how common is it for an undergrad to shadow during a surgery?

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
When I was spending some time shadowing in the OR, I was even allowed to put in a urinary catheter - was a pretty cool experience scrubbing up.

As Prowler said, it's not atypical.
 
I guess it depends on the institution and if the patient will allow it.

The surgeon I shadowed was part of this group that owned and ran a surgical wing nest to a hospital and they were still in business despite the rest of the hospital going out of business.
 
very common, i saw a dozen surgeries. As long as your not being that guy who touches stuff or asks 100x questions per minute during the procedure, most docs are pretty OK with it.
 
I wouldn't say it's common. Most of the people I know including myself never scrubbed in or even entered an OR until medical school. Most volunteer programs provide opportunities to be on the wards or in the OR for C-sections at most. So you're not missing out on something that everyone else is getting.,

That being said, if you find a surgeon who is willing, there is no reason that you shouldn't be able to shadow in the OR.
 
I don't think most surgeons are going to let a UG scrub, itd be a nightmare for the scrub tech.
 
I've scrubbed in on a couple surgeries, and I know plenty of other people that have too. It helps if you know someone, or know someone who knows someone that can get you in to the OR. It's a bit more difficult to cold-call surgeons and find someone who will be OK with you being in the OR.
 
I routinely scrub with an ortho surgeon I know. He lets actually lets me do quite a bit nowadays. Lots of fun.

but ya drizz there was a new scrub tech in the last operation I scrubbed for and he legit thought I was going to contaminate everything because I'm an undergrad. He looked like he was going to have a heart attack when I asked for 3-0 monocryl at the end of the case haha
 
dice404 said:
I routinely scrub with an ortho surgeon I know. He lets actually lets me do quite a bit nowadays. Lots of fun.
Click to expand...

I mean in theory students can be quite useful esp in ortho where there's lots to do. It's just a q of liability. I def scrubbed a bunch of cases before med school but I had a lot of contacts with medical device.

but ya drizz there was a new scrub tech in the last operation I scrubbed for and he legit thought I was going to contaminate everything because I'm an undergrad. He looked like he was going to have a heart attack when I asked for 3-0 monocryl at the end of the case haha
Click to expand...

That doesn't get much better when you're a med student, trust me 😛
 
You can even shadow in HS. I and others have. But we were also on staff with the hospital at that time and none of us ever scrubbed in though. Sometimes the doc would acknowledge my existence which was cool. Sometimes not... but on those days I was shadowing techs.
 
I definitely shadowed in OR's while in HS. It was part of a summer program though and it was also at a teaching hospital in the city... not sure if that matters for patient consent, etc etc.

I never actually touched the patient/helped perform a procedure though, but I also never asked to. So, I'm uncertain if it would have been possible or not.
 
As others have said, it's not uncommon. I shadowed to general/vascular surgeons, got to scrub in and actually stood right next to them at the operating table. It was great.

There might be regulations about paperwork that you have to submit before you can shadow, though.
 
I think there might be a small amount of confusion with terminology with the premeds, when I say "scrub in" I'm implying that you're 1) in scrubs 2) gone and gloved sterilely 3) physically involved in the case.

Clearly some people have done this and gotten to participate in the surgeries.

Obviously you'll be in scrub attire in the OR (hat/shoes/scrubs) and perhaps some attendings prefer you gown/glove for a bit of increased sterility for you getting close to the field but tbh unless I was going to actually do anything is rather stay unscrubbed (maybe with a step or smth) esp on something laproscopic.
 
If you're serious about learning, and know a surgeon, it's standard.

I'm in the OR all of the time, but I also work in the Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Biomaterials Lab--my boss being the Director, and one of the attending orthopods at the hospital. And, because I don't piss off the scrub nurses, know when to speak or keep my mouth shut, and take matters very seriously, I've been offered an opportunity to assist in surgery in Copenhagen by one of our visiting, Danish attendings.

But...then again...I'm a post-bacc.

My best advice is not to push to go into the OR because you think it will look cool on your applications. Because it probably won't. Do it because you're passionate about the specialty.
 
drizzt3117 said:
I think there might be a small amount of confusion with terminology with the premeds, when I say "scrub in" I'm implying that you're 1) in scrubs 2) gone and gloved sterilely 3) physically involved in the case.

