Is volunteering and shadowing critical?

[KEJ]

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I've been a paramedic for 12 yrs and a nurse for 5 (1 1/2 yrs in the ER and 1 yr in CVICU). I work 30+ hrs a wk while finishing my bachelors degree, i have 3 kids and a husband. I've managed to shadow a physician friend a few times (to see what being a healthcare provider was like from his perspective instead of as a medic/nurse). But, I have 0 volunteer hrs... And honestly I don't know where I will be able to find the time.

Is this going to negatively affect my application?

Thanks

 

[Dreamstoo]

I've been a paramedic for 12 yrs and a nurse for 5 (1 1/2 yrs in the ER and 1 yr in CVICU). I work 30+ hrs a wk while finishing my bachelors degree, i have 3 kids and a husband. I've managed to shadow a physician friend a few times (to see what being a healthcare provider was like from his perspective instead of as a medic/nurse). But, I have 0 volunteer hrs... And honestly I don't know where I will be able to find the time.

Is this going to negatively affect my application?

Thanks

If you can somehow squeeze in 100 hrs of volunteering at like a hospital and 50 hours of shadowing it would help your app

 

[cliquesh]

I think they have enough healthcare experience. If I were you, I'd only shadow a doctor if it's the only way you can get a LOR.

 

[deleted307836]

If shadowing isn't as critical for anyone, it would probably be for someone like a nurse or PA who does have job exposure to the career. However, more shadowing could definitely still help.

If you can fit it in, non-healthcare volunteering would also probably be a good idea if you don't have any volunteer hours.

It's hard to say how "necessary" these things are in definite terms. Do what you can to give yourself the best chance.

 

[scpod]

There is no requirement whatsoever to shadow a physician. I never did and I'm an attending physician now. It is generally recommended for those without clinical experience to have shadowing opportunities. I can't imagine why a former emt that is now a nurse would need a single hour of shadowing. That's bonafide clinical experience.

 

[Doctor Bob]

Is this going to negatively affect my application?

Not at all. Shadowing serves two purposes: 1) to get someone exposed to the medical field so that they can reasonably assess if the job is right for them; 2) to help with getting LORs.

Your job as a nurse and your work as a paramedic addresses #1. Your job as a nurse also addresses #2 (assuming that the doctors you work with would be willing to write you a LOR).

You're still going to have to be able to answer the question of "so why do you want to be a doctor", but having 100+ hours of shadowing isn't going to make you better able to answer that question... you're more involved as a nurse in the care/evaluation of the patients (and you work closer with the physicians) than you ever would as a shadower.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I agree that shadowing is probably worthless, but volunteering probably is not worthless. You don't need any clinical volunteering, but what about working in a soup kitchen, food shelf, womens shelter, or something like that? Volunteering will never hurt your application, unless its for the KKK or something, that would probably wreck your chances... Anyway, just my 2c, I used to volunteer for my local food shelf 4hrs/week, no biggie, easy to do, and was great experience 🙂

 

[DOPlzthx]

There is no requirement whatsoever to shadow a physician. I never did and I'm an attending physician now. It is generally recommended for those without clinical experience to have shadowing opportunities. I can't imagine why a former emt that is now a nurse would need a single hour of shadowing. That's bonafide clinical experience.

Not true. Plenty of schools state on their admissions website that it is a requirement. OP, check with the schools you are interested in and get their answer. It's your future, and everyone else applying will have volunteer experience.. I don't know.. is it worth the risk for 100 or so hours of your life?

 

[kimicurtis]

I honestly don't see why you need to shadow. The purpose of shadowing is to give premed students experience in a clinical environment. You exemplify that! I'm sure it wouldn't hurt but as long as you can explain what you learned from your experiences and how you exemplify characteristics of a future physician. If you are still concerned, definitely call schools and ask.

 

[KEJ]

Thanks for the replies. I spoke with one of our social workers in the ER for some contacts to set up volunteering in an area that I am passionate about.

 

[DOPlzthx]

👍

Thanks for the replies. I spoke with one of our social workers in the ER for some contacts to set up volunteering in an area that I am passionate about.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Yeah. How else do you know that medicine is right for you?

By working as a paramedic and a nurse?

Thanks for the replies. I spoke with one of our social workers in the ER for some contacts to set up volunteering in an area that I am passionate about.

Clinical volunteering would be a waste of your time given your experience, but it would help you to do some non-clinical volunteering such as a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, etc. You also don't need shadowing, but a letter from a physician would be a good idea.

