Importance of working a medical job and where to find physicians to shadow

[deleted421268]

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How important is it to work a medical job of some sort like scribe, EMT, CNA, and a job of that nature??? Also what's easiest way to find a physician to shadow? Been cold calling places usually leave voicemails a lot to office managers and tried faxing approach as well. Very difficult to find a physician to shadow. Any advice on best approach to find one?

 

[NeuResurgens]

For clinical work, this can definitely be a valuable part of an application. I'd say it gives you a leg up over non clinical jobs.

For physicians, sometimes networking at your school can help. A lot of the career centers and professors at my school know some physicians. Also, sometimes hospitals have departments which can arrange shadowing opportunities when you apply. I don't know if this is at all commonplace but my local hospital does this.

 

[deleted421268]

bump

 

[familyaerospace]

1) Helps but is not mandatory

2) Check the link in my signature.

 

[moemoekyun]

For clinical work, this can definitely be a valuable part of an application. I'd say it gives you a leg up over non clinical jobs.

For physicians, sometimes networking at your school can help. A lot of the career centers and professors at my school know some physicians. Also, sometimes hospitals have departments which can arrange shadowing opportunities when you apply. I don't know if this is at all commonplace but my local hospital does this.

Have you tried any local hospitals? I called a number for someone who arranges high school shadowing who pointed me to another manager who directed me to nurses and PAs who found a doctor willing to let me shadow (first orthopedics, waiting to hear back from anesthesiology). Key point is to be persistent, because they're usually busy, as hospitals ought to be, and many others are looking for this experience, and to be patient. I started in January asking for shadowing, and I followed up a week ago, and they sorta forgot. Also, my school had a shadowing program/class (don't know how they graded it) where they hooked students up with a surgeon, family DO, and I forgot the last one, but it was super competitive. Try checking with your school's prehealth office. Good Luck!

 

[takeurmeds02]

I would definitely look into scribing if you can; PhysAssist, ScribeAmerica, etc. Most other positions such as CNA, EMT, and the like require certification that you have to pay for out of pocket. There's also a somewhat lengthy and intensive training period. This is not to say that you can't do either of those if you want but it sounds like you're looking for something with a relatively fast on-boarding process.