How many hours shadowing

[Colochine]

Hey everyone I'm filling out my student observer application for Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and there is a question that says Requested hours of obsrvation. I am wondering what is the average hours of shadowing that PA school applicants typically have. How many hours would you Pre-PA's request

Colochine

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[deleted6669]

Hey everyone I'm filling out my student observer application for Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and there is a question that says Requested hours of obsrvation. I am wondering what is the average hours of shadowing that PA school applicants typically have. How many hours would you Pre-PA's request

Colochine

the more the better. if you could do a day/week for several months you would get a lot more out of it than a single 8 hr shift and it gives the pa a chance to get to know you and write a better lor than "john smith followed me around for 8 hrs. he says he wants to be a pa".
shadowing is a very minor portion of the application. prior medical experience and good grades are much more important.

 

[onthego]

the more the better. if you could do a day/week for several months you would get a lot more out of it than a single 8 hr shift and it gives the pa a chance to get to know you and write a better lor than "john smith followed me around for 8 hrs. he says he wants to be a pa".
shadowing is a very minor portion of the application. prior medical experience and good grades are much more important.

I couldn't agree more to this response. Medical experience tops shadowing experience any day. I am not saying shadowing is not important, as it is necessary in most schools, I just believe that medical experience weighs a ton more than just being a fly on the wall.

 

[Chronic Student]

I would agree with the other posters and add this. Shadowing is really for folks to find out what PA's really do. If you have medical experience then you usually have a pretty good idea.

You would be amazed at the number of applicants that get asked at interview, "What does a PA do?" and really cannot formulate a coherent sentence because they don't really know. One of my biggest pet peeves in this world is people who apply to PA school (and get in) because everyone else is doing it or for the money. If you are not in it to help people, stay the hell away.

No dig on you, just venting.

Just my .02