How should I shadow as a pre-medicine student?

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

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Title is misleading.

Specifically, should I:

A. focus on shadowing dozens of different types of doctors in multiple fields for a few hours each

B. focus on shadowing a few doctors in fields I am most interested in for many hours each. This could be shadowing the same individual for 10 to 15 hours or shadowing multiple individuals in the same field for 10 to 15 hours.

C. focus on something else (what?).



Ultimately, I am leaning towards option A and just shadowing as many fields as possible. I am not positive on what type of doctor I would like to be but I know I want to be a doctor. Obviously, option A would require more effort and hassle but either option is attainable.

Lastly, I apologize if this has been posted before. My search function wasn't working properly. Thanks in advance.

 

[massmocha]

Try to find a doctor in a field that is interesting to you and shadow them a couple times. You will get to see most specialties in med school, you don't have to make up your mind until your third or fourth year of med school, so don't feel like you have to see everything now.

Your time will be better spent doing research or community service or leadership activities than "many hours" shadowing "dozens" of doctors.

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

Try to find a doctor in a field that is interesting to you and shadow them a couple times. You will get to see most specialties in med school, you don't have to make up your mind until your third or fourth year of med school, so don't feel like you have to see everything now.

Your time will be better spent doing research or community service or leadership activities than "many hours" shadowing "dozens" of doctors.

Thanks, I think that is sound advice and along the lines of what I was expecting. However, I've also heard that you should shadow a wide variety of fields so you have "some idea" of what it is you want to do. Would you still suggest what you said in your first post?

Thanks again!! Just going for constructive criticism...especially after not utilizing past summers/breaks as well as I could have.

 

[pageantry]

Bear in mind that if you decide to apply DO you will need a letter from an MD or DO who you shadowed (DO preferred.) So if you do shadow lots of docs, and you're not yet sure how you'll apply, creating a relationship (shadowing a bit extra) with at least one doc could serve you well later.

 

[pageantry]

[glitch]

 

[italiancowgirl]

I shadowed 22 doctors across 13 fields over 17 weeks. I loved almost every minute and learned a ton. I would say it takes 3 solid days to get comfortable enough to really learn but I highly recommend it!

 

[italiancowgirl]

I shadowed 22 doctors across 13 fields over 17 weeks. I loved almost every minute and learned a ton. I would say it takes 3 solid days to get comfortable enough to really learn but I highly recommend it!

 

[ski89]

Title is misleading.

Specifically, should I:

A. focus on shadowing dozens of different types of doctors in multiple fields for a few hours each

B. focus on shadowing a few doctors in fields I am most interested in for many hours each. This could be shadowing the same individual for 10 to 15 hours or shadowing multiple individuals in the same field for 10 to 15 hours.

C. focus on something else (what?).



Ultimately, I am leaning towards option A and just shadowing as many fields as possible. I am not positive on what type of doctor I would like to be but I know I want to be a doctor. Obviously, option A would require more effort and hassle but either option is attainable.

Lastly, I apologize if this has been posted before. My search function wasn't working properly. Thanks in advance.

I do think that it is a good idea to shadow in at least 3 different specialties. The field of medicine is so varried in terms of practice setting and daily routine across different specialties and even within specialties; it is helpful to be able to talk intelligently about this fact. Overall though, I don't think more than 50 or so hours is necessary (that about 7 days of shadowing or so).

For me personally, I shadowed 5 different fields and spent two days with two of the docs out of that 5.

 

[ski89]

Title is misleading.

Specifically, should I:

A. focus on shadowing dozens of different types of doctors in multiple fields for a few hours each

B. focus on shadowing a few doctors in fields I am most interested in for many hours each. This could be shadowing the same individual for 10 to 15 hours or shadowing multiple individuals in the same field for 10 to 15 hours.

C. focus on something else (what?).



Ultimately, I am leaning towards option A and just shadowing as many fields as possible. I am not positive on what type of doctor I would like to be but I know I want to be a doctor. Obviously, option A would require more effort and hassle but either option is attainable.

Lastly, I apologize if this has been posted before. My search function wasn't working properly. Thanks in advance.

I do think that it is a good idea to shadow in at least 3 different specialties. The field of medicine is so varried in terms of practice setting and daily routine across different specialties and even within specialties; it is helpful to be able to talk intelligently about this fact. Overall though, I don't think more than 50 or so hours is necessary (that about 7 days of shadowing or so).

For me personally, I shadowed 5 different fields and spent two days with two of the docs out of that 5. Oh and make sure

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

Thanks to everyone that replied so far!! Right now, the two leading votes are "few doctors with many hours each" and to give up on life, which really isn't an option.

Bear in mind that if you decide to apply DO you will need a letter from an MD or DO who you shadowed (DO preferred.) So if you do shadow lots of docs, and you're not yet sure how you'll apply, creating a relationship (shadowing a bit extra) with at least one doc could serve you well later.

