Hi, I'm a sophomore in high school (14). I've been thinking about shadowing a doctor, and I broke my fibula recently. I, therefore, have been seeing a podiatrist, and I am interested in that field. I would like to ask him about shadowing, but he works at Kaiser. Do you know if big companies like Kaiser allow high school students to shadow? Do the doctors need "approval" from the company? And how long do you usually shadow a doctor for? Thanks for the advice!
Shadowing at Kaiser
- Thread starter jessmok
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I'm pretty sure I tried to ask some docs I went to that worked for Kaiser back when I was a pre-med, but there were a bunch of hoops to jump through. In general, docs that don't own their own practices need you to be subject to the hospital/institution's guidelines for visitation/observation/volunteering. So your doc will probably refer you to Kaiser's HR department, where you may have to sign some paper work, submit some info (immunizations, background check, etc.), do some training courses, etc. You also may not be allowed to enter certain department because you're a minor, such as the emergency room.
Or, it could be as easy as him not letting anyone know and you just slipping in. Just ask him.
People shadow doctors anywhere from a couple months to a couple years. Start with a semester.
Or, it could be as easy as him not letting anyone know and you just slipping in. Just ask him.
People shadow doctors anywhere from a couple months to a couple years. Start with a semester.
Will the fact that I volunteer at Methodist Hospital help? They had me take 9+ hours of training courses, so I know how to operate a wheelchair, understand the basics of sanitation, HIPAA, etc. If it makes a difference, I collect medical records and volunteer on the nursing floors. In terms of immunization, I had to take the TB test twice this summer.
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Nah, they would still need you to go through their process. The fact that you've done the same song and dance before just means that you'll be quicker at it this time around, not that you'd get to skip it.
But this is all assuming you'd have to wade through a lengthy process in the first place. It might be really simple to get approved by Kaiser. Or they might not let you at all. Only one way to find out.
Assuming my podiatrist says okay, how long would be "too long" in terms of shadowing? Because I'm starting sophomore year, I hope to continue to shadow him until the end of my senior year, if possible. (I'm hoping to go in for 1-2 hours weekly or biweekly.) This adds up to almost three years of shadowing, so I was wondering if this is "too much," especially for a high schooler. Would this be too much to ask and hope for? Also, is it enough to only shadow for 1-2 hours? I know most people do 4-6, but my school schedule conflicts with their clinical hours.
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Nothing wrong with developing a long-term relationship with him, especially if you're only going in as infrequently as 1-2 hours/week (which is fine). Just maybe ask for his re-approval every semester. If you're bugging him, he can just say he's too busy next semester. Take it one semester at a time.
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da8s0859q
A small point, just to make sure you're aware: podiatrists do carry a terminal, doctoral-level degree in the United States -- a DPM -- but are not physicians in the sense most people talk about "shadowing a doctor" on this forum.
Not bashing them. Gotta love a good podiatrist.
Not bashing them. Gotta love a good podiatrist.
Yeah, I know. I had surgery recently, so I learned a LOT about podiatrists lately, ahha.
I know this sounds like a stupid questions, but if I were to ask my podiatrist in person, what's the best way to "format" my asking to not sound stupid? It seems weird to just randomly go "Hey, I've been interested in podiatry for a while now. Can I possibly shadow you for 1-2 hours every week?" Or is that how I should actually ask, since he kind of knows me already?
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da8s0859q
Just ask. If you're interested, say you're interested, see what he says. Worst that can happen is that he'll say no.
It's podiatry -- so what you'll see is fairly specific. Lots of nuances that he'll hopefully explain to you. What you would see shadowing a physician, and how that compares, depends entirely on what kind of physician you shadow.
It's podiatry -- so what you'll see is fairly specific. Lots of nuances that he'll hopefully explain to you. What you would see shadowing a physician, and how that compares, depends entirely on what kind of physician you shadow.
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da8s0859q
Not sure, actually. I forget what the stipulations are like for that sort of thing. If you're allowed to do anything of the sort, expect some paperwork / training / etc.
Less formal places often don't have nearly the same "overhead" for shadowing.
Less formal places often don't have nearly the same "overhead" for shadowing.
Then should I call ahead of time to inquire about it at the voluteer officer, perhaps, or should I just ask my doctor directly and let him redirect me (assuming he's fine with me shadowing him)? Just curious, but there's shadowing for the field of podiatry too, right? Like, I won't be doing something "weird" if I ask, right?
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da8s0859q
Either ask him yourself if you have a face-to-face opportunity coming up, or ask office staff to relay the message about your interest to him if need be. Getting in touch with volunteer offices / HR / whatever else goes from there.
Not weird if you have a legitimate interest in the matter.
Not weird if you have a legitimate interest in the matter.
Would it make a difference if he just finished his residency, say, two years ago? I know he's doing the same thing any other podiatrist does, but I'm afraid that he might feel inadequate(?). I can't think of a better word, ahah. For all I know, I might be the first to ask him about shadowing, so I'm kind of kind of scared. Don't get me wrong; I'm not questioning his experience. I know he's a great podiatrist. I just thought that maybe he wasn't expecting something like this so "early on" in his career.
Also, I've read somewhere that it's better to follow someone with "more experience." But the thing is, I'm hoping to shadow this specific podiatrist, because he's the one who inspired me in the first place. And after all, he did do my ankle surgery, so I feel like I have more of a relationship(?) with him. What's your take?
Thanks for the help, by the way! I really appreciate it, because I'm lost when it comes to things like these.
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da8s0859q
No worries. It doesn't matter that he's a younger podiatrist. Can still ask to shadow if you'd be more comfortable with him. You can still get a feeling for the job and the perspective of someone at his point in a career as opposed to someone who has been in it for twenty years. Both are valuable.
I wanted to know whether or not minors were allowed to shadow at Kaiser, so I called up the volunteer department earlier today; they waved me off by saying that they didn't have a shadowing program, and they weren't the ones to take care of these things. I also called the Podiatry Department (receptionist), and they said that I couldn't "just start shadowing." They told me to go through the volunteer program or something along those lines. However, I did read that it sometimes helps to ask the physician/poditrist himself, because he can help me get through some of the administrative hoops. Should I still give it a try or were the "no's" I got a pretty definite no? I feel bad putting my podiatrist through so much administrative trouble. I mean, asking to shadow alone is a HUGE favor to ask for.
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da8s0859q
Might as well try. At best, you'll be able to shadow. At worst, you'll either have to have his office staff pass along the request and you never get a response, or you get a flat-out no. Other than maybe coloring any future follow-up appointments, how much do you have to lose by trying?