Clearly some people have done this and gotten to participate in the surgeries.

Obviously you'll be in scrub attire in the OR (hat/shoes/scrubs) and perhaps some attendings prefer you gown/glove for a bit of increased sterility for you getting close to the field but tbh unless I was going to actually do anything is rather stay unscrubbed (maybe with a step or smth) esp on something laproscopic.
Click to expand...

Thank you. The misuse of the term makes me rage.
 
Its all about who you know, and how you act. If you or a relative personally knows a surgeon, they will be more likely to let you in. Also, if you are shadowing/volunteering at a hospital, talk to some of the surgeons, tell them who you are, and request(nicely) if they will let you see a surgery.

I guess its not too "typical", but the point is if you really want to see some procedures, I'm sure you would be able to. I got to see dozens of procedures over the last few years at our local hospital(but my dad is also a doc there, so I guess it was easier for me).
 
premedk said:
Its all about who you know, and how you act. If you or a relative personally knows a surgeon, they will be more likely to let you in. Also, if you are shadowing/volunteering at a hospital, talk to some of the surgeons, tell them who you are, and request(nicely) if they will let you see a surgery.

I guess its not too "typical", but the point is if you really want to see some procedures, I'm sure you would be able to. I got to see dozens of procedures over the last few years at our local hospital(but my dad is also a doc there, so I guess it was easier for me).
Click to expand...

Agreed. I scrubbed into 20+ surgeries in undergrad. What I learned from this - surgery sucks
 
drizzt3117 said:
That doesn't get much better when you're a med student, trust me 😛
Click to expand...
True. You only get street cred once you're a surgery resident, and even then, it takes time.

TexasPhysician said:
Agreed. I scrubbed into 20+ surgeries in undergrad. What I learned from this - surgery sucks
Click to expand...
Haha, just from shadowing a dozen cases or so before med school, I was pretty sure that I wanted to do surgery. I tried to dissuade myself from that by looking at something like EM, but it didn't work. Surgery it is.
 
I'm a hs senior and i scrubbed in (washed hands + gloves, no participation) on a couple surgeries (about 6 or 7 on the same day). It was a good experience, but I found it really repetitive, and I thought there wasnt that much thinking type challenge to it. Maybe it was the speciality of surgery, but even though I love dissections and tend not to be bleghed out by anything, I think surgery doesnt make me use my head and mouth as much as I'd like it to. Its more muscle memory.
 
Soooo glad to hear of other people who were "hands on" while shadowing in the OR. I've been thinking that I was breaking rules or something. I only say this because the doctor would tell me to do something, only to have the OR nurse tell me not to. Of course I did what the doc said though because I wanted to do anything they would let me do. Everyone there was pretty cool so they really didn't care. I have been hesistant to mention these experiences during future interviews due to thinking I was in violation of something. Did you all include these experiences during interviews?

And for the record, surgery is definitely where the fun is. After my first ortho surgery shadow, I've never hesitated on what field I want to go into.
 
justarandomuser said:
I'm a hs senior and i scrubbed in (washed hands + gloves, no participation) on a couple surgeries (about 6 or 7 on the same day). It was a good experience, but I found it really repetitive, and I thought there wasnt that much thinking type challenge to it. Maybe it was the speciality of surgery, but even though I love dissections and tend not to be bleghed out by anything, I think surgery doesnt make me use my head and mouth as much as I'd like it to. Its more muscle memory.
Click to expand...

That's because you weren't the one doing it. You also didn't do the pre-operative workup or the post-operative care. Easy on the assumptions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Butalbusaur
How Common Is It To Get Ghosted By Schools?
Replies
5
Views
753
Butalbusaur
Butalbusaur
P
How to shadow a psychiatrist?
Replies
2
Views
426
LizzyM
LizzyM
D
Is it possible for an interview to properly address a weakness in secondaries?
Replies
4
Views
717
Goro
Goro
O
How bad is it? Academic IA
Replies
5
Views
1K
Goro
Goro
C
Is 7 days enough time to prep for an interview
Replies
13
Views
684
HuskyMD Emeritus
H
Top