Proof for Shadowing?

[Ash572]

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Hey guys! I've been shadowing a surgeon this entire summer and this is my last week. I wanted to know how we should document our shadowing hours as proof to show on our medical school apps. Should I ask the surgeon to write me a letter that acknowledges the amount of hours that I've shadowed at the clinic with feedback?

I've also made a journal documenting all of my observations, thoughts, and experiences while seeing patients, do you think that I should show this to the surgeon to show him what I've gained through shadowing or should I just ask him for feedback?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[gyngyn]

Please don't submit a shadowing letter to MD schools (unless they are foolish enough to ask for one!). DO's do love a DO letter of any kind, though.
List shadowing hours in the Work and Activities section. Shadowing in primary care is what we really need to see. Even 40 hours would be great.

When you do ask for a letter of evaluation, send the letter-writer these guidelines: https://www.aamc.org/system/files?file=2019-09/lettersguidelinesbrochure.pdf

 

[LizzyM]

Believe it or not, medical schools will take your word for it when you say you've shadowed. AMCAS will ask for a contact name/etc but it isn't likely that they would contact/confirm that information. You will have attested that what is on your application is true so don't lie. Your little notebook may come in handy when writing your personal statement and secondaries so hold on to it.

 

[clozareal]

You don't need physical proof of it other than some contact info, just enough of an experience to be able to talk about it during the interview if it comes up as why this experience contributed to your desire of wanting to do medicine. I highly doubt that they will call but can. Two medical students at my medical school who got into trouble for other reasons during the first year were expelled for lying on their medical school application when the admins called their contacts from their AMCAS application about certain experiences.

 

[SooConfused]

Interesting. Is the implication that they used it as a justification for the expulsion? Or are they just calling contacts months after matriculation?

Yes. Given the amount of creative license a lot of people seem to take in their applications, I would think we'd hear about this a lot more if they were just calling contacts months after matriculation. I'm thinking the risk in lying in the application is that you are giving them a justification for expulsion if they ever have a reason to want one.

 

[clozareal]

Interesting. Is the implication that they used it as a justification for the expulsion? Or are they just calling contacts months after matriculation?

They used it as justification for expulsion. They wouldn't have called otherwise after matriculation.