Shadowing a doctor is awesome!

[spacecadet]

Hi everyone,

I've been trying to boost my clinical experience since my applications aren't going too well this year. I didn't know how to get experience, so I asked my OB/GYN doctor how he got his. He told me that he shadowed a doctor for a while and then asked if I would like to work with him! He is so nice.

In the last week, I have watched three surgeries - an exploratory laparoscopy/hysteroscopy, a hysterectomy (abdominal incision), and today a c-section.

At first, I was afraid that I would be out of place, but it has really been fun. All the staff are very nice to me, and even the patient's husband didn't question my presence in the OR today.

Just thought I would give my plug for shadowing. It has been one of the coolest things I have ever done and it's very inspiring!

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[johnM]

that's totally cool, I've also felt a little wierd about shadowing docs, but it just takes a cool one to make you fell at home.

 

[AtYourCervix]

thats awesome spacecadet!! i work as a scrub in the OR and mostly scrub for GYN procedures. it is my absolute favorite specialty. today we did this awesome case which was first going to be a laparoscopy, but turned into an open belly case because the patient had a congenital defect in her small bowel. its was so cool to see! i recommend exposure to the OR to anyone that has a chance.

dukegirlie :wink:

 

[THE instiGATOR]

I loved shadowing also. One disheartening thing, though, was that the residents who worked under my supervising surgeon seemed to think that once accepted to a med school you should "cut it out". As if you only need to observe a physician as a pre-med. I thought that was silly. I eventually did cut it out, but not because they thought I should.

Maybe they just did it to fill a quota, but I didn't.

I'm glad you had fun. Surgery is cool, isn't it!

 

[Sweet Tea]

I completely agree-- shadowing a doc is awesome. I've been shadowing a family practice doc for the past semester and it's really been great. I'm lucky because the guy I'm shadowing is a preceptor for Duke and UNC first-year med students, and he's running me through the same curriculum that he does with them, all the while encouraging me to ask questions and really going out of his way to help me learn. The whole experience has really made me appreciate family med!

Bottom line-- shadowing is great. Do it if you can.

 

[oldman]

i have not had a chance to shadow a doctor yet. i think i'll grab that chance once i start med school.

for now i'm content in working the periphery of doctors. one thing you learn when you work with staff that support doctors (rehab/lab) is what doctors do that piss of the staff. i hope to not make those mistakes.

 

[Future_Doc]

I shadowed an Orthopaedic Surgeon one day and got to see an ACL repair. Pretty cool stuff. And it wasn't like I was just sitting in the corner watching. The surgeon would have me come over and stand next to him quite a bit and he would expain what he was doing. He would point at the monitor where the scope images were and tell me what all was going on and show me what was what. I was fascinated. Don't know if Orthopaedics is for me - but I liked what I saw.

 

[Taty]

I have a stupid question... What are u doing when u shadow a doctor and how do u get to shadow doctor?

 

[Southern Gentleman]

For the last semester I have been too busy to work or volunteer in a hospital. Any suggestions on how I could find a doctor that would let me sit in on a few surgeries?

 

[Dr. Will]

I volunteer in the OR at the UCD Med Center. Us volunteers were given a list of duties we were supposed to do, but we're pretty much free to observe any surgery going on during the day. With 25 rooms, there is a bunch to choose from. The residents and attendings are awesome in that they explain everything to you while you're with them. It's the most fun I've had while volunteering so far. There's just so much to see.

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

I shadowed too and it was great. I shadowed a faculty member at a medical school so there were plenty of med students running around to talk with too. I even got to see first hand that just because the med student says they've done something before, dont believe them! This one woman was having her gyno exam and she said the student could do it. So we run into the next room and the dr goes through a run down how to do it. Then we get in there and the woman is like "you have done this before haven't you" and she's like "oh yes, yes". If she had only known what was going on next door :wink: .

 

[SMW]

I shadowed an internist for a couple months and a dermatologist for a week. The internist was a caring, compassionate man who loved to teach and greatly influenced my decisison to go into medicine. The dermatologist was a scary, brusque woman with an in-a-hurry bedside manner (although she's considered highly competent). The contrast gave me lots to talk about at interviews.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Some thoughts on shadowing from someone who frequently is "shadowed"

1. Most doctors enjoy having premeds shadow them. It's one time that it's okay to be a premed! Although many colleges set up programs at local emergency rooms, etc., why not just call a few doctor offices in a field you like, leave a message with the office people and see what happens. Try this with a department office at a med school too.

2. Try to shadow both surgeons and primary care docs if you can. They will give you different perspectives. It may not be as exciting doing rounds or seeing office patients with a family doc or pediatrician, but you'll see a different side of things than if you only observe surgeries.

