MS1 following a NP.

[urbanclassic]

My mom is a badass Nurse Practitioner at a top hospital in Houston, TX and I have break for a few weeks. I wanted to follow a doctor in the hospital, but I literally just asked her about it, and she doesn't think I'll get through the paperwork fast enough to follow a doctor at the hospital. Anyway, she and I think the process will be easier if I follow her. Also, I'm really shy, so it will be easier on me if I follow her and work on my clinical skills a little bit with her first. I know nurses and doctors do things differently, so that's my only issue. Do you think following a NP would be useful for an MS1? Or should I just wait and follow a MD?

Thanks

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[duckie99]

nah it doesn't really matter since you're only a MS1 and don't really know anything now anyway. Honestly I wouldn't waste your time though. You've got many years ahead of you to work with patients so don't waste your holidays doing this. But that's just me...

 

[swamprat]

Yeah I wouldn't waste your time enjoy your break trust me you'll have plenty of time to get your clinical skills in and make use of them.

 

[Smurfette]

I think as a med student, shadowing your mom for the day is not going to be an experience equivalent to shadowing another provider.

However, if you are shadowing her (or anybody else) in the same hospital, the same paperwork (HIPAA release, background check if applicable, etc.) should apply; not sure why she could get that done faster for you than someone else who works in the same place as it all is probably managed in the same central location.

 

[projectlogic]

I agree with everyone else. It's not worth it.

Just enjoy your break!

 

[FSU2013]

First, you don't want to be the guy who shadows your mom.
Second, there is a big liability issue here. My school really takes a hard line on students working with non-faculty. What if you get stuck with an HIV-positive needle? Get exposed to TB? Who's gonna pay for that?
Third, I've never heard an NP be described as badass.
Fourth, you definitely could learn a lot from an NP as a med student, but not really as a preclinical student. You may do a half day of clinic a something a week right now - there's a reason for that. Your current obligation is to learn the book stuff. Clinical medicine makes more sense after you know path and physio an pharm, etc.
Lastly, it's your break. Relax.

Tl;dnr - no

 

[deleted248403]

First, you don't want to be the guy who shadows your mom.
Second, there is a big liability issue here. My school really takes a hard line on students working with non-faculty. What if you get stuck with an HIV-positive needle? Get exposed to TB? Who's gonna pay for that?
Third, I've never heard an NP be described as badass.
Fourth, you definitely could learn a lot from an NP as a med student, but not really as a preclinical student. You may do a half day of clinic a something a week right now - there's a reason for that. Your current obligation is to learn the book stuff. Clinical medicine makes more sense after you know path and physio an pharm, etc.
Lastly, it's your break. Relax.

Tl;dnr - no

+1

 

[smq123]

Yep, agree with everyone else.

In full disclosure, I shadowed my sister (who was a pulmonology fellow at the time) for a couple of days during Christmas break. It was a great chance to spend time with her, since I rarely had a chance to see her otherwise, but I don't know how much I learned from her that I wouldn't eventually have learned on rotations. I was happy we got to hang out and eat lunch together, but it wasn't really a memorable learning experience.

 

[Textbookversion]

Be careful about this. Most schools have strict policies on this for both liability and reputation reasons.

I know at least at my school you have to get permission from the dean to shadow in your first 2 years, outside of playing pretend third year/scut monkey/wallflower at the schools charity clinics where there is an established volunteering program.

Also it's explicitly written in the policy that you always have to be supervised by a physician, nothing else counts.

Some first year following his/her nurse mother around, likely without filling out any of the proper paperwork, is exactly the type of thing that makes school bureaucrats pucker up.

 

[Cali2]

Please, please don't shadow your *mom.* As others have said, don't be that guy.

Also, like others have said, you should just enjoy your break. So if you want to/can set up a few informal shadowing experiences with MDs great, but really no loss if it does not work out.

 

[235009]

as others have said this would be a complete waste of time.

in general shadowing as a preclinical student is completely worthless unless you are exploring specialties you are interested in or trying to make connections for research. basically there has to be a more concrete goal and you should no longer shadow just for the heck of it. also following someone around isn't going to improve your clinical skills... now that you're in med school you need to learn by doing, whether it is in a standardized patient setting or an early clinical experience setting.

 

[VenusinFurs]

It's only a few weeks, and I think you should enjoy whatever break time you can. I remember on my MS1 winter break they had a huge test right after so that wasn't really a proper break.

 

[mjl1717]

Its ok being hungry for knowledge.. I somewhat agree with the above... But you could also attempt to have step 1 and step 2 scores in the top 10%.