Shadowing an MD/PA

[paperbackwriter]

Hello everybody,
I'm new here, just signed up for this website not too long ago, so I was just wondering if I could get some advice/wisdom on the best method on trying to shadow an MD. I tried this last summer, unfortunately due to patient privacy laws, and this MD was a private practice physician, I was unable to shadow him. So I was wondering if you guys could give me your input on how I could best approach this situation and shadow an MD/PA? Currently, I am interning at a hospital in Southern California, if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance!

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[the duck]

Hello everybody,
I'm new here, just signed up for this website not too long ago, so I was just wondering if I could get some advice/wisdom on the best method on trying to shadow an MD. I tried this last summer, unfortunately due to patient privacy laws, and this MD was a private practice physician, I was unable to shadow him. So I was wondering if you guys could give me your input on how I could best approach this situation and shadow an MD/PA? Currently, I am interning at a hospital in Southern California, if that makes any difference. Thanks in advance!

Assuming the doc was a psychiatrist, it sounds like he was just using this as an excuse to blow you off... I live in cali, and never encountered that problem. Probably the easiest way is to ask family friends who are docs, or doctors that take an interest in you while you are in the hospital.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

As stated above, patient privacy was an excuse to blow you off. Follow up with the friends and family connections thing.

 

[torshi]

You can always get in touch with the physicians that you know through your family. Also, no matter what, it's always beneficial to shadow a primary care doc specifically.

I would start out shadowing a primary care physician, maybe your family's doc, y'all most likely have one. Then you can ask for recommendations to other physicians through him if he knows any.

 

[apumic]

Assuming the doc was a psychiatrist, it sounds like he was just using this as an excuse to blow you off... I live in cali, and never encountered that problem. Probably the easiest way is to ask family friends who are docs, or doctors that take an interest in you while you are in the hospital.

A few things:

1) I'm assuming you meant "assuming the doc wasN'T a psychiatrist..."

2) Privacy laws ARE a significant issue. Nonetheless, if the guy really wanted the OP to shadow him he'd work around them.

3) To get shadowing, you're best starting w/ docs you know and branching out from there. What I tell premeds to do is speak first w/ their own PCP or another docs they've worked with, been a pt of, etc. Then I tell them to network while shadowing. If this doesn't work THEN we will (as a pre-health program) provide the student w/ a lead but I tell them we can't offer more than a couple of leads per student so once they've got one, it's up to them to keep the shadowing going.

 

[familyaerospace]

I made three blog entries about shadowing. The one you probably need the most is this one : http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=4003