How important is documenting your shadowing.

[Impulse155]

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Im currently a sophmore in college. I shadow at a dentist down the street from me. Ive done this on and off fora bout a year. (over the summer i go once a week for like 4 hours or so, during the year ill go whenever I have of for about the same time). However none of the hours I have shadowed with him to my knowledge is documented by him. I dont sign in or anything. It wouldnt suprise me if I have 100-150 hours or so. However I work for a dental clinic and they always have me log in, log out.
Is there a problem with this or is it not that big of a deal.
This may sound like a dumb question but, Should I start having him sign off on when I come? I generally have almost all the hours I did written down on a calendar/my phone. Should I make a chart and have him sign it? Or am I blowing this out of proportion.

 

[TheLoveMD]

im curious as well

 

[jay47]

Im currently a sophmore in college. I shadow at a dentist down the street from me. Ive done this on and off fora bout a year. (over the summer i go once a week for like 4 hours or so, during the year ill go whenever I have of for about the same time). However none of the hours I have shadowed with him to my knowledge is documented by him. I dont sign in or anything. It wouldnt suprise me if I have 100-150 hours or so. However I work for a dental clinic and they always have me log in, log out.
Is there a problem with this or is it not that big of a deal.
This may sound like a dumb question but, Should I start having him sign off on when I come? I generally have almost all the hours I did written down on a calendar/my phone. Should I make a chart and have him sign it? Or am I blowing this out of proportion.

In Tx, the only thing they ask on the APP is how many hours and where. You don't have to document or do anything. Check with the AADSAS application to see what information is required, as Texas schools use the TMDSAS (state proprietary) system instead.

 

[Impulse155]

In Tx, the only thing they ask on the APP is how many hours and where. You don't have to document or do anything. Check with the AADSAS application to see what information is required, as Texas schools use the TMDSAS (state proprietary) system instead.

Thanks, so you can simply say I volunteered 500 hours at Dr. X's office and be lying?

 

[LNinlove]

It's always good to keep track. I would keep track on a spread sheet at home, and if it comes up that a school needs to verify it, then you can show the doc what you have (with dates and times) and the doc can go off of that.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't LLU require something from the doc verifying the hours?? I'm a reapplicant who applied there last cycle, but not this cycle, so things begin to run together.

AADSAS asks for hours, the doctors name, your title or position (or something like that), and the time frame you shadowed in.

No need to lie (I'm not saying you will) just do the time and be honest about it.

 

[Impulse155]

It's always good to keep track. I would keep track on a spread sheet at home, and if it comes up that a school needs to verify it, then you can show the doc what you have (with dates and times) and the doc can go off of that.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't LLU require something from the doc verifying the hours?? I'm a reapplicant who applied there last cycle, but not this cycle, so things begin to run together.

AADSAS asks for hours, the doctors name, your title or position (or something like that), and the time frame you shadowed in.

No need to lie (I'm not saying you will) just do the time and be honest about it.

Thanks, helped alot. Definately better to be safe than sorry.
Time to start up the excel.

 

[psi169]

.

 

[New2Philly]

It is important to keep a record of your dental experience somewhere (spreed sheet, or notebook). It is also good to make notes about what you saw and learned during the shadowing (anything interesting), because this could help you in writing your personal statement, and/or secondaries, and the whole letter of rec thing.
Also I found it helpful to give the people writing letters of rec. my CV and personal statement. Some professors only see you during the class and they know nothing else.

Also LLU does have a confirmation form to fill out; which has to be filled out by the dentist.
I guess one could lie, but I have found most admission directors are suspect of applicants with thousands of volunteering/shadowing hours at multiple sites. People just don't have that much time.

 

[Impulse155]

Thanks everyone, all the imput was exactly what I was looking for and helped alot.

 

[rowsdower]

I remember in the 2008-2009 cycle Ohio State had us fill out verification of shadowing/volunteering forms.

 

[amanda9717]

A few summers ago I did some shadowing with a dentist who is now retired. It was my first shadowing experience and I only did 8-10 hours. Should I just leave this off of my AADSAS since I have no idea how I would contact him for verification??

 

[New2Philly]

I guess. It would be bad to have to verify the hours if you couldn't find the dentist.