Shadowing After June 1?

[MedPR]

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Is there a way to indicate that I will be doing more shadowing after I submit AACOMAS? I want to shadow for the experience, not just so I can put it on AACOMAS, but I would like to get "credit" for the shadowing I do even after June 1.

 

[Iliketoytles]

Is there a way to indicate that I will be doing more shadowing after I submit AACOMAS? I want to shadow for the experience, not just so I can put it on AACOMAS, but I would like to get "credit" for the shadowing I do even after June 1.

No, but you can mail the schools update letters later on.

 

[MedPR]

No, but you can mail the schools update letters later on.

Say that on June 1 I've shadowed for 100 hours, and will be getting another 50 in the month of June. Would it be acceptable to put 150 on AACOMAS?

 

[Iliketoytles]

Say that on June 1 I've shadowed for 100 hours, and will be getting another 50 in the month of June. Would it be acceptable to put 150 on AACOMAS?

I wouldn't. The difference between 100 and 150 isn't really much. 100 hours of shadowing is quite a bit as it is... so the extra 50 won't affect it much.

Just be honest and go with 100.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

I wouldn't. The difference between 100 and 150 isn't really much. 100 hours of shadowing is quite a bit as it is... so the extra 50 won't affect it much.

Just be honest and go with 100.

+1. Honesty is the best policy throughout this process imho, it may require playing your hand well at times but overall it's the best policy.

 

[MedPR]

+1. Honesty is the best policy throughout this process imho, it may require playing your hand well at times but overall it's the best policy.

I wouldn't. The difference between 100 and 150 isn't really much. 100 hours of shadowing is quite a bit as it is... so the extra 50 won't affect it much.

Just be honest and go with 100.

Ok thanks again.

Also, I shadowed an MD the entire 2009 summer. It totaled about 480 hours of mostly office, but some hospital as well. Is a relatively long amount of time with an MD compared to DO going to have any negative effects on my DO app?

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Ok thanks again.

Also, I shadowed an MD the entire 2009 summer. It totaled about 480 hours of mostly office, but some hospital as well. Is a relatively long amount of time with an MD compared to DO going to have any negative effects on my DO app?

For the most part, no. This is still relevant clinical experience and they will see that more than the title of the physician you shadowed imho.

 

[Iliketoytles]

Ok thanks again.

Also, I shadowed an MD the entire 2009 summer. It totaled about 480 hours of mostly office, but some hospital as well. Is a relatively long amount of time with an MD compared to DO going to have any negative effects on my DO app?

Nah. There are some people who don't even shadow a DO. It's the shadowing experience that matters. Although, having a LOR from that DO you shadowed would be good for you.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Ok thanks again.

Also, I shadowed an MD the entire 2009 summer. It totaled about 480 hours of mostly office, but some hospital as well. Is a relatively long amount of time with an MD compared to DO going to have any negative effects on my DO app?

You shadowed for 30+ hours per week? Dang.

Like COMedic2Doc and Iliketoytles stated, it won't have any negative effect. Don't worry about it.

 

[MedPR]

You shadowed for 30+ hours per week? Dang.

Like COMedic2Doc and Iliketoytles stated, it won't have any negative effect. Don't worry about it.

Yea, I did 40 hours per week for about 12 weeks. I figured a ton of shadowing hours would be helpful, and I volunteered throughout the school year so I had enough of that.

I was trying to find multiple doctors to shadow, but I couldn't get anything else lined up so I just stayed with one.

 

[MedPR]

For the most part, no. This is still relevant clinical experience and they will see that more than the title of the physician you shadowed imho.

Nah. There are some people who don't even shadow a DO. It's the shadowing experience that matters. Although, having a LOR from that DO you shadowed would be good for you.

Thanks. I'll definitely get a LOR from the DO. I shadowed this MD 3 years ago though, so I doubt I can get him to submit another LOR.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Yea, I did 40 hours per week for about 12 weeks. I figured a ton of shadowing hours would be helpful, and I volunteered throughout the school year so I had enough of that.

I was trying to find multiple doctors to shadow, but I couldn't get anything else lined up so I just stayed with one.

Wish I had the time to do that. I am shadowing another DO trying to get off a wait list. But I'm swamped with 30+ hours per week of research so unfortunately I don't have the luxury to shadow much more than two days.

Good luck this coming cycle!

 

[MedPR]

Wish I had the time to do that. I am shadowing another DO trying to get off a wait list. But I'm swamped with 30+ hours per week of research so unfortunately I don't have the luxury to shadow much more than two days.

Good luck this coming cycle!

Thanks, are you applying this cycle too?

At the time I was living with my parents and still an undergrad. Since then (graduated in 2010) I've been working 40 hour weeks in a clinical lab and doing some grade replacement. Basically shadowed 1 day per week and am going to try and get a few more weeks in before June 1.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Thanks, are you applying this cycle too?

At the time I was living with my parents and still an undergrad. Since then (graduated in 2010) I've been working 40 hour weeks in a clinical lab and doing some grade replacement. Basically shadowed 1 day per week and am going to try and get a few more weeks in before June 1.

Nah I'm already accepted just trying my luck at getting off a wait list at another school.

