How can I get some experience in shadowing a psychiatrist?

[asigna]

Hey everyone

I've read some of the other threads but they are outdated. How can I get some exposure to psychiatry while in undergrad? It's a field I would love to go into, and I want to see if it is possible to shadow a psychiatrist. I know there are rules and regulation and all but does anyone have any suggestions on how to get started with this? I've shadowed other physicians and I volunteer at a hospital too, so do you think it's possible for someone to hook me up with a connection?

Thanks ahead!

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[Jojokarade]

Most hospitals have a department that handles all the paperwork for volunteers and those shadowing doctors. They would be the ones to contact.

 

[umbrellaapp]

I shadow a child psychiatrist, and it took me a lot of pain to get to it because there's a lot more confidentiality involved than many other specialties. Unless you're dead-set on it, you should try other specialties. Basically, I was so passionate about the field and why I wanted to shadow that she couldn't turn me down. Just contact the department at your hospital, get a doctor's email and forward your resume, mentioning your volunteering and your other shadowing experiences.

 

[Gauss44]

Just thinking about this, what I would probably do is ask a psychology professor for a written reference to shadow a psychiatrist. Then I write a carefully worded professional email to the shadowing department and/or a psychiatrist asking to shadow with attachments including a copy of my resume and that written reference. Alternatively or additionally, I might discuss and/or forward that email to my primary care physician to see if they make any suggestions or have ideas who would be a good psychiatrist to shadow.

Normally, I don't include written references with my resume because it's considered "forward," but for this profession I would make an exception.

 

[LizzyM]

I'd suggest contacting the psychiatry department of your local VA. Start by asking to shadow group sessions (these might be more open to having an extra person present). From there you might consider asking if you can participate on rounds with psychiatry residents on the inpatient service. After the staff gets to know you, they may have other ideas of how you can participate. And, it would be a huge help if you are medically cleared (TB test, etc) and trained (HIPAA, etc) as a volunteer at the facility.

 

[WillburCobb]

Get a job as psych tech/BHT/Psych CNA.

 

[Dandine]

Hey everyone

I've read some of the other threads but they are outdated. How can I get some exposure to psychiatry while in undergrad? It's a field I would love to go into, and I want to see if it is possible to shadow a psychiatrist. I know there are rules and regulation and all but does anyone have any suggestions on how to get started with this? I've shadowed other physicians and I volunteer at a hospital too, so do you think it's possible for someone to hook me up with a connection?

Thanks ahead!

Currently in the process now, as I am interested in psychiatry as well. Basically, I started with physicians that I knew. I am in a student organization who has contact with physicians, and one of them is a psychiatrist, so I asked her initially. I also work in a lab that does psychiatric research, so I got in touch with a psychiatrist whom I knew from there. Long story short, he referred me to another physician, and from there I got in touch with someone to shadow.

With the rules and regulations, I basically let everyone I emailed know (not just psychiatrists but other physicians as well) that I would be willing to adhere with whatever the regulations were for each department. Asking a volunteer coordinator about the process might help as well, as (like someone said earlier) he/she would be familiar with getting the appropriate confidentiality documents.

Since you have physician contacts already, I would not hesitate to ask them if they know any psychiatrists. Even if they don't know, they'd probably give you suggestions about finding one (what hospitals, etc).

Good luck with everything!