Shadowing hours

[monkeyMD]

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Yes, I have tried the search function. However, I failed to find any answers that sufficiently addressed the following questions:
(1) How many hours = the bare minimum?
(2) How many hours = too much?
(3) How many hours= a good amount?
(4) What specialties?
etc etc.
Also, how many hours of shadowing do you have? Pls take the poll.

 

[apumic]

Yes, I have tried the search function. However, I failed to find any answers that sufficiently addressed the following questions:
(1) How many hours = the bare minimum?
20-40
(2) How many hours = too much?
80-100
(3) How many hours= a good amount?
40
(4) What specialties?
Primary Care, others of interest
etc etc.
Also, how many hours of shadowing do you have? Pls take the poll.

...

 

[Catalystik]

(1) How many hours = the bare minimum?
(2) How many hours = too much?
(3) How many hours= a good amount?
(4) What specialties?

Everyone will have their own perspective on this issue:
1) 20-40
2) There's no number of hours that will hurt your application, but IMO more than 80 hours isn't necessary unless you're really having fun.
3) From my observation about 50 hours is average, so I'd say a good amount is 60-80 hours.
4) A primary care doc at the minimum, and a few others of your choice.

 

[13132]

This poll may give you a lower idea than what is actually the norm because I am sure many of us who voted have not yet applied. For example, I am just a Sophomore and have shadowed about 20 hours.

 

[rhesuspieces]

Quality >>> quantity, IMO. You'll have a much more fulfilling experience with a doctor who takes the time to explain what he/she is doing than with a doc who points you to a chair in the corner and ignores you.

Also, even if you aren't interested in primary care, shadow a primary care practitioner. They're the front line of medicine and deal with a huge variety of patients as a result. The pediatric oncologist may sound far more interesting to shadow, but you'll have the best experience by far with a PCP--especially if its your first time shadowing.

 

[familyaerospace]

Right now I am at 180 hours with more scheduled. I apply in summer and I will likely have over 200 by then. I voted for the 150-200.

I originally intended to only hit about 80ish, but I'm now having to much fun to stop now.

 

[Doubtnichts]

I voted the 150-200 but that was only two different docs. I shadowed at a primary practice and also in the Emergency department. I might end up doing some more, because I'm hoping to shadow a DO doc and the other two were MD.

 

[panasonic52]

I wasn't really sure what to put down. I had 40 from one week of shadowing an internist. I also did 250 hrs of interning at a clinic with a gynecologist for a semester. I don't know if that counts toward shadowing

 

[UpQuark]

10 hours....

I find shadowing to be very boring and a huge waste of my time, then again, I shadowed in a town with 20,000 people where the Doc was totally uninterested and only had 5 patients in the span of his shift... twice... He didn't bother calling me back to reschedule.