Military Shadowing San Diego

[UncreativeGenius]

Hello everyone,

Disclaimer: I noticed that similar questions have been asked on this forum, but it has been nearly a decade since the most recent one I've seen.

I'm an active duty Marine in San Diego with about 1.5 months remaining before I get out and become a junior pre-med. I would like to get a headstart on clinical experience, namely shadowing, and I believe starting with military physicians would be somewhat easier due to my active duty status. The problem is I'm not really sure where to start.

I spoke to my PCM about my plans and interests and he was very adamant that medicine is not a great career field and that, in regards to shadowing, it's not my place to be observing the medical issues of other military personnel.

This kind of left me without an "in" and now I'm wondering if it's worth it to try and shadow while I'm still active duty.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I'd be willing to shadow any specialty but I'm most interested in EM and psychiatry. Thanks in advance!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I was able to get great one on one experience by talking to my IDC. He reached out to our ship doc and asked her if I could come shadow/work with her, and she agreed.

 

[WernickeDO]

Hello everyone,

Disclaimer: I noticed that similar questions have been asked on this forum, but it has been nearly a decade since the most recent one I've seen.

I'm an active duty Marine in San Diego with about 1.5 months remaining before I get out and become a junior pre-med. I would like to get a headstart on clinical experience, namely shadowing, and I believe starting with military physicians would be somewhat easier due to my active duty status. The problem is I'm not really sure where to start.

I spoke to my PCM about my plans and interests and he was very adamant that medicine is not a great career field and that, in regards to shadowing, it's not my place to be observing the medical issues of other military personnel.

This kind of left me without an "in" and now I'm wondering if it's worth it to try and shadow while I'm still active duty.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I'd be willing to shadow any specialty but I'm most interested in EM and psychiatry. Thanks in advance!

Try another doc. There may be some HIPPA training you need to complete before you can shadow. If the active duty route fails you can always try civilian. Google this topic and some websites will pop up that claim to have a list of docs who are willing to have students shadow. I don't know how legit they are but I remember finding some online resources that put me in contact with the doc I shadowed as a pre-med.

By the way, your PCM is a dick.

 

[SirGecko]

You could probably find another doctor in the area that is more receptive. (Lots of doctors in San Diego) I agree that your PCM is being a bit of a dick by not at least directing you elsewhere for shadowing. I can see the argument for you shadowing with someone who's patients are not all in your unit but that could be accomplished by having you shadow at a different clinic.

Do you have any particular specialties of interest? You might try contacting Balboa graduate medical education to see if they have any sort of list of people willing to let you shadow. I know I've had pushback at a smaller clinic from the admin people when I have had active duty service members try to shadow but I was able to get them approved after a little bit of pushing. (Was initially told 100% no but that didn't last too long) You will need to do HIPPA training for sure and will obviously need to shadow on your own time, not time that you should be at work but this should totally be achievable.

 

[UncreativeGenius]

Thank you all for the quick replies. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that thought my PCM was being...a little unreasonable.

Specialty wise I will take any specialty that's willing to let me shadow, but my biggest interest is in EM. I think I will just call Balboa directly and ask around. Worst comes to worst, I wait until I'm out and shadow civilian docs while I'm in school. Not a terrible outcome at all!

 

[Gastrapathy]

Before you all come down on the doc, would you let a corporal shadow you while you took care of members of his unit?

OP, you aren't going to get anything done in 6 weeks. The time to get in with medical and help change some bedpans was a year or two ago.

You could try calling the GME office at NMCSD and see if they can help. Shadowing has become a bit of a pain everywhere except private offices due to HIPAA.

More importantly, brick and mortar university right?

 

[MusicDOc124]

You will have plenty of time later. With such a short time left on active, start to pack up some of your stuff, check out of CIF early, catch up on years of lost sleep, and hang out with your friends.

 

[SirGecko]

Before you all come down on the doc, would you let a corporal shadow you while you took care of members of his unit?

No I don't think that would be ideal. Especially considering the area is pretty darn flush with medical assets the guy should be shadowing someone other than his pcm if he is interested in seeing some of milmed.

That said op are you interested in milmed or are you just trying to shadow in milmed because you think it will be easier because you are in the military? If you are just looking for shadowing experience your university should have some programs set up for that. If you are going to be going to a school in San Diego you might be able to reach out to them. (Though if you aren't already a student they may not help)

 

[UncreativeGenius]

@Gastrapathy of course! I did a substantial number of GE courses online but I have done zero pre-reqs until I start at a brick and mortar this summer.

@MusicDOc124 I might have to take you up on that advice...

@SirGecko it's a little bit of both to be honest; I'm interested in comparing milmed to what I experience in the civilian world because I would definitely consider coming back as a physician, but I also figured since right now I have access to so many military clinics and specialties and an ID card that says I'm not some Joe Schmo off the street it would be easier.

And I'll be close to SD, I'll be at a CSU in the LA area so I could always make a connection and come back down here for the day.

Thanks again for all the great advice!