Questions regarding shadowing and volunteering

[Leer]

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Sorry, I did search but I couldn't get the wording close enough to find any matches.

For shadowing, I hear that around 50 hours is the norm. Should that be broken up between several specialties? If I did like... 10 hours each in 5 specialties, is that better than 25 hours each in 2? I was thinking I could just do emergency room and GP shadowing.

And for volunteering, are you asked how many hours you've volunteered or simply the number of weeks you have spent doing it? I have some sporadic volunteering that totals dozens of hours but is spread out over many months. How would I explain this?

To clarify on the 2nd question, the volunteering is mostly grouped together, however there are times where I missed 1-3 weeks.

 

[Knocked Up]

Sorry, I did search but I couldn't get the wording close enough to find any matches.

For shadowing, I hear that around 50 hours is the norm. Should that be broken up between several specialties? If I did like... 10 hours each in 5 specialties, is that better than 25 hours each in 2? I was thinking I could just do emergency room and GP shadowing.

And for volunteering, are you asked how many hours you've volunteered or simply the number of weeks you have spent doing it? I have some sporadic volunteering that totals dozens of hours but is spread out over many months. How would I explain this?

To clarify on the 2nd question, the volunteering is mostly grouped together, however there are times where I missed 1-3 weeks.

Quality over quantity. You don't need to shadow every specialty in the world. Just get some clinical experience. There are other factors that matter MUCH MUCH MUCH more than gaining clinical experience and shadowing, namely gpa and MCAT. Don't let these slip by focusing on other things too much.

 

[Aerus]

Shadowing two specialties for twenty five hours each is preferable to five for ten hours each or ten for five hours each.

You'll be asked about volunteer hours, not weeks, but you want to show commitment. A laundry list of five hour commitments is far less desirable than a shorter list of eighty hour commitments.

Get involved in one or two activities you're passionate about and shadow one or two specialties you're interested in and stick to them.

I somewhat disagree.

Shadowing two specialties for 25 hours can be just as effective as 5 for 10 hours. For shadowing, it's breadth that you want, less on the depth. You're just exploring specialties and getting a feel for the medical field. You're not trying to learn anything important at this stage.

You're also not picking specialities you're interested yet. You don't want to seem close minded to medical adcoms, since some people don't end up in their first choice residency while many others do change their mind during medical school.

I do agree with you that 10 specialties for 5 hours is perhaps pushing the breadth too far.

Sorry, I did search but I couldn't get the wording close enough to find any matches.

For shadowing, I hear that around 50 hours is the norm. Should that be broken up between several specialties? If I did like... 10 hours each in 5 specialties, is that better than 25 hours each in 2? I was thinking I could just do emergency room and GP shadowing.

And for volunteering, are you asked how many hours you've volunteered or simply the number of weeks you have spent doing it? I have some sporadic volunteering that totals dozens of hours but is spread out over many months. How would I explain this?

To clarify on the 2nd question, the volunteering is mostly grouped together, however there are times where I missed 1-3 weeks.

OP, you might have trouble finding GP's since they're on the verge of extinction. Rather, it's best you shadow a little more than just two specialties. Go for 3-4 if you can, with at least one primary care physician, like Family Practice/Internal Medicine/Pediatrics/Etc.

It's okay if you missed a week or two, too. Nobody's perfectly available the same time each week for the whole year.

 

[Aerus]

Aerus' approach is certainly valid, but I advocate greater depth in shadowing for two reasons. First, if you are shadowing a surgical specialty, the additional hours will likely allow you to observe office visits as well as surgery to better understand the physicians full breadth of duty. Second, you'll be more likely to garner a positive letter of recommendation if you take the time to get to know a physician well. Granted, there are better ways to work closely enough with a physician to obtain such a letter, but if you have no other way shadowing for an extended period (a week or more) should do the trick.

On a personal note, two weeks of shadowing one physician for a total of sixty hours resulted in my gaining a friend and mentor who was extremely helpful throughout the application cycle and subsequent planning of my gap year activities.

Actually, I hadn't thought about this. Nice point. 👍

My only concern is what the letter of recommendation would actually consist of.

"In the 30 hours or so that I've known him/her, So and so was really attentive during shadowing. He/She asked a lot of questions. He/She wore really nice clothes without me telling him/her to. He/She respected the privacy of the patient. He/She was really quiet and polite during the shadowing..."

Although a letter of recommendation from a shadow physician could work out if you find one that allowed you to reveal yourself, getting one from a physician you volunteer for is preferred, since there would be a lot more things to talk about in the letter.

The point about gaining a friend and mentor is good, though.

@OP: Would it be possible for you to shadow a wide variety of specialties, focusing on one or two specifically, in case you need a mentor? I think that would be a nice balance.

 

[sector9]

Shadowing two specialties for twenty five hours each is preferable to five for ten hours each or ten for five hours each.

You'll be asked about volunteer hours, not weeks, but you want to show commitment. A laundry list of five hour commitments is far less desirable than a shorter list of eighty hour commitments.

Get involved in one or two activities you're passionate about and shadow one or two specialties you're interested in and stick to them.

Aerus' approach is certainly valid, but I advocate greater depth in shadowing for two reasons. First, if you are shadowing a surgical specialty, the additional hours will likely allow you to observe office visits as well as surgery to better understand the physicians full breadth of duty. Second, you'll be more likely to garner a positive letter of recommendation if you take the time to get to know a physician well. Granted, there are better ways to work closely enough with a physician to obtain such a letter, but if you have no other way shadowing for an extended period (a week or more) should do the trick.

On a personal note, two weeks of shadowing one physician for a total of sixty hours resulted in my gaining a friend and mentor who was extremely helpful throughout the application cycle and subsequent planning of my gap year activities.

I disagree with this advice as well. 25 hours of each specialty with a goal of hitting the 50 hour average for applicants gives you experience shadowing in 2 specialties. I would look at getting in more specialties.

When you list shadowing, you will just be giving total hours for each specialty. You don't need to give hours per week for each one. You also group all shadowing in a single listing under the "Other" category not volunteering

As a side note, always try to get at least one office-based primary care physician

LOR's from physicians you shadowed are virtually meaningless and aren't even worth including for an MD application.