Including shadowing done in HS iff it was meaningful

[honey-hydroflask]

Hi all, my first post here, so apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I’m considering a career change, going through a difficult moment right now and keep reflecting fondly on my shadowing experience (probably ~100 hours) at a neurosurgery/orthopedic practice in high school as a reason for why I want to change.

I know it’s taboo to include highschool activities on an application but I feel as if this experience was transformative to me and important to reflect upon. The next year, COVID hit and I started my undergrad; I ended up getting my degree in CS and starting a new grad role in tech. To be blunt, I discovered I hate Corporate World and appreciate the day-in-the-life of a physician (e.g., shadowing) much more. I had the opportunity to observe how they both (a) operate and (b) see patients.

Sadly, 5 years later, the practice doesn’t exist anymore (everyone either left for more money or retired) but I am in contact with at least 3 of the 5 surgeons today and I think they would view me favorably.

So, I come here to ask if this case is acceptable to include given the circumstances; I’m not here to milk an application section — this shadowing experience was (and still is) a point of reflection for me and I’m curious how ADCOMs would view this scenario.

Thank you for all your help!

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[wysdoc]

You could include it in your personal statement as part of your inspiration to pursue medicine.
Relevant HS activities can be listed on AMCAS (although not on TMDSAS) but you also need some new more recent clinical related work, shadowing, or volunteering and non-health related volunteering. It might take you the upcoming year to pull all that together.

 

[honey-hydroflask]

You could include it in your personal statement as part of your inspiration to pursue medicine.
Relevant HS activities can be listed on AMCAS (although not on TMDSAS) but you also need some new more recent clinical related work, shadowing, or volunteering and non-health related volunteering. It might take you the upcoming year to pull all that together.

Thanks for the response. I’m volunteering in an ED and at my local humane society right now. I plan on doing this until I send in my applications but my main concern is just putting together a competitive application. I hear shadowing is tougher than expected to start (I had a personal connection, and the practice no longer exists 🥲) so I’m curious if this would put me at a disadvantage to ADCOMs.

 

[wysdoc]

Thanks for the response. I’m volunteering in an ED and at my local humane society right now. I plan on doing this until I send in my applications but my main concern is just putting together a competitive application. I hear shadowing is tougher than expected to start (I had a personal connection, and the practice no longer exists 🥲) so I’m curious if this would put me at a disadvantage to ADCOMs.

Who's your doctor, your mom or dad's doctor, your old pediatrician? Any of these are a place to start.
Get to know one of the ED doctors and ask if you can shadow on a day you are not working a volunteer shift.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I agree you need to do more shadowing under current circumstances. What you did in high school before COVID might not be representative of current trends in hospital management.