 

[MedPR]

Nah I'm already accepted just trying my luck at getting off a wait list at another school.

Congrats! My GPA is really going to bring me down, but I'm hoping the MCAT I took on 4/5 will help that a bit.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Congrats! My GPA is really going to bring me down, but I'm hoping the MCAT I took on 4/5 will help that a bit.

Thanks! My undergrad GPA wasn't stellar by any account. I kicked butt in grad school though and my MCAT is above average.

Have you received your score from 4/5?

 

[MedPR]

Thanks! My undergrad GPA wasn't stellar by any account. I kicked butt in grad school though and my MCAT is above average.

Have you received your score from 4/5?

Not yet, the official release date is Tuesday. I was averaging just below a 34 on the AAMC FLs, an didn't get less than a 10 on a single section, so I'm hoping I'm anywhere around 34 on the real thing.

What do you think made you stand out when you applied? I feel like I don't have anything special on my app.

 

[NeuroLAX]

Not yet, the official release date is Tuesday. I was averaging just below a 34 on the AAMC FLs, an didn't get less than a 10 on a single section, so I'm hoping I'm anywhere around 34 on the real thing.

What do you think made you stand out when you applied? I feel like I don't have anything special on my app.

Tough to say. My personal statement was rather personal and gave me lots to think about. I didn't major in bio, chem, etc. so maybe that could be a factor. I did very well in grad school and have been doing a ton of research with publications so that could also have had a little to do with it. My ECs weren't spectacular but they were meaningful to me and I think I was able to convey that well during my interviews. I also improved my MCAT score a lot the second time, so it is possible that adcoms saw that in multiple areas I was able to improve myself.

Honestly, I'll never know for sure what made me stand out. But I like to think that the aforementioned improvements did me well.

Come time for your interviews, be sure to know your app well and be able to relate to your experiences, especially as they fit in with your pursuit of becoming a doctor. The pieces will fall into place. A good MCAT score always helps!

 

[Lucre]

Mind if I join in the discussion? I am applying this summer.
I'm planning to start shadowing a couple of DOs this month and I've been assisting doctors in a hospital setting as volunteer to help patients interpret, does that experience somewhat count as a shadowing experience since I get a good idea what physicians do when communicating with patients?

Another thing is that, is it better to put down the shadowing experience as one of the volunteer experience on the aacom application?

 

[UrshumMurshum]

MedPR you get a 30+ on your MCAT and you will stand out very easily don't worry about it.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Mind if I join in the discussion? I am applying this summer.
I'm planning to start shadowing a couple of DOs this month and I've been assisting doctors in a hospital setting as volunteer to help patients interpret, does that experience somewhat count as a shadowing experience since I get a good idea what physicians do when communicating with patients?

Another thing is that, is it better to put down the shadowing experience as one of the volunteer experience on the aacom application?

Uhmmm as far as shadowing experience goes, no in my opinion. Doing another job (even a volunteer position) still distracts you from the rest of what physicians do. Maybe try talking to one of them about shadowing. Generally, they are really cool about accepting people to shadow with them especially if you work with them.

Shadowing experience and your current position go under medical experience, not volunteer experience imo. I'd recommend double checking AACOMAS guidelines for this.

 

[MedPR]

Tough to say. My personal statement was rather personal and gave me lots to think about. I didn't major in bio, chem, etc. so maybe that could be a factor. I did very well in grad school and have been doing a ton of research with publications so that could also have had a little to do with it. My ECs weren't spectacular but they were meaningful to me and I think I was able to convey that well during my interviews. I also improved my MCAT score a lot the second time, so it is possible that adcoms saw that in multiple areas I was able to improve myself.

Honestly, I'll never know for sure what made me stand out. But I like to think that the aforementioned improvements did me well.

Come time for your interviews, be sure to know your app well and be able to relate to your experiences, especially as they fit in with your pursuit of becoming a doctor. The pieces will fall into place. A good MCAT score always helps!

MedPR you get a 30+ on your MCAT and you will stand out very easily don't worry about it.

Thanks for the kind words. I sure hope I got a 30+ and I hope it will help me stand out. I'm sure there are a good number of 30+ DO applicants though.

 

[DrWily]

You can update your AACOMAS application at any time and a new PDF will be sent to all the schools you applied to every Tuesday (at least it was Tuesday last cycle). So I shadowed a DO after submitting my primary/secondary and just added a new LOR to interfolio (sent it out to each individual school), and added the new shadowing experience to my AACOMAS.

 

[dntke1518]

You can update your AACOMAS application at any time and a new PDF will be sent to all the schools you applied to every Tuesday (at least it was Tuesday last cycle). So I shadowed a DO after submitting my primary/secondary and just added a new LOR to interfolio (sent it out to each individual school), and added the new shadowing experience to my AACOMAS.

Yes also some secondaries specifically ask about shadowing, you can always add in there too.

 

[CopToEM]

I wrote a small sentence at the end of my description for shadowing: My shadowing experience is ongoing.

Update later if there's any significant opportunities and/or hours picked up. Don't pick up final-hour hours just because you think you don't have enough - anything you do in the months leading up to the application won't be looked at as seriously. Most premeds just slam in as many opportunities as they can in the months prior to June 1 so they can pad their application.