Shadowing a physician

[LivinOnEdge]

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Hello, I am a Sophomore aspiring physician with a 3.7 GPA and a few blemishes on an application(2 C's), but one big one, and that is the dearth of extracurriculars. To fix this, I plan on shadowing a physician.

How important is this? Is it possible that I will not like the shadow? Should I treat it as just another hoop to jump through or a truly useful experience relating to my career?

Further, I want to become a rural FP or EM doc. IF I shadow one of those, and I dislike it, how do I know if I should think about a different specialty or if medicine may not be right for me.

My backup plan is a high school teacher by the way. Big gap between the two as I see it now, but that may change with the shadow.

Could the job shadow really alter the way I see medicine, or are people who are sure of Medicine usually so sure that this doesn't affect them?

 

[NKChemEng]

You wouldn't know how it would affect your opinions and views without trying it first! I think you answered your own question here in a way. Definitely do it, and not just to fill that space in ECs. You might decide that medicine is really not for you, or you might discover you love it. Or that you like medicine, but just specifically not a certain specialty. No matter what, it'll be a valuable experience.

 

[LivinOnEdge]

And how would I go about shadowing a physician in the way that would make me least likely to not want to become a doctor anymore.

 

[Eric01]

You should be looking at volunteer work in the clinical settings for your EC.

Shadowing is also an integral part. If you want to do family practice, I suggest shadowing physicians in the field of interest in rural areas.

 

[Kaustikos]

And how would I go about shadowing a physician in the way that would make me least likely to not want to become a doctor anymore.

lol wut? If you shadow physicians and decide that it's not for you, that might be a good reason not to pursue medicine.


Kidding.


Kind of


Shadow multiple doctors.

 

[MDOnlyWillDo]

And how would I go about shadowing a physician in the way that would make me least likely to not want to become a doctor anymore.

By shadowing a doctor in a field you will hate. Are you trying to talk yourself out of becoming a doctor, or talk yourself into it?

 

[LivinOnEdge]

Well, I am not sure whether I am trying to talk myself into or out of anything.

I am just saying that there is a minute probability that I may not like what I am doing, being as that I have not actually seen an average doctor's day, should this have any effect on my choice of medicine?

 

[NickNaylor]

Shadowing might be boring after a while, but if you genuinely don't enjoy watching a physician interact with a patient or if the work the physician does isn't interesting to you, medicine might not be for you.