3. Be on time, dress appropriately (usually means ties for guys if you're seeing patients and no shorts or t-shirts for anyone), and try to save most of the questions for after the patient encounter or rounds. The exception here is if you speak a foreign language - you may get yourself a chance to use that skill!

4. If there are med students or residents on rounds, get their email addresses, etc. They can be great resources you might not otherwise readily access.

5. Try to follow one doctor several times over a short period of time if possible. Especially if they are seeing hospital patients daily it'll give you a chance to see what happens to them, and to the doctor-patient relationship over time that you won't get with a single days rounds.

6. Try to get to know a bit about one or two of the patients in some detail by asking the attending about them afterwards. This may also make nice material for your essays.

7. Send a thank-you note or email after each shadowing experience (but you all knew that).

"oldbear professor"

 

[altaskier]

If you are ever fortunate to shadow an awesome doc, there is nothing else clinically like it! I have learned a great deal from the doctor I've been shadowing for the past 2.5 years. A GREAT DEAL!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I shadowed a dermatopathologist and I learned so much....it was my first real exposure to the medical field and a great beginning experience.

 

[Firebird]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by KyGrlDr2B:
•I shadowed too and it was great. I shadowed a faculty member at a medical school so there were plenty of med students running around to talk with too. I even got to see first hand that just because the med student says they've done something before, dont believe them! This one woman was having her gyno exam and she said the student could do it. So we run into the next room and the dr goes through a run down how to do it. Then we get in there and the woman is like "you have done this before haven't you" and she's like "oh yes, yes". If she had only known what was going on next door :wink: .•••••Erin, just wondering if you were talking about MU's med school...because when I called to observe surgery, they wouldn't let me do it. Do you remember who you contacted initially?

 

[JulianCrane]

Just hearing about all the great shadowing experiences makes me excited for next year when I get to interact with patients in the ER and do clinical research with residents. It will be so awesome.

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Firebird:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by KyGrlDr2B:
•I shadowed too and it was great. I shadowed a faculty member at a medical school so there were plenty of med students running around to talk with too. I even got to see first hand that just because the med student says they've done something before, dont believe them! This one woman was having her gyno exam and she said the student could do it. So we run into the next room and the dr goes through a run down how to do it. Then we get in there and the woman is like "you have done this before haven't you" and she's like "oh yes, yes". If she had only known what was going on next door :wink: .•••••Erin, just wondering if you were talking about MU's med school...because when I called to observe surgery, they wouldn't let me do it. Do you remember who you contacted initially?•••••Yes, they won't let you observe surgery there for some reason. I shadowed at the family practice all semester. I contected Dr Stephen Petrany and basically, he told his secretary to show me the list of drs and residents and I picked who I wanted to shadow and when. They do a lot of shadowing there so it is no big deal. I'm not sure where you could observe surgery. A doctor I know wanted to set me up to hang out with Dr Mike Spindel (sp?), a plastic surgeon here. But I heard he was an ass so I'm not going to do it. When I get to UK, I'll have an assload of drs to shadow. GL

 

[MandM06]

Wow everyone's accounts makes me wish I had done more shadowing I only shadowed a surgery once in high school but it was awesome. Hopefully, I'll have time my first year to follow some docs around so I can decide on a specialty.

 

[Firebird]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by KyGrlDr2B:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by Firebird:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by KyGrlDr2B:
•I shadowed too and it was great. I shadowed a faculty member at a medical school so there were plenty of med students running around to talk with too. I even got to see first hand that just because the med student says they've done something before, dont believe them! This one woman was having her gyno exam and she said the student could do it. So we run into the next room and the dr goes through a run down how to do it. Then we get in there and the woman is like "you have done this before haven't you" and she's like "oh yes, yes". If she had only known what was going on next door :wink: .•••••Erin, just wondering if you were talking about MU's med school...because when I called to observe surgery, they wouldn't let me do it. Do you remember who you contacted initially?•••••Yes, they won't let you observe surgery there for some reason. I shadowed at the family practice all semester. I contected Dr Stephen Petrany and basically, he told his secretary to show me the list of drs and residents and I picked who I wanted to shadow and when. They do a lot of shadowing there so it is no big deal. I'm not sure where you could observe surgery. A doctor I know wanted to set me up to hang out with Dr Mike Spindel (sp?), a plastic surgeon here. But I heard he was an ass so I'm not going to do it. When I get to UK, I'll have an assload of drs to shadow. GL•••••Thanks for the info...Dr. O'Conner, the Adjunct Organic professor told me I could shadow his wife, because she's a FP at the school of medicine. I might do that, because somehow he got the impression that I'm really smart and he wants to write a letter of recommendation for me...and it might be nice if he could add in there that I had shadowed his wife at MU. That may make no sense...but I've been studying for almost five hours now without stop.