Job Shadowing problems?

[thisischelsea]

My pre-health advisor at my college said I should take a gap year because I don't have any job shadowing in the United States. She said I need shadowing in the US BEFORE I apply (I am applying June 2016)

I totally disagree with her because:
1) I have done maybe cumulatively 3-4 months of shadowing across three different countries (Singapore, Taiwan, and France). I have also worked in a clinic for 3-4 months.
2) I don't want to take a gap year for shadowing...shadowing can be fixed within a month.
3) I am shadowing this summer for 10 weeks (I am a junior right now), so by the time I have interviews I will have had shadowing in the US.

However, I don't know if I'm just being indignant or if my advisor is correct... Please let me know!

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[Lawpy]

All you need is to see what US physicians do on a daily basis. You can spin that as a positive by comparing it with your shadowing in other countries. You don't need a gap year for it, as it can be done within few days time. There really isn't a number of hours needed for shadowing, although 50 hours is generally sufficient.

 

[thisischelsea]

All you need is to see what US physicians do on a daily basis. You can spin that as a positive by comparing it with your shadowing in other countries. You don't need a gap year for it, as it can be done within few days time. There really isn't a number of hours needed for shadowing, although 50 hours is generally sufficient.

Thanks for answering! So if I don't have any shadowing experience in the US prior to applying (but I am 100% doing it over the summer) it won't affect me?

 

[Lawpy]

Thanks for answering! So if I don't have any shadowing experience in the US prior to applying (but I am 100% doing it over the summer) it won't affect me?

It's better to get few hours of shadowing before you apply and state in your AMCAS that you intend to continue shadowing over the summer.

Of course, this is to cover your bases. If you can't fit it in your schedule (this is OK, applicants get in with 0 shadowing hours), at least illustrate that US shadowing will be done over the summer.

The idea here is to show that you know what physicians can do on a daily basis and really try to hone in that in your essays and interviews.

 

[thisischelsea]

It's better to get few hours of shadowing before you apply and state in your AMCAS that you intend to continue shadowing over the summer.

All right, thank you. As a precaution, I've emailed a few doctors and called several departments yesterday so hopefully I'll get a few hours of shadowing before June!

 

[Lawpy]

All right, thank you. As a precaution, I've emailed a few doctors and called several departments yesterday so hopefully I'll get a few hours of shadowing before June!

Good luck! It's really just trying to cover your bases more than anything else.

 

[gyngyn]

I would actually throw a little caution to this @Lawper and would contend that clinical exposure in a US hospital is important on an application. This can be done by clinical volunteering, employment or shadowing. To take this a little further, I have seem too many applicants take shadowing as the primary and most important way to obtain, where I view it as less "valuable" then volunteering. If the clinic work above that the OP mentioned is US, then it wouldnt be an issue, but I would be hesitant to advise an applicant to apply without a fair amount of this exposure.

Thoughts?
@Goro, @LizzyM, @gyngyn

The applicant needs to be able to show evidence that they know what they are getting into. That is all I care about. How they do it can be quite variable.

 

[Goro]

I make the distinction that "knowing what one gets into" comes from interacting with patients, and not from shadowing. The latter is for understanding what a doctor's day is like and how different doctors approach the practice of Medicine.

The applicant needs to be able to show evidence that they know what they are getting into. That is all I care about. How they do it can be quite variable.

 

[LizzyM]

The OP also has 3-4 months in a clinic. Presumably from your comment, interacting with patients in a clinical setting, whether in US or other countries, is the important factor.

I would argue that contact with patients should be with patients in the US as there are cultural differences in the way patients behave here and elsewhere.

 

[gyngyn]

The OP also has 3-4 months in a clinic. Presumably from your comment, interacting with patients in a clinical setting, whether in US or other countries, is the important factor.

US. OP cannot expect similar experience as a physician here.