Research vs. Shadowing

[Prairiepalmeri]

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Hi ya'll,

I'm a junior with a planned gap year before matriculating. I've had a few shadowing opportunities fall through so I have been unable to shadow yet. I have a 3.92 GPA and have accepted a position at University of Texas' SURISKD program. I wondered an ADCOM would view such research positions versus shadowing experience.

 

[Mr Roboto]

I can't think of a good reason for you to not do both. Research is a hell of a lot harder to come by than shadowing experience. Can't you squeeze a few shadowing shifts in while you're doing the research?

 

[Prairiepalmeri]

I can't think of a good reason for you to not do both. Research is a hell of a lot harder to come by than shadowing experience. Can't you squeeze a few shadowing shifts in while you're doing the research?

That's a really good idea! I should try and do that. I was all set to shadow by my school, and as I was leaving for the hospital, they called and said HR had some problems with it *sigh*. So they are going to get back to me. I think with 40 hours of shadowing, Walt Disney World on my resume, this research experience, RA experience, and hopefully a halfway decent MCAT, I'll be an okay applicant. This shadowing thing has just been really annoying.

 

[Shinobiz11]

Research is great, but if you don't have some baseline clinical experience, doing only research is going to hurt you. It questions why you wouldn't just go to grad school.

 

[Uafl112]

Shadowing is key my friend. From what I have read on this forum, you can get away with no research, but you cant say the same for shadowing. Plus, shadowing is just really cool with the right doc

 

[darksurg]

No research is understandable. Shadowing is a most.

 

[syncrhodes]

Hi ya'll,

I'm a junior with a planned gap year before matriculating. I've had a few shadowing opportunities fall through so I have been unable to shadow yet. I have a 3.92 GPA and have accepted a position at University of Texas' SURISKD program. I wondered an ADCOM would view such research positions versus shadowing experience.

It is unbelievably easy to get shadowing opportunities. You'd be surprised how nice attendings are about this. Just go online and clinicians to email...they'll be more than happy to accommodate you (even in private outpatient setting). Research is important though especially if you like it and convey the passion on your applications and interviews. Remember, research RUNS academic institutions. From top to bottom, the most powerful professors are the ones that bring in grant money. Ya, med schools wanna see you know what medicine is all about and have shadowed at least a bit (check the box off)...but after that, they'd be much more interested in someone who has demonstrated research productivity potential than someone who has done tons of shadowing (imo)

 

[DRteacher]

It all depends on the schools you're applying to. In my opinion, research is great but find some time for shadowing because not only will it be a valuable experience for you, but it will also show adcoms that you've been exposed to medicine and know what you're getting yourself into.

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

That's a really good idea! I should try and do that. I was all set to shadow by my school, and as I was leaving for the hospital, they called and said HR had some problems with it *sigh*. So they are going to get back to me. I think with 40 hours of shadowing, Walt Disney World on my resume, this research experience, RA experience, and hopefully a halfway decent MCAT, I'll be an okay applicant. This shadowing thing has just been really annoying.

How in the world do you know you want to be a doctor without doing a bit of shadowing? You can watch, hear, and read all day about what the do, but you really need to spend a couple weeks shadowing a few different doctors to actually see what the job is, day in and day out. This is definitely why shadowing is required for med school.

I second @darksurg ^^^

 

[BeancheBlanco]

I don't think it's really comparable. You can't replace one with the other. I would say it's foolish not to do both before you apply. To what extent you do both depends on the school. Some like more research while others like more clinical experience and patient interaction.

How in the world do you know you want to be a doctor without doing a bit of shadowing? You can watch, hear, and read all day about what the do, but you really need to spend a couple weeks shadowing a few different doctors to actually see what the job is, day in and day out. This is definitely why shadowing is required for med school.

I second @darksurg ^^^

Is it really that unbelievable? I'm guessing the vast majority of eventual doctors wanted to be one BEFORE they had their first shadowing experiences. True, shadowing might dissuade a few people here and there, but I don't think shadowing is the make or break experience for determining whether you want to be a doctor or not.

 

[theseeker4]

That's a really good idea! I should try and do that. I was all set to shadow by my school, and as I was leaving for the hospital, they called and said HR had some problems with it *sigh*. So they are going to get back to me. I think with 40 hours of shadowing, Walt Disney World on my resume, this research experience, RA experience, and hopefully a halfway decent MCAT, I'll be an okay applicant. This shadowing thing has just been really annoying.

Do you have any clinical experience? There is nothing clearly listed above, and that is essential to your application. This is in addition to shadowing, and should involve patient contact, either as a volunteer or a paid position working with patients.

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

I don't think it's really comparable. You can't replace one with the other. I would say it's foolish not to do both before you apply. To what extent you do both depends on the school. Some like more research while others like more clinical experience and patient interaction.



Is it really that unbelievable? I'm guessing the vast majority of eventual doctors wanted to be one BEFORE they had their first shadowing experiences. True, shadowing might dissuade a few people here and there, but I don't think shadowing is the make or break experience for determining whether you want to be a doctor or not.

Oh, I didn't say I did not believe your intentions on wanting to become a doctor were lacking. I was just proposing a question.

I think your clinical volunteering will speak for itself on your dedication to medicine. But fyi, shadowing is much more fun than volunteering! (At least at my hospital)

 

[Prairiepalmeri]

I do think that shadowing plays an important role....and I plan on fitting it in. Not only do I want it for my application, I want it for the experience. And to respond to the "wanting to be a doctor question," if students in other fields are able to know what they want to do without shadowing, why can't we in medicine?

And I could see an interviewer asking "Why not be a PhD" if the applicant was lacking the shadowing experience. I, however, think people go way above and beyond the necessary amount of shadowing. But I think I will pursue a shadowing opportunity.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

I do not see how shadowing is easier to come by...

I can't think of a good reason for you to not do both. Research is a hell of a lot harder to come by than shadowing experience. Can't you squeeze a few shadowing shifts in while you're doing the research?

 

[Prairiepalmeri]

I do not see how shadowing is easier to come by...

I agree! I feel like it is especially difficult for me because I go to such a small school. We don't have a big teaching hospital near by, and HR stopped from shadowing the doctor I had planned on shadowing last week. It's been a big fuss to get hours in.

 

[Mr Roboto]

I agree! I feel like it is especially difficult for me because I go to such a small school. We don't have a big teaching hospital near by, and HR stopped from shadowing the doctor I had planned on shadowing last week. It's been a big fuss to get hours in.

The closest teaching hospital to my university is an hour away, but I don't know that that's relevant. People shadow doctors I work with in the emergency department fairly regularly. There are a dozen PCP's in town, and 50+ specialists. Surely one of those doctors would allow a student to shadow them for a few shifts after a cold call! Research, on the other hand, absolutely requires a professor at your university helping you out. There's way fewer professors at my school than there are local doctors.

I could be very wrong, though, and be a product of a situation not applicable to other pre-meds. Who knows. But among my friends, shadowing is on 100% of applications whereas research is on ~15%...