Is it a good idea to shadow

[wlee43]

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Primary care docs?

 

[raltima07]

Yes, it is a very good idea. You will be able to see a wide assortment of cases

 

[Cerena]

Yes.

 

[Monocles]

Yup, clinical experience is always good! 🙂

 

[13132]

Yup, clinical experience is always good! 🙂

I thought that was different than shadowing.

But of cours shadow a promary care doc! Ecspecially if you want to be one. In fact, that is where the majority of my shadowing is from.

 

[Geekchick921]

Yup, clinical experience is always good! 🙂

Shadowing =/= clinical experience.

OP, shadowing a PCP is a perfectly fine idea. Shadowing isn't absolutely necessary but if you want to do it, shadowing a few doctors for a few days each is all you need. Ideally and if possible, try to shadow a primary care doc, a surgeon, and some kind of specialist, just so you get to see a variety of things.

 

[flatearth22]

Shadowing =/= clinical experience.

OP, shadowing a PCP is a perfectly fine idea. Shadowing isn't absolutely necessary but if you want to do it, shadowing a few doctors for a few days each is all you need. Ideally and if possible, try to shadow a primary care doc, a surgeon, and some kind of specialist, just so you get to see a variety of things.

But I thought if you could smell the patient it was clinical experience (as per LizzyM).

An old man definitely let out some gas in the examination room before me and the doctor I was shadowing went in to meet with him.

 

[wheet123]

Absolutely

 

[LizzyM]

Shadowing is a clinical experience. What it is not is "volunteering". Schools that want to see service to the poor through clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, or some combination of the two will not count shadowing as meeting the unwritten requirement for clinical volunteering.

 

[JSU]

Shadowing is a clinical experience. What it is not is "volunteering". Schools that want to see service to the poor through clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, or some combination of the two will not count shadowing as meeting the unwritten requirement for clinical volunteering.

Which schools require clinical volunteering? I have clinical experience and non-clinical volunteer work.

 

[gettheleadout]

Shadowing is a clinical experience. What it is not is "volunteering". Schools that want to see service to the poor through clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, or some combination of the two will not count shadowing as meeting the unwritten requirement for clinical volunteering.

BTW, shadowing is not considered a clinical experience as it is a passive observership. Clinical experience implies actively engaging with sick people.

Oh my the world is going to expl...

But in all seriousness, this is just an issue made complicated by the terminology. Ideally one should get both active (getting to interact with patients and experience being a part of the quality of care they receive) and passive (observing and seeing how care is given) clinical experiences, as one can learn more specifics and get a broader exposure to medicine through shadowing, but try a hand at meeting a patient's needs through volunteering.

 

[LizzyM]

This is exactly what you are up against.... one adcom member will interprete something one way and another will have a different standard. When you hear that this is a crap shoot, that's what they are talking about. Whether your application is assigned to me or to Cat' is just luck of the draw.


Who requires clinical volunteerism? I don't remember exactly but it might be in the Volunteer State. 😎

 

[Catalystik]

This is exactly what you are up against.... one adcom member will interprete something one way and another will have a different standard. When you hear that this is a crap shoot, that's what they are talking about. Whether your application is assigned to me or to Cat' is just luck of the draw.

And the advantage of SDNers' exposure to multiple opinions on what constitutes a good application is that you can broaden the scope of your Experiences so that more schools (with varying missions) will give you consideration.

 

[gettheleadout]

This is exactly what you are up against.... one adcom member will interprete something one way and another will have a different standard. When you hear that this is a crap shoot, that's what they are talking about. Whether your application is assigned to me or to Cat' is just luck of the draw.

And the advantage of SDNers' exposure to multiple opinions on what constitutes a good application is that you can broaden the scope of your Experiences so that more schools (with varying missions) will give you consideration.

Great explanations; we are all fortunate to have you both. 🙂

 

[CrushMCAT]

Definitely shadow. The more exposure the better.

 

[JSU]

This is exactly what you are up against.... one adcom member will interprete something one way and another will have a different standard. When you hear that this is a crap shoot, that's what they are talking about. Whether your application is assigned to me or to Cat' is just luck of the draw.


Who requires clinical volunteerism? I don't remember exactly but it might be in the Volunteer State. 😎

Would starting to do some "clinical volunteering" (according to the above definitions) right before submitting AMCAS help me at all?

Sorry for the derail...

 

[LizzyM]

Would starting to do some "clinical volunteering" (according to the above definitions) right before submitting AMCAS help me at all?

Sorry for the derail...

Not very much. The applicant I remember who corresponded with me through two cycles was told after a failed cycle that his state school liked to see a year of volunteering. IRC, he did that & got in the following year.

 

[blizzah]

Would starting to do some "clinical volunteering" (according to the above definitions) right before submitting AMCAS help me at all?

Sorry for the derail...

Certainly would be better than not starting.

 

[bucks2010]

Oh my the world is going to expl...

lol'z

 

[JSU]

Not very much. The applicant I remember who corresponded with me through two cycles was told after a failed cycle that his state school liked to see a year of volunteering. IRC, he did that & got in the following year.

I have regular volunteering and really intense clinical experience (more than just shadowing) where I actually help out the docs plus a bunch of other medical stuff. Just don't have "clinical volunteering" with disadvantaged populations and the like.

Are you able to disclose which state school it was?

 

[LizzyM]

I have regular volunteering and really intense clinical experience (more than just shadowing) where I actually help out the docs plus a bunch of other medical stuff. Just don't have "clinical volunteering" with disadvantaged populations and the like.

Are you able to disclose which state school it was?

Have you heard of the Volunteer State? Not kidding.

 

[JSU]

Have you heard of the Volunteer State? Not kidding.

O wow, you were serious!

Volunteer State

 

[Amalgamate]

Lol I didn't even get specialty specific, I went to a hospital and just walked office to office regardless of specialty asking if the doctors did shadowing, if there was an MD or DO on the door I was there.

One weird thing is I noticed trends about which specialties seemed more helpful and friendly, which is kind of like that thread a while back if different specialties require different personalities.

I have a funny story though I went into an office and the receptionist was extremely rude, and told me men were not allowed in the office unless they were accompanying a patient, I glanced over and realized it was a ob/gyn.

I found pediatrics, cosmetic/plastics, and family medicine to be the most helpful. Opthamology, pain management, oncology were all not helpful. My best guess is the patients they deal with having an effect on the tone of the office. I also noticed a huge difference between when I talked to a doctor and when I talked to the receptionist.

Doctor=nice and helpful...
Receptionist=some helpful. some not. Most didn't know what shadowing was, one asked me if I could help her on Her math homework
Office manager= always helpful, and seemed most knowledgable about shadowing and always willing to take my information

I had a few doctors offer to help me find a physician to shadow, if they couldn't fit me into their schedule. Some receptionists asked me what shadowing was, some thought I was asking for a job, and some asked me how my application was coming along.

I know this was a randomly long post but reading your post made me think of how random the shadowing process was (well at least getting shadowing) and I remember wishing someone would have gave me more advice on how to go about shadowing