Getting the Shadowing

[FrkyBgStok]

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Alright. Typical non trad. For all you applicants how to you approach the doctor and ask to shadow. I don't have any family that is in the health field. Was thinking about getting a volunteering job at the VA and going from there.

do you guys start with family practice or just walk up to a surgeon and say "hey can i stand in the OR with you?". I have contemplated asking my daughters pediatrician but...will that offer much value? also the words just never seem to come out. what do ya'll think.

also how do you do it and come across saying "thanks but i can only do these times."

 

[blee]

I basically looked up a doctor and contacted him. I thought it would be easier to contact a doctor at a hospital linked to a univeristy, since they're probably more accustomed to students (medical and otherwise). Worked for me.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

I volunteered with a clinical study. One day I was having lunch with the PI, a family practice doc, and we were just chatting when offered to let me shadow the one day a week he didn't have medical students in his clinic.

I have a friend who volunteered in the ER for a while, got to know some of the docs, and hooked up some shadowing that way. I have another friend who cold called/emailed docs at a regional medical center two towns over -- most of them were willing to have a shadow.

Just start somewhere and give it a try. Don't be scared of rejection.

 

[futuredo32]

If you live close to a med school, call or email the physicians who teach. They usually LOVE to have students shadow them.

 

[235]

Should one shadow for an extended period of time? Is it easier to find a doctor to shadow if the period of time is short?

 

[Pony46]

Yeah, what 235 asked!-?
I wanna know too.
😉 🙂
p

 

[blee]

I don't think you're going to find a clear-cut answer. Come on, it totally depends on you, the doctor, his/her hours, patients, nurses, PAs, and everything else.

I can only speak to my own experience. I shadowed a doctor once a week (occasionally twice) for roughly 2-3 hours each time for an entire semester. It was very easy for me to do this because the hospital was almost attached to the main campus, and also because shadowing him during certain times actually meant shadowing a somewhat larger group of physicians doing the same work and seeing the same pool of patients.

 

[Pony46]

See, that was awesome. That was exactly the type of info that I was looking for...

It is so useful for me to know others experience even though shadowing time depends upon various things.

So thank you.
p

 

[blee]

See, that was awesome. That was exactly the type of info that I was looking for...

It is so useful for me to know others experience even though shadowing time depends upon various things.

So thank you.
p

Glad to have helped, but I didn't answer your question. 😛

 

[QofQuimica]

I also contacted and shadowed an academic physician, but since I'm wanting to do research, this was the logical thing for me to do. I picked the specialty I thought I'd be interested in (anesthesiology) and looked for an MD/PhD in that dept. There was one, so I emailed him, and it worked out beautifully. 🙂 Not only did I shadow him for a semester, but I also signed on as a co-investigator of a clinical trial that he is starting up. 😎

 

[medworm]

Residents are very much open to shadowing as well. If you're also thinking of volunteering at your local hospital, there's probably a pre-med program that will split your hours up into 3-month rotations so that you'll get a chance to participate in different departments. And even so, you're not restricted to just those depts. Often you can run "next door" to check out the imaging labs, observe a procedure, chat with staff, etc.

Good luck!

 

[medworm]

Should one shadow for an extended period of time? Is it easier to find a doctor to shadow if the period of time is short?

I also want to add that if you're considering other interim healthcare jobs that require clinical hours, shadowing generally won't count towards them. Case in point, if you opt for the PA route, some schools will accept paid and volunteer hours but not shadowing since you're just sitting "in the dark" so to speak!

Good luck!

 

[nmr310]

so is it OK to shadow residents? I have a few friends who are residents as we speak but never thought of following them around..sounds like a good idea to me..

 

[gary5]

If your university has a hospital, you may be able to look up doctors and email them. I once looked up 5 pediatricians and mailed them letters describing myself and requesting to shadow for a day. One replied and I shadowed him. Email and letters may seem a bit impersonal, but they're great for busy people (doctors).

 

[UCLA2000]

Alright. Typical non trad. For all you applicants how to you approach the doctor and ask to shadow. I don't have any family that is in the health field. Was thinking about getting a volunteering job at the VA and going from there.

do you guys start with family practice or just walk up to a surgeon and say "hey can i stand in the OR with you?". I have contemplated asking my daughters pediatrician but...will that offer much value? also the words just never seem to come out. what do ya'll think.

also how do you do it and come across saying "thanks but i can only do these times."

I wouldn't ask your daughter's pediatrician that might be weird. You'd be better off finding a doctor which is affiliated with a teaching institute and expressing your interest to them.