Thanks for pointing this out. Right now, DO is a major consideration and I will likely choose which ever I am accepted into in when I apply. They both have their own benefits. That being said, I was unaware I would need a letter of recommendation. I am certain I could get an MD letter and probably a DO with some more work. But this raises another question...a letter from a medical professional isn't a requirement right? Or did I miss this completely? Right now, I think I have good recs from teachers and a previous research coordinator. I could throw in a letter from an MD/DO putting me at 5 letters. Is this recommended assuming they are all intelligible, willing, and powerful sources? Thanks again!

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

I shadowed 22 doctors across 13 fields over 17 weeks. I loved almost every minute and learned a ton. I would say it takes 3 solid days to get comfortable enough to really learn but I highly recommend it!

I would probably agree. Did you mean 3 days per doctor or field? 3 days in total (so 72 hours)? Thanks, theres just a little ambiguity. XD

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

I do think that it is a good idea to shadow in at least 3 different specialties. The field of medicine is so varried in terms of practice setting and daily routine across different specialties and even within specialties; it is helpful to be able to talk intelligently about this fact. Overall though, I don't think more than 50 or so hours is necessary (that about 7 days of shadowing or so).

For me personally, I shadowed 5 different fields and spent two days with two of the docs out of that 5. Oh and make sure

50 hours total? Ive heard that you should aim for 80-100. My app isn't necessarily strong from freshman and sophomore years so I might aim for more... I'd probably go for once a week, half a day...Cheers

 

[ski89]

50 hours total? Ive heard that you should aim for 80-100. My app isn't necessarily strong from freshman and sophomore years so I might aim for more... I'd probably go for once a week, half a day...Cheers

Yeah I guess it depends on your other clinical experiences. If an applicant is having a difficult time building up clinical experience hours, then yes, I would shoot for around 100. For me I obtained over 1k hours of clinical experience through scribing and a few other ventures. You bring up a good point though.

 

[pageantry]

[glitch]

 

[pageantry]

Thanks for pointing this out. Right now, DO is a major consideration and I will likely choose which ever I am accepted into in when I apply. They both have their own benefits. That being said, I was unaware I would need a letter of recommendation. I am certain I could get an MD letter and probably a DO with some more work. But this raises another question...a letter from a medical professional isn't a requirement right? Or did I miss this completely? Right now, I think I have good recs from teachers and a previous research coordinator. I could throw in a letter from an MD/DO putting me at 5 letters. Is this recommended assuming they are all intelligible, willing, and powerful sources? Thanks again!

(Sorry for glitchy multi-post.)
I should rephrase, you don't necessarily need a "shadowing letter," you just need any letter (not from family) from an MD or a DO for--well, at least for all of the DO schools I'm applying to. But the letter should indicate you know what you're getting yourself into, which implies shadowing. You can find this written in the application requirements under "supplementary materials" for most schools. Here's Touro-NY's page, for instance.

Pre-med lore is that a DO letter is worth its weight in gold (~.2 ounces?) to a DO adcom, and a few DO schools do expressly require one. And yeah, it can be harder to find a DO to shadow (b/c fewer DOs), so if you're looking for docs to shadow right now, might as well add that to your focus.

I think that most MD schools don't expressly require one (I just looked up Hopkins to make sure--nothing there), but it's always a great idea to have an endorsement from within the profession.

Finally, I just woke up and staggered over to the computer to fix the multi-post glitch, started writing this, went down a rabbit hole googling things, and just stopped myself from googling the current price of gold in ounces so GOOD MORNING...

 

[pageantry]

[ok wtf...]

 

[massmocha]

50 hours total? Ive heard that you should aim for 80-100. My app isn't necessarily strong from freshman and sophomore years so I might aim for more... I'd probably go for once a week, half a day...Cheers

I don't think any application requires a specific quantity of hours of shadowing. This should purely be for your own interest, to see what different types of doctors generally do. You really aren't going to "learn" anything per se. You will just see what the day to day life is like. Without a foundation for understanding any of the medications/treatments or disease pathology, you will essentially be learning little bits of medical trivia from your preceptor and possibly about "the art of medicine."

I would recommend that if you are going to shadow multiple doctors that you shadow at least one primary care doc, one medical specialist, and one surgeon. That should give you as much breadth of the medical field as you need at this point.

I do think that it is a good idea to shadow in at least 3 different specialties. The field of medicine is so varried in terms of practice setting and daily routine across different specialties and even within specialties; it is helpful to be able to talk intelligently about this fact. Overall though, I don't think more than 50 or so hours is necessary (that about 7 days of shadowing or so).

For me personally, I shadowed 5 different fields and spent two days with two of the docs out of that 5. Oh and make sure

I think this a reasonable strategy.

 

[italiancowgirl]

I would probably agree. Did you mean 3 days per doctor or field? 3 days in total (so 72 hours)? Thanks, theres just a little ambiguity. XD

At least 3 days per doctor or clinic ideally. The first day or two they will be trying to figure out who you are and what you know, and you will be watching the flow of activity to find where you fit. It takes time to start really seeing their life, but it helped me to see the specialties better, as I am someone who loves so many parts of medicine. When I identified fields that I connected with more, I tried to clarify (for myself) what drew me in (the doctor, the field of knowledge or the patient base). I also looked for 2nd or 3rd shadows in the fields I was most drawn to! I saw some amazing things and it has helped me stay focused and motivated!

