My local hospitals don't allow shadowing, can I just substitute it with more clinical volunteering?

[omegaz]

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They're both consider clinical experiences so I doubt med schools would mind. Also, my volunteering is basically shadowing because I get to witness doctor/patient interaction and all that.

 

[WillburCobb]

They're both consider clinical experiences so I doubt med schools would mind. Also, my volunteering is basically shadowing because I get to witness doctor/patient interaction and all that.

I could be mixing you up with another SDNer, but aren't you a MN resident? If so, I know of three hospital systems that will take students for shadowing.

 

[omegaz]

I could be mixing you up with another SDNer, but aren't you a MN resident? If so, I know of three hospital systems that will take students for shadowing.

No, I am a ND resident. I contacted Sanford and Essentia, and neither allowed me to shadow.

 

[WillburCobb]

No, I am a ND resident. I contacted Sanford and Essentia, and neither allowed me to shadow.

Oh yeah, that's right. Sanford allows at least a minimum of 15 hrs. Essentia, I'm not too sure about, I was an employee at the time and may have flown under the radar. PM me if you have questions about Sanford.

 

[ndafife]

If you arent shadowing I wouldnt call it shadowing. That's a pretty clearly defined topic. "Basically shadowing" isnt shadowing. Its easier to explain that your hospitals didnt allow shadowing than to explain how your non-shadowing experience was "basically shadowing."

I would just build up the fact that you witnessed the patient/doctor interaction in your volunteering activity write up or elsewhere in your application

 

[Goro]

And when you get asked "so what is a doctor's day like"? you'll answer what?


Think outside the box: clinics, hospice, rehab centers, nursing homes, urgent care centers. Take a day off and drive to the closest medical school. Where's the closest VA hospital??

They're both consider clinical experiences so I doubt med schools would mind. Also, my volunteering is basically shadowing because I get to witness doctor/patient interaction and all that.

 

[bambam92]

Just keep badgering....gets them all hot and bothered..mostly bothered.

 

[Catalystik]

They're both consider clinical experiences so I doubt med schools would mind. Also, my volunteering is basically shadowing because I get to witness doctor/patient interaction and all that.

Many schools will look at the active and passive clinical experience as two categories, especially now that AMCAS has a specific tag for the Shadowing. So, start to keep track of the time with and name/specialty of each doc you "shadow."

Ideally, you would split out the shadowing hours and list them in their own space, subtracting that time from what you would list if you kept the activities together.

If that would be too difficult, then add the words "& Shadowing" to the volunteer clinical activity name. And where it's easy to see, state the percent of the total time you were in the presence of a physician, and call it Shadowing again, in the narrative box. As a backup if you're paranoid it will be missed, you might consider having a Shadowing entry, with 0 or 1 hour listed, saying, "See shadowing described elsewhere, embedded in Research and Hospital Volunteering experiences" (for example) and use the rest of the space to discuss insights/impact.

If you can't get a formal (ideally office-based) shadowing experience, you may be handicapped in the interview process where many questions will test your understanding of the difficulties facing docs in practice. Pro Tip: Find another way to get this information on malpractice, insurance, difficult patients, support staff, teamwork approach, Bio-Ethics, professionalism, patient advocacy, protocols, Affordable Care Act, views of Big Pharma, etc.

Even if your current medical institution doesn't allow shadowing, you still have the opportunity to meet docs and ask if you can shadow them in their private office where hospital policy doesn't intrude.

 

[WillburCobb]

And when you get asked "so what is a doctor's day like"? you'll answer what?


Think outside the box: clinics, hospice, rehab centers, nursing homes, urgent care centers. Take a day off and drive to the closest medical school. Where's the closest VA hospital??

Unfortunately, unless OP has connections he's SOL as an eastern ND resident. Another suggestion would be to get a job as an aide; it's an easy way to get your foot in the door and circumvent administration.

 

[Goro]

Forgot to mention this: OP, talk to your own doctor!

Unfortunately, unless OP has connections he's SOL as an eastern ND resident. Another suggestion would be to get a job as an aide; it's an easy way to get your foot in the door and circumvent administration.