Questions about shadowing/clinical experience?

[ddgt09]

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So since I will be applying in the 2019-2020 cycle I have a few questions about shadowing/clinical experience:

1. Does shadowing ~100 hours over the course of one summer seem good enough? I think most people said it doesn't matter if its over 6 months or over 2 months as long as you show that you know what you're getting into, is this true?

2. A lot of people mentioned getting a LOR from the doctor they shadow? Is this true? My plan right now is to do around 15 hours a week, but change specialty each week to show I am exposed to many different areas, this couldn't possibly be enough time to get a great LOR right? Is a LOR necessary from a shadowed doctor?

3. I got around 40 hours of clinical volunteering as an emergency department volunteer (flipping rooms, giving blankets, food, grabbing supplies for physicians while they treated patients etc) but was not able to continue the program this year due to scheduling. I want to do it again next year when my schedule allows, will this still be seen as continued involvement or will this hurt me? If I were to do a similar program over the summer as well would this help? Basically does clinical volunteer work have to be super continuous?

Thanks!

 

[Oso]

Since no one's answered, I'll chime in.

1. I think 100 hours of shadowing is enough, though I would search the forums to see what's recommended these days.
2. A LOR is not necessary from someone you shadowed, and in my opinion, I don't even know what they would say, since you're just following them around asking questions .. I think a letter from clinical volunteering would be more fruitful since you were actually doing stuff
3. I think that's totally fine and will be seen as a long term commitment, on your app you can just put two date ranges

 

[gyngyn]

1. 40 hours (especially primary care) is plenty. A handful of schools request a "clinical" letter (UT, AZ, RFU).
2. A shadowing letter is useless at MD schools. DO schools love a DO letter, though.

 

[Catalystik]

3. I got around 40 hours of clinical volunteering as an emergency department volunteer (flipping rooms, giving blankets, food, grabbing supplies for physicians while they treated patients etc) but was not able to continue the program this year due to scheduling. I want to do it again next year when my schedule allows, will this still be seen as continued involvement or will this hurt me? If I were to do a similar program over the summer as well would this help? Basically does clinical volunteer work have to be super continuous?

3. I think that's totally fine and will be seen as a long term commitment, on your app you can just put two date ranges

You can list up to four date ranges (with their Total Hours) in a single AMCAS Activities space and doing so will not be perceived negatively. It's good to have continuity, even intermittently, at the same institution.