Not true. Plenty of schools state on their admissions website that it is a requirement. OP, check with the schools you are interested in and get their answer. It's your future, and everyone else applying will have volunteer experience.. I don't know.. is it worth the risk for 100 or so hours of your life?

Can you mention any Osteopathic school that does this? Because I have not seen a single one.

 

[corpsman33]

Thanks for the replies. I spoke with one of our social workers in the ER for some contacts to set up volunteering in an area that I am passionate about.

I agree with most of the people here in that shadowing is nearly worthless in your situation. I also had 10 years of clinical experience and I never shadowed once. During my interviews they never questioned the fact that I had never shadowed, but they were all thrilled with my clinical experience (they understood why I had never shadowed since I had worked closely with physicians my whole life).
True Clinical Experience (nurse, paramedic, etc.) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shadowing IMO.

Although, volunteer work is another story. Even working full time and going to school full time you should still be able to find time to volunteer. I was active duty military working 60-80 hours a week, going to school full time, and a parent and I still found plenty of time to volunteer. You won't be expected to stop once you hit med school either. The slate is wiped clean and you start over with volunteer work, etc., and if you think you are busy now, wait until you are a MS-1.

Good Luck!

 

[DOPlzthx]

Can you mention any Osteopathic school that does this? Because I have not seen a single one.

OP didn't specify only osteopathic (unless I missed it). Was not trying to be misleading, but it is true many schools do require shadowing.

My original advice still stands... contact the schools you are interested in and get their take. It is the best way to know for sure. (UoU-SOM, btw).

 

[TriagePreMed]

OP didn't specify only osteopathic (unless I missed it). Was not trying to be misleading, but it is true many schools do require shadowing.

My original advice still stands... contact the schools you are interested in and get their take. It is the best way to know for sure. (UoU-SOM, btw).

Well, it is the Pre-Osteo forum. The MD school Utah is perhaps the weirdest school there is. Too many requirements. By the way, I'm not saying your advice doesn't stand. I was just asking what school you knew about.

 

[Columbia09]

I called up NYCOM about a month ago and they HIGHLY recommend that you shadow a D.O so that you know what you're getting yourself into. Shadowing isn't required but again it shows admissions officers that you had some exposure to the field and know at least some knowledge about it.

 

[NontradCA]

No, you don't need to shadow with your clinical experience unless its specifically for a LOR (which was only reason I chose to do so). You should do some volunteering though, but I think as long as you can answer "why DO?" It's all a non issue.

 

[corpsman33]

I called up NYCOM about a month ago and they HIGHLY recommend that you shadow a D.O so that you know what you're getting yourself into. Shadowing isn't required but again it shows admissions officers that you had some exposure to the field and know at least some knowledge about it.

For 95% of pre-med students this would be the case (as I am sure the person on the phone was alluding to during your phone call). Probably not really the case for the OP's situation. I'm pretty sure NYCOM would consider the OP's over a decade worth of advanced clinical experience as sufficient to understand what he/she was getting into (even more so than a 22 year old with 1,000 hours of shadowing experience).

Even though shadowing wouldn't hurt the OP, it's probably overkill in this case. Focus on volunteer work instead.

 

[deleted307836]

I could see a lack of shadowing hurting the OP if a particular admissions committee uses a formulaic point system towards evaluating applicants; a blind "does the person have shadowing or not" type of thing. You would hope an admissions committee uses a more holistic approach but I can see the finer details of a particular application being overlooked considering the volume of applicants that schools must evaluate.

 

[Columbia09]

For 95% of pre-med students this would be the case (as I am sure the person on the phone was alluding to during your phone call). Probably not really the case for the OP's situation. I'm pretty sure NYCOM would consider the OP's over a decade worth of advanced clinical experience as sufficient to understand what he/she was getting into (even more so than a 22 year old with 1,000 hours of shadowing experience).

Even though shadowing wouldn't hurt the OP, it's probably overkill in this case. Focus on volunteer work instead.

I was speaking in general terms but yea the OP is fine

 

[corpsman33]

I could see a lack of shadowing hurting the OP if a particular admissions committee uses a formulaic point system towards evaluating applicants; a blind "does the person have shadowing or not" type of thing. You would hope an admissions committee uses a more holistic approach but I can see the finer details of a particular application being overlooked considering the volume of applicants that schools must evaluate.

If we are playing the "what if" game, then I guess it is possible. But if the OP applies to more than 1 school, then I don't really think it is going to be an issue (unless he/she just so happens to only desire one particular school, and that one particular school uses such a formula).

I had zero shadowing hours and still received 8 interviews, so I know it's definitely possible without shadowing (as long as you have extensive clinical experience to justify the absence of shadowing).