

Thankyou so much! This seems like a brilliant idea. I will get in touch with them!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

If that is your real pic and real name, change it to something else unidentifiable.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Cold email. Ideally if you’re school has an alumni network, tap into that to get contact info.