How important is shadowing?

[osumc2014]

How important is shadowing and how much is enough? I was seeing if I have time this year before the application cycle to get some done.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[niranjan162]

1. GPA
2. MCAT
3. Shadowing/clinical exposure
4. EC's

basically very

 

[seelee]

1. GPA
2. MCAT
3. Shadowing/clinical exposure
4. EC's

basically very

I agree that clinical experience is a "must". However of all the different forms of clinical experinence shadowing is the least impressive on a resume. This is per several admins from various schools. The reason shadowing is not impressive is because it requires no effort to sit in the corner and watch a doctor do his thing. On the other hand, volunteering at a hospice clinic or nursing home, working as a nurses assistant, are worth their weight in gold, because you had exposure to patients, and you worked in the not-so-glamorous part of the medical field.

If I were you, I would get some good volunteer hours in mopping up somebody's vomit. If you can handle that you can handle anything, and the adcoms will know it too.

 

[DrYoda]

"clinical experinces" are important. Wherever or not it's shadowing is up to you.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I did not list any shadowing on my application, no one has commented on it. However, I did have 2 other clinically related activities that "offered opportunities to observe physicians." And my dads a doc, so I might be an exception...

 

[crimsonkid85]

i remember when i was applying i was practically tearing my hair out b/c i had essentially ZERO shadowing experiences (read: three months before i applied, my pre-med committee sat me down, and was like...uh...you've NEVER SEEN A PATIENT WITH A DOCTOR BEFORE WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ARE APPLYING TO MED SCHOOL...)...so i shadowed two doctors for like, two days. and you know what, i don't think my interviews/application process suffered terribly becaues of it. of course, i would suggest having lots of OTHER things to talk about during your interviews... good luck.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

i remember when i was applying i was practically tearing my hair out b/c i had essentially ZERO shadowing experiences (read: three months before i applied, my pre-med committee sat me down, and was like...uh...you've NEVER SEEN A PATIENT WITH A DOCTOR BEFORE WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ARE APPLYING TO MED SCHOOL...)...so i shadowed two doctors for like, two days. and you know what, i don't think my interviews/application process suffered terribly becaues of it. of course, i would suggest having lots of OTHER things to talk about during your interviews... good luck.

Might also be that your 3.8+ gpa + crazy mcat + harvard undergrad = godlike.

 

[koffein]

I did not list any shadowing on my application, no one has commented on it. However, I did have 2 other clinically related activities that "offered opportunities to observe physicians." And my dads a doc, so I might be an exception...

You've in a way been shadowing your entire life. About a year ago I saw a discussion on this - whether physicians in your family (direct family) can count towards shadowing or clinical exposure and the answer is yes.

 

[Mobius1985]

I think shadowing is important. How else does one get a feel for what doctors do? There are a few schools that don't value it at all, but your application needs to have broad appeal to give you the best chance, so you need to get some in. Unlike clinical volunteering which is felt to be best if done consistently over a long period of time, shadowing can be done in large chunks of time, like over a break or in the summer. You don't need to do much. It seems like 8-40 hours for each of 2-3 specialties is the average. Some jobs double as shadowing, like ER scribe, medical translator, etc.

 

[Joe Postman]

I think shadowing is important in other aspects than just how you application looks, but also so you can really see what its like to be a doctor. So you can get a true feel of what your everday life might end up being like and if it is what you expected or willing to go to school and possibly be in debt for.

Sorry my glass is a little half empty today.

Really i think shadowing is important for the real-life wake up call for the people who think they want to be doctors for unrealistic reasons.

 

[osumc2014]

I agree that clinical experience is a "must". However of all the different forms of clinical experinence shadowing is the least impressive on a resume. This is per several admins from various schools. The reason shadowing is not impressive is because it requires no effort to sit in the corner and watch a doctor do his thing. On the other hand, volunteering at a hospice clinic or nursing home, working as a nurses assistant, are worth their weight in gold, because you had exposure to patients, and you worked in the not-so-glamorous part of the medical field.

If I were you, I would get some good volunteer hours in mopping up somebody's vomit. If you can handle that you can handle anything, and the adcoms will know it too.

Ok, good I have worked as nursing assistant for a couple of summers so that is not a problem.

 

[osumc2014]

I did not list any shadowing on my application, no one has commented on it. However, I did have 2 other clinically related activities that "offered opportunities to observe physicians." And my dads a doc, so I might be an exception...

Yes and my mother has been a doctor for many years, I know all about what she does everyday, so that counts?

 

[seelee]

Yes and my mother has been a doctor for many years, I know all about what she does everyday, so that counts?

I think that the greatest benefit for shadowing is how it affects you (of course that should be the answer for all the ECs). It would be really good for you to shadow a couple of physicians in different specialties. First it will give you a good idea of what that type of doctor does. Second, it will give you some background so that you can talk about the specialty intelligently.

I shadowed a sleep specialist for 3 months. It was so boring, and if I had it to do over again, I would have spent less time with one doctor. I would say 10 hours per doctor, and shadow as many specialties as you have time for. Take notes, ask intelligent questions, and you might get a really good LOR out of it too.

 

[niranjan162]

I think shadowing is important in other aspects than just how you application looks, but also so you can really see what its like to be a doctor. So you can get a true feel of what your everday life might end up being like and if it is what you expected or willing to go to school and possibly be in debt for.

Sorry my glass is a little half empty today.

Really i think shadowing is important for the real-life wake up call for the people who think they want to be doctors for unrealistic reasons.

totally agree with this

 

[Mobius1985]

Yes and my mother has been a doctor for many years, I know all about what she does everyday, so that counts?

If your mom is a doc, then you'll have a much easier time setting up some shadowing opportunities with her contacts.