No Shadowing? (yet)

[Robizzle]

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Ok here's my problem:
I'm filling out the AMCAS right now, I would like to submit it "early" for obvious reasons. I'm pretty much done with every section. BUT I have no shadowing time AT ALL yet. I already have my own reasons for wanting to become a doctor, and i have volunteered in a hospital before but not on such a personal level as shadowing.

Now here's where the dilema comes in. I e-mailed my school's sports med doc a few days ago and he said I can go shadow him in a couple of weeks. I'm thrilled about the experience. However, I don't know what I should do in regards to the AMCAS. Should I hold off on submitting? I want to shadow this guy to LEARN and make sure this is what I wanna do, but obviously having some hours down in my EC's wouldn't hurt in the process. Is having lets say 10 hours of shadowing time down so late in the process actually more beneficial than it is detrimental?

So here are a few of the choices i'm debating over:

1) Don't mention it at all -- just wait until I get an interview and hopefully talk about it then?

2) Hold off on the AMCAS 'til mid June to submit so I can write down a few hours of shadowing

3) Write it down now as something I plan on doing in the near future and submit it right away.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

1.

There is nothing better for your application than to get it in early. After a few months, you might think about sending a letter to schools you haven't heard from and detailing some of your new experiences.

note:
Do you have a letter of rec from an MD? I don't think shadowing is magical. Someone who was an EMT for 10 years or who help a family member through a long illness doesn't necessarily need to spend 50 hours with their friendly neighborhood MD to know medicine is for them...

 

[DF38]

I'd go for option 3. Put it down as something you're going to do over the summer.

I'm shadowing a doc once a week starting Monday, so I'm going to do the same thing. Technically, I'll have gone and shadowed them like once when I submit my application, but I don't know how much of a difference that will make.

 

[oneaat]

i wouldn't put it into the AMCAS. you say you've volunteered, that should be plenty. then you can mention it in secondary essays, or interviews.
also, remember that shadowing isn't necessary - i didn't and i have two acceptances, and i'm not the world's most stellar applicant 🙂

 

[Primo]

It probably depends on the schools you are applying for. I now of at least one school that will not grant an interview to anyone if they do not have exposure to medicine. They have turned down people with great GPAs and great MCATs because they had no exposure to medicine. So know your schools, and what they want. Perhaps sending in a letter after AMCAS would be enough for them.

Also, your volunteering may count as exposure to medicine anyway. So you might be good already. I don't think waiting until a little later in June is going to hurt you any.

 

[45408]

3) Write it down now as something I plan on doing in the near future and submit it right away.

This one. Say that you plan to shadow a physician this summer.