shadowing e-mail

[rmadell]

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Hi guys, I don't know doctors around this area, so I have just gone through the directory of doctors for my local hospital for specialties that I would like to observe. Any ideas of what to put in an e-mail to ask if they would be interested? Since I'm just getting their information online, I don't even know if they have/would want to have someone shadow them, or what the process is for setting something like this up. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[txprodigal]

skip e-mail and go straight to the phone. e-mails can be easily ignored, but if they (receptionist) pick up the phone, they won't just hang up on you.

tell them you're a pre med student looking to shadow the physician there so you can get an idea of what a day is like in that specialty. it's a plus if you tell them you're a volunteer at the hospital you're looking to shadow at or if you're HIPAA trained.

you'll probably be told "no" many times, but once you get even one doctor to say yes, you're set, because you can get him to refer you to his buddies. good luck!

 

[locus000]

skip e-mail and go straight to the phone. e-mails can be easily ignored, but if they (receptionist) pick up the phone, they won't just hang up on you.

tell them you're a pre med student looking to shadow the physician there so you can get an idea of what a day is like in that specialty. it's a plus if you tell them you're a volunteer at the hospital you're looking to shadow at or if you're HIPAA trained.

you'll probably be told "no" many times, but once you get even one doctor to say yes, you're set, because you can get him to refer you to his buddies. good luck!

I personally find the receptionist/secretary the main obstacle to talk to a doctor. They will aways ask you to leave a message and the doctor may or may not get it. If you can try some of your personal doctors, once you talk to a doctor then he/she will let you shadow.

I had alot of bad experience with the front desk staff turning me away.
Email doesnt hurt but you need to send out alot of emails and maybe get 1-2 responds, try dropping by their office and bring a resume.

 

[Mopp22]

I personally find the receptionist/secretary the main obstacle to talk to a doctor.

You're right. Me too.

 

[loveoforganic]

I did have success through email with a radonc practice. In the email, I addressed who I was (name, year in college, majors, etc.) and why radonc was appealing to me, and I said that I wanted to get a better understanding of what it is radoncs do on a daily basis by shadowing one of the practice's physicians for a day or two.

I sent the email to the administration of the practice. YMMV obviously.

 

[dukemed22]

Are you near a University or teaching hospital? If so, that's definitely your best bet. But regardless, just e-mail anyone and everyone, till you find someone willing to let you come in (this may take 1 e-mail, this may take 100). You can call, but in my experience its not necessary. I've found that you can pretty much find anything (research, shadowing, jobs, etc...) if you e-mail the right person, or if you e-mail enough people. It may seem awkward to you, but you have to realize that most docs (or whoever) get these sorts of e-mails all the time.