Is shadowing necessary?

[bowlin123]

I have had more than 100+ hours of volunteering in a hospital ER and in an ambulance agency. I have since graduated and moved to a new location where I do pre-clinical research for a healthcare industry.In order to strengthen my application, I understand that shadowing would be a plus, but I have been having a horrible time finding a physician who's willing to take me.

So my question is "does my clinical experience substitute for lack of shadowing experience?" and also how do I find a shadowing position since I have no personal connections (didn't get sick that much) and most hospitals nearby I asked about don't offer shadowing positions. I know this might sound weird but should I go to their websites to look up for random physicians and ask them if they're willing to take me?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks in advance

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dr seuss]

.

 

[crystalgreen]

I have had more than 100+ hours of volunteering in a hospital ER and in an ambulance agency. I have since graduated and moved to a new location where I do pre-clinical research for a healthcare industry.In order to strengthen my application, I understand that shadowing would be a plus, but I have been having a horrible time finding a physician who's willing to take me.

So my question is "does my clinical experience substitute for lack of shadowing experience?" and also how do I find a shadowing position since I have no personal connections (didn't get sick that much) and most hospitals nearby I asked about don't offer shadowing positions. I know this might sound weird but should I go to their websites to look up for random physicians and ask them if they're willing to take me?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks in advance

maybe u can shadow ur own doctor...haha...i really think that shadowing is a very good way to really get a grip on what a doctor's life is like, what they do everyday...it'll help u decide if this is the kind of life you'd want. medschools really want to know that u know what ur getting urself into and that ur not holding onto some fantasy of wat docs do. i personally think it's very important...it only makes sense that u want to find out more about what u want to become...not just everything in between.

 

[bowlin123]

You could probably get in with no shadowing, but why risk it? I already knew all the doctors I have shadowed. Some people on here though, have said they were successful in just cold calling doctors offices. Sometime it is easier to shadow a private practice doctor so you should try that.

Thanks, I would certainly visit private practice doctors and embark on a phone/email barrage in order to convince these private practice doctors to let me showdow them

maybe u can shadow ur own doctor...haha...i really think that shadowing is a very good way to really get a grip on what a doctor's life is like, what they do everyday...it'll help u decide if this is the kind of life you'd want. medschools really want to know that u know what ur getting urself into and that ur not holding onto some fantasy of wat docs do. i personally think it's very important...it only makes sense that u want to find out more about what u want to become...not just everything in between.

I don't have a doctor and the last time I visited a doctor for health reason was probably in a foreign country. I understand that shadowing is very important but my concern is how to get one in the first place so that I can put it on my application to be submitted to AMCAS on the earliest date posssible

Are you near an academic center??? If so you can see if clinical faculty will allow you to shadow. I found easier time getting people I either knew personally or academic physicians rather then random private physicians to allow shadowing. Although I never ended up going to personal connections and chose USF physicians instead. If your research is clinical why don't you see if your PI knows anyone?

I tried Jefferson University hospital and the lady in their volunteering department told me the soonest date for available volunteering would be sometime in September; And the lady in Albert Einstein Medical Center would be on vacation and would not review my application several weeks from now; however, I really wanted to list shadowing and more volunteering on my AMCAS application before I will have it submitted on JUN 2. btw, my work is only peripherally related to medicine, it's a GLP, GMP, and pre-clinical laboratory that provides services to hospitals and academic research facilities and it is very redundant

I guess I will have to annoy the crap out of the physicians until they acquiesce and let me shadow them. I will do whatever it takes in order to be admitted to a shadowing program before the earliest AMCAS submission date.

 

[bowlin123]

For shadowing, can somebody hook me up with physicians in philadelphia? MSG me or give me their contact info. e.g. phone, email, address, etc.

 

[virusgirl]

I really don't think there's any substitute for shadowing. Clinical volunteering is all well and good, but it doesn't give you a sense of the day-to-day experiences that a doctor has.

I was in your same position, and unfortunately, you just have to grit your teeth and start calling random strangers and asking if you can shadow. You will get a lot of flat-out nos, as well as a lot of HIPAA/privacy talk. Eventually you'll find someone.

My one suggestion would be to go onto the AOA website and look up DOs. The reason for this is that most osteopathic medical schools require a LOR from a DO, and practicing DOs are aware of the need for applicants to shadow and get a letter (which, if they decide to write one for you, you can certainly use for both osteo and allo applications).

 

[bowlin123]

I really don't think there's any substitute for shadowing. Clinical volunteering is all well and good, but it doesn't give you a sense of the day-to-day experiences that a doctor has.

I was in your same position, and unfortunately, you just have to grit your teeth and start calling random strangers and asking if you can shadow. You will get a lot of flat-out nos, as well as a lot of HIPAA/privacy talk. Eventually you'll find someone.

My one suggestion would be to go onto the AOA website and look up DOs. The reason for this is that most osteopathic medical schools require a LOR from a DO, and practicing DOs are aware of the need for applicants to shadow and get a letter (which, if they decide to write one for you, you can certainly use for both osteo and allo applications).

I am applying to mostly MD schools and possibly a few DO schools. Is DO shadowing good enough for allopathic schools?

 

[virusgirl]

I am applying to mostly MD schools and possibly a few DO schools. Is DO shadowing good enough for allopathic schools?

I'm not an expert on this by any means, but I can't see any reason why it would be a problem. The days when MDs and DOs practiced different types of medicine are pretty much over. They both perform appendectomies, treat breast cancer, take call, etc. With the exception of OMM (something very few DOs use anyway), there is no functional difference between an MD and a DO. You will see the exact same things.

If you're worried, you don't even have to tell med schools that the doctor you shadowed was a DO. You can simply say "I shadowed Dr. Andrew Smith, a neurologist at XYZ Hospital, for 100 hours over the course of the summer."

 

[NickNaylor]

If you don't want to shadow to put it on your application, I would think you would want to do it to expose yourself to that part of the field. My experience has been that hospital volunteering and private physician shadowing are not even close to the same thing. If you think you want to go into some kind of private practice, I would highly recommend shadowing a physician, even if you decide not to list it on your application.

In response to your question, though, I'm guessing you could "make it up" with enough hospital volunteering. As I said, though, the two experiences really approach medicine from two different directions, and it can only help you.

 

[aznb0y129]

To the OP, I did not do any shadowing and only had 150 hours of volunteer work on my AMCAS, but I still got 6 interview invites and 2 MD acceptances.

So I wouldn't say shadowing is necessary, but it is definitely helpful.

 

[pietachok]

Depending on what you did in the ER, it may fulfill the same PURPOSE as shadowing--that is to give you clinical exposure and insight into the daily routine of a physician and make sure you know what you're getting into.

I never officially "shadowed" for the sake of shadowing. Rather, I have worked and volunteered in healthcare for many years. I have effectively shadowed many prominent physicians simply by being their research assistant--and it includes a great deal of clinical contact as well as offering me something shadowing doesn't, b/c I attend conferences and lectures, etc. with them, which is really outside the scope of most shadowing.

I was never questioned with regards to my understanding of the realities of the medical field. At least when I applied, AMCAS didn't ask you to specify if you had "shadowed." It's up to the person reading the app to determine whether or not you had enough clinical exposure to know what medicine is all about. (The only exceptions I know of on this is Utah and many D.O. schools, which will require shadowing of most applicants...but even then my unofficial shadowing was accepted).