Shadowing in the ED as a MS1 - worth it?

[MNgrrl]

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Hi everyone, I'm looking for your thoughts--

I am interested in pursuing EM, and through my school's EMIG, some of the docs have agreed to allow us first years to shadow them. I worked in an ED for 2 years previously (as the research coordinator, so not clinically, but I've been around the ED quite a bit), but I was thinking that it would be a good idea to get my name out there as having an interest in EM (new school, new city, etc). I will not have had even close to the full semester of gross, so my medical knowledge won't be any more than your typical undergrad.

So, my question is, do you think this is a worthwhile thing to do? Am I wasting the attending's time and my own???

Thanks!

 

[roja]

If you want to do EM and you are sure, it doesn't hurt to shadow and get your name out there. You may also want to start getting into some clinical research.

 

[Seaglass]

Yeah, I would think that pursuing some clinical research would be more helpful than shadowing as an MS1. FYI, most who match in EM did not shadow as MS1's (or 2's) so it's not like it's required or anything.

 

[DrMom]

I spent the summer after MS1 in the ED. I thought it was quite beneficial for me, especially since it was at the program I'd like to match at. If you do it, be willing to jump in there when they ask you to. 🙂 I went there and worked my butt off, but loved it. 😀

 

[Atlas]

I, too, shadowed after my first year. I tried to shadow in fields I knew little about - Radiology and Anesthesiology. I wasn't doing it for "props"...I was more interested in getting a taste by walking in their shoes for a couple weeks at a time.

 

[DrMom]

I agree with Atlas that getting a broad exposure is good. I also spent time (at various times) in family med, peds, pathology, radiology, internal med, and gastroenterology. I was sometimes surprised at what I did and did not enjoy, in fact, shadowing led me to knock my original #1 specialty off of my list completely.

 

[roja]

What was that dr.mom?

As someone that was a former want to be pedi rheumatologist, I concur that you never really know what will appeal to you during med school...

shadowing is a great way to expose yourself to alot of stuff that you might not get to see in third year: ED, rads, gas...

 

[DrMom]

I thought I wanted to do Int Med, but I really didn't like it at all (at least not the inpatient stuff you do in residency).

 

[PluckyDuk8]

I'm an M2 with an interest in EM...Last year my physician mentor was an EM doc and I enjoyed it a lot. Try to apply it somehow to what you're learning. For instance, soon after we finished genetics, a child with Angelman's syndrome was in the ER with the flu- and it was very interesting. Later in the year as we were starting to learn physical exam skills, I felt a liver edge in the ER- it's much better than saying "ok if you feel a liver, it will be here." Point is, there's lots of variety. I also now know a lot of the docs in the ER.

 

[lawmd]

definitely-it will give you an idea if you want to do it or not. Everyone comes into med school with pre-concieved notions as to what they want to do and dont try it out until M4, realize they hate it and freak out, I have seen it several times. Spend some shifts down there, sew up some lacs, see home homelss drunks with puke all over them, watch some codes, etc... The ED people are usually pretty open to students, more so than other specialties.

 

[MNgrrl]

Thanks for all the help everyone!