Shadowing Dilemma

[yes_sir_44]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Few days ago I emailed about 5 DOs in the area asking them if I could shadow them and 3 of them have already replied to me saying they are willing to have me shadow them. Now, I don't know if I emailed too many but I definitely did NOT expect 3 physicians to reply to a random person lol let alone agree to having me shadow them especially after cold calling few DO offices and having no luck. My question is - Should I just focus on one of them and try to get a good letter? or Should I try to shadow them all without mentioning anything? I feel bad about telling 2 of them that I already found a DO to shadow.

 

[Astepatatime]

FYI, one or two of them might not follow through with it. I was in a similar situation before and few just stop contacting.
Personally, it will depend on how different their specialties are.
If they are derm, NMT (OMM), and surgery, go do all 3 or focus on 2.
If they are all FM, or all same specialty, focus on one.

 

[Astepatatime]

Oh, and just because you shadow one doesn't guarantee an LOR.
Sometimes, docs are busy, they say no, or you don't feel like you connected with them. In those cases, increasing # of different doctors shadowed is better.
You only need on DO LOR so no need to get all 3, but you can "test" the doctors out.

 

[adrian710]

All 3... why not?

 

[Astepatatime]

All 3... why not?

time and focus...
do you not read...

 

[MedNation907]

Few days ago I emailed about 5 DOs in the area asking them if I could shadow them and 3 of them have already replied to me saying they are willing to have me shadow them. Now, I don't know if I emailed too many but I definitely did NOT expect 3 physicians to reply to a random person lol let alone agree to having me shadow them especially after cold calling few DO offices and having no luck. My question is - Should I just focus on one of them and try to get a good letter? or Should I try to shadow them all without mentioning anything? I feel bad about telling 2 of them that I already found a DO to shadow.

Lol this is hardly a dilemma. If you're interested in each area of medicine they practice then shadow all of them. If you can't fit them all in, then eliminate the least interesting to you.. Doctors are not going to care that some random kid doesn't want to shadow them anymore. They will likely not give it a second thought either way, honestly. I don't think there's a magic number of hours before obtaining a 'solid' LOR, just have to feel them out. I spent 6 days (well half days -- so 24 hours) before asking for an LOR from one doc, and MAYBE 8 hours with another which offered to write me one. It just depends on the person you're shadowing.

 

[yes_sir_44]

All 3... why not?

I'd rather get one strong LOR by shadowing one DO for more hours. So I was just asking. But I might go ahead and shadow all 3 of them before asking for a letter. That way I will get a sense of who might write me the strongest letter...

 

[becomingdoctor]

I shadowed a DO for three shifts he seems very nice but when I asked him for LOR he simply disappeared. Luckily I had a second DO wrote me a letter. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[ortnakas]

Shadow all 3 at least once. It may turn out one of them isn't interesting to follow, or that one of them doesn't seem like they'll be willing to write a strong letter. Don't narrow your options before you even start!

 

[MedNation907]

@yes_sir_44
Also, after the doc I shadowed agreed to write me a LOR I suggested I send her some information about myself to help her write it. I sent her maybe like half a page of my Hx leading to medicine and a pro/con list. I say this because I was told in interviews my LOR's were awesome -- and I have to think that what I sent her allowed for a personable LOR. Otherwise, well, it just wouldn't have been possible from the limited time we spent together.