Positive Shadowing Experience

[ChipChi]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I see some disheartening threads on the SDN forums, and I want to post something uplifting.

I shadowed my DO pediatrician today and it was a very positive experience.

The guy is happy as a clam. He works 4 days a week so that he can spend his Mondays going to the park/zoo/beach with his 2-year-old daughter. He said that the work of a ped provides a lot of fulfillment, and he really feels like he truly engenders well-being on children.

One of the hang-ups I had about going into medicine (particularly primary care) is that I thought it might be boring (otitis, common cold, child check-up, repeat). He told that while he sees similar things routinely, every patient and case is different and he told me that he is never bored. He pointed out that you would be hard pressed to find a job that did not contain an element of repetition. All in all, he finds the job very intellectually stimulating and has very high job satisfaction.

He also said that the difference between DO/MD is a wash in the real world. All the matters is that you are an empathetic and competent clinician.

It was a really nice experience and I just thought I'd share.

 

[Dreamstoo]

My second shadowing experience was great.

I got to see about 5-10 surgeries (intensive open heart surgeries, stent procedures, pace maker surgeries forgot what it is exactly call). I got to wear scrubs around the surgeries with a hospital ID as a college volunteer. Also was exposed to stress testing for about 3-4 hours. Saw some really cool stuff. The doctor loves me, I've done research/published with him in high school. Will probably be my strongest letter when I apply. He kept me for 40 hours of shadowing. After the 40th, he said I can't really think of much else to teach you and tell me when you apply to med school, I would be happy to write you a letter. If I do a gap year, I will probably work with him on clinical research. He usually gets his clinical research interns who are gap year students second author publication(s) in medical journals.

On my other shadowing experience, I learned more about illnesses such as having gout, cancer, common questions to ask new patients. I also learned how to take an EKG and had great conversations about DO/Carribean students who told me their non-traditional paths in the hospital. I was also sent on errands to the pharmacy once in awhile. This one lasted 60 hours.

Both were of different exposure. One was surgery and the other was primary care (internal medicine)

 

[scarecrow90]

I shadowed a doc back in high school (around when I was 15) and it turned out to become a relationship where I followed him throughout the rest of high school and one year of college. We've built an incredible friendship for which I am eternally grateful. 😀

All the other docs I've shadowed have just been one time deals, but that's okay.

 

[Dreamstoo]

I shadowed a doc back in high school (around when I was 15) and it turned out to become a relationship where I followed him throughout the rest of high school and one year of college. We've built an incredible friendship for which I am eternally grateful. 😀

All the other docs I've shadowed have just been one time deals, but that's okay.

The same thing happened to me. Have only shadowed two, I plan on doing 2-3 more in my last two years

 

[TriagePreMed]

Waiting for neutral shadowing experience thread.

 

[Cartoons]

Waiting for neutral shadowing experience thread.

My first shadowing ever was super mild. The surgeon was reasonably receptive to taking on a shadow, chatted moderately with his coworkers, did his operations in an average time frame, and we had caffeine-free soda afterwards. When asked about how he liked his daily routine, he said "It's okay." And I think the scrubs sizes were Medium.

I've only ever shadowed doctors I know through a friend or something, so they've all been pretty nice! I mean, all two of them, but you know.

 

[Jazzy G]

I've spent ~50 hours shadowing a DO that has been awesome. I didn't know any DOs, and am in a state with no DO school, so I wrote letters to all the nearby physicians in fields I'm interested in. He got back to me quickly and was always open to me coming. He's a clinical professor for the MD program and always has a resident and fellow he's overseeing as well. Even with so much on his plate he has me follow in every room, including spinal injections at the end of the day (he's a Sports Med doc). I've been really lucky to shadow a doctor that really has helped me see the day to day. I just met up with him and got interview advice as well, which was very helpful especially since he sits on the MD admissions board locally.

 

[cliquesh]

Being a DO is cool. I like it.