 

[walbridge20]

My opinion, which is worth about as much as a penny, is that you should focus on spending enough time with a physician to get a good feel for the specialty and potentially build some sort of relationship with them (for a potential recommendation as well as getting to the point where you can ask them questions about their path) but once you have gotten to that point, look for docs in other specialties.

I shadowed 5 different docs (3 MD 2 DO) for only a couple of days each. I felt this gave me more exposure than trying to spend 100+ hours with the same physician where you would most likely see repetition. This helped me in a number of ways: Exposure to more fields, more connections for the purpose of letters, and it added multiple talking points for interviews. I didn't have a ton of hours overall (about 100 total) but in each interview, my interviewers mentioned my varied shadowing experience with a positive connotation. They never mentioned a low number of hours with any specific doc, but they did mention the wide array of specialties I had seen.

Just my opinion but I think you gain more from 1 day with 10 different docs than 10 days with 1 doc. As a financial adviser would say: Diversify!

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

Yeah I guess it depends on your other clinical experiences. If an applicant is having a difficult time building up clinical experience hours, then yes, I would shoot for around 100. For me I obtained over 1k hours of clinical experience through scribing and a few other ventures. You bring up a good point though.

Nice, thats a lot. What types of clinical experience and 'other ventures'? Also, this might be a stupid question but what do you mean by scribing? I'm just trying to be as well rounded as possible. Thanks again!

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

(Sorry for glitchy multi-post.)
I should rephrase, you don't necessarily need a "shadowing letter," you just need any letter (not from family) from an MD or a DO for--well, at least for all of the DO schools I'm applying to. But the letter should indicate you know what you're getting yourself into, which implies shadowing. You can find this written in the application requirements under "supplementary materials" for most schools. Here's Touro-NY's page, for instance.

Pre-med lore is that a DO letter is worth its weight in gold (~.2 ounces?) to a DO adcom, and a few DO schools do expressly require one. And yeah, it can be harder to find a DO to shadow (b/c fewer DOs), so if you're looking for docs to shadow right now, might as well add that to your focus.

I think that most MD schools don't expressly require one (I just looked up Hopkins to make sure--nothing there), but it's always a great idea to have an endorsement from within the profession.

Finally, I just woke up and staggered over to the computer to fix the multi-post glitch, started writing this, went down a rabbit hole googling things, and just stopped myself from googling the current price of gold in ounces so GOOD MORNING...

Thanks, thats really helpful. I will definetly add a DO to the list and try to get a letter from both a DO and MD when applying to the respective schools. Great advice!

PS-dont worry about the glitches. Server seemed really messed up yesterday for me as well!

 

[Monkeys4Lyfe]

At least 3 days per doctor or clinic ideally. The first day or two they will be trying to figure out who you are and what you know, and you will be watching the flow of activity to find where you fit. It takes time to start really seeing their life, but it helped me to see the specialties better, as I am someone who loves so many parts of medicine. When I identified fields that I connected with more, I tried to clarify (for myself) what drew me in (the doctor, the field of knowledge or the patient base). I also looked for 2nd or 3rd shadows in the fields I was most drawn to! I saw some amazing things and it has helped me stay focused and motivated!

Nice, I think I will try to shadow a primary care physician, specialist, and surgeon (as massmocha mentioned above) about three times each over the summer. Then maybe I'll throw in some random bits. My problem is also that I could find interest in so many fields (not even just in medicine!). It'll be hard to narrow it down but luckily I have until M3/4 to decide and I haven't even applied to med schools yet...it'll be a long journey!!

 

[ski89]

Nice, thats a lot. What types of clinical experience and 'other ventures'? Also, this might be a stupid question but what do you mean by scribing? I'm just trying to be as well rounded as possible. Thanks again!

Scribs work in emergency departments, hospitals, and doctors offices. They are paired with a physician and they assist them throughout the day with charting and other workflow related tasks. While you are not performing direct patient care, you are literally at the physicians side all day and learn an emense amount about patient care, medicine, hospital politics, healthcare economics, and more. It's great clinical experience.

Other than scribing I got my EMT cert and have some volunteer hours in the ED. Plus the shadowing I mentioned.

 

[qwerpoiuqwer]

I shadowed several doctors in several different specialties for one or two full days. Honestly, I have no idea why some people spend months shadowing the exact same doctor for months on end.
Let's be honest here; shadowing is quite boring. It's boring because watching other people work is innately boring.
Some doctors are great and wonderfully informative, but the process of shadowing itself is quite tedious, no matter what specialty. I imagine that the marginal benefit
of one's spending additional time with a doctor after several days is next to none.

Perhaps that's because I've had plenty of on hands clinical experience with doctors in the hospital other than shadowing.
But still, I'd say that for your own sanity, shadow across several different specialties for half shifts for two or three days rather than the long term observation.