Shadowing: many physicians or one physician?

[zogoto]

Is shadowing considered better for the application if you shadow one physician like 15 times, or if you shadowing 15 physicians for one day each? I find that I like to shadow different physicians because after a day of shadowing, you get an idea of what their life is like. But there are many lifestyles possible in medicine, and you don't want to get a biased sample size. Right now, I'm planning to basically shadow as many physicians as possible, maybe shadowing two of them for 2-3 days instead of just 1. Is that going to look bad?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[shemarty]

Personally, I shadowed 1 physician very extensively, about 6 more physicians 2-4 times each, and 4 more physicians for half a day each.

I got a broad range of of experiences from "getting to know the physicians really well" to "getting a very brief glimpse of what this specialty is like"

 

[Phlame217]

I made it a habit to shadow many physicians (mainly residents) on an ER floor, but I also made it a habit to make myself known to the attendings who are in charge (as they are far fewer.)

This gets me versatile experience from many doc's perspectives, but when it comes time for letters and such, I can get an attending vs a resident.

 

[zogoto]

Personally, I shadowed 1 physician very extensively, about 6 more physicians 2-4 times each, and 4 more physicians for half a day each.

I got a broad range of of experiences from "getting to know the physicians really well" to "getting a very brief glimpse of what this specialty is like"

How much is very extensively? How many total shadowing hours are recommended for an applicant?

 

[stardust44]

Shemarty,
Thanks for your input! You definitely have obtained great shadowing experiences. How did you go about getting LOR from physicians you shadowed? Did you only get them from the physicians you shadowed extensively? Thanks in advance.

 

[flip26]

Personally, I shadowed 1 physician very extensively, about 6 more physicians 2-4 times each, and 4 more physicians for half a day each.

I got a broad range of of experiences from "getting to know the physicians really well" to "getting a very brief glimpse of what this specialty is like"

I think this is an excellent plan.

I have a couple of 1-2 hour experiences, and a couple of repeat shadowings with one doc totalling around 10 hours...still adding to the total (not applying until next year)...

 

[shemarty]

Shemarty,
Thanks for your input! You definitely have obtained great shadowing experiences. How did you go about getting LOR from physicians you shadowed? Did you only get them from the physicians you shadowed extensively? Thanks in advance.

You can see the hours on my MDApps profile.

The one that I shadowed very very extensively was about 300 hours over Spring and Summer. That's way excessive and I don't necessarily recommend that anybody else do this. I just got very lucky and he left me come as often as I wanted, so I used to just spend 7am-7pm a couple days a week following his team in the wards and in the OR. Though he was also telling me that my time would be better spent studying for the MCAT, doing research, etc, rather than watching him do yet ANOTHER Whipple, for example.

He offered to write me a LOR when I told him I was applying to medical school, so when it came time for it, I just shot him an e-mail to request it.

I also have a LOR from another physician I shadowed (about 50 hours), but that letter was mostly about the research and TA-ing that I also did with him. I told him he didn't even need to mention my shadowing, because that first letter already did in great depth.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I doubt it matters how many just make sure you have atleast one and can take away the idea that "I have a general idea what a physician does every day." I'd say under 20 hours with one person is bad, above that and you should be grand.

 

[StayingSteady]

Is shadowing extensively really that necessary? I mean, shadowing is def something that's recommended, but what if you're interested in seeing how hospitals work in different countries or something? Would it be advisable to shadow physicians abroad if you have the chance?

Also, I kinda felt that shadowing fell under the broad category of "clinical exposure". I have a few doctors in my family, all different specialties, so I sort of have an idea of what a doctor's life is like. I'd much rather do some hospital volunteering or do some public health work (like being a health educator), since I feel like I would get a better/broader exposure to the health field this way. Any thoughts?

 

[ZagDoc]

Is shadowing extensively really that necessary? I mean, shadowing is def something that's recommended, but what if you're interested in seeing how hospitals work in different countries or something? Would it be advisable to shadow physicians abroad if you have the chance?

Also, I kinda felt that shadowing fell under the broad category of "clinical exposure". I have a few doctors in my family, all different specialties, so I sort of have an idea of what a doctor's life is like. I'd much rather do some hospital volunteering or do some public health work (like being a health educator), since I feel like I would get a better/broader exposure to the health field this way. Any thoughts?

Parts of your sentiments I kind of agree with, but the inescapable truth is that ADCOMs consider shadowing "very important" and any app without any shadowing experience is looked at quite skeptically. It's a hoop you have to jump through, but I think a very important one. Our ideas of what "medicine" is and what "doctors" do are colored by a wide variety of things, from family members in the field, to media, to internet forums. Until you get out there and watch a doctor be a doctor, you're basically relying on secondary sources.

If you're shooting for a LOR from a physician longevity is key. It gives more authority to his or her LOR for them to be able to state they have extensive experience with you. But I am a big supporter of shadowing multiple physicians in a wide variety of specialties. A physician's practice of medicine varies wildly from field to field (and even private practice vs. hospital or community hospital vs. academic hospital), enough so that if the commodity was something other than patients they would basically be considered very different jobs. Different industries even.

 

[spyderracing32]

I'm doing my shadowing this summer and I'm kind of taking an intermediate approach to it. I have shadowed one physician for 32 hours (6 8 hour shifts), another for 40 (4 10 hour shifts), and am going to be shadowing another one or two in August, not sure for how long each. I'm going to be getting a good breadth of exposure while each experience is of intermediate duration, and I'm aiming to total 100 < hours shadowing in total, but nothing insanely over the top.

As far as getting LoRs goes, I requested one from both physicians I've shadowed. One has known me from a very young age so has a lot to write about me, and the other I just met when I started shadowing.

In my opinion you could probably get a LoR for anything more than a couple shifts. I know I haven't had more than 40 hours of real face time (with any of my profs, and I find it unlikely that anyone else has (unless of course you're doing research with them, but think about it... if a class is 2 hours twice a week that would require interacting with the prof non-stop in class for 10 weeks! Not happening in massive science lectures!). You also need to weigh the quality of the shadowing experience when considering requesting an LoR. I had a very good shadowing experience with the physician that didn't know me well to start with (both were great actually but it's easy to see why I would ask for a LoR from a physician that has known me forever). He was very descriptive in what he was doing, quizzed me on info he had told me earlier in regards to various procedures, and was overall excellent in his approach to shadowing. He described me to a colleague as "a sponge" (in regards to retaining knowledge). We also had lunch together everyday allowing me to ask questions pertaining to the profession, or to just talk sports. I felt he would be able to write me a good LoR because he got a good sense of who I was from both an academic and personal perspective.

 

[StayingSteady]

but the inescapable truth is that ADCOMs consider shadowing "very important" and any app without any shadowing experience is looked at quite skeptically.

Agreed, this is kind of what I was getting at haha... I'm def planning on getting some shadowing experience, but as far as putting it on your app... well, I don't know EVERYTHING about the app process yet, but I do know there are like 15 spots on the AMCAS primary app to put extracurriculars. I have a lot of ECs and I think I'd be able to fill in most, if not all of those spots (legitimate ECs), and so even if I shadowed, I