Must We Shadow?

i think shadowing is a bit overrated, at least in the application sense. I shadowed my pediatrician for a few weeks last year and have found that it was very beneficial to me personally, but not so much on my application. I have been to four interviews and was never really asked about the experience; they wanted to know more about the labs i've worked in, the clinics I've interned at, etc.

 

i think if you plan on being a practicing doc then it would definitely be a good thing to shadow or volunteer ASAP. If your angle is more research oriented and you've done some research in a lab setting then I think this should be ok.

 

The OP said they had volunteer experience. That's enough. Worry about your grades and MCAT score now.

 

I love shadowing!!

 

patient interaction provides experience you can't get in a classroom, or anywhere else. i think med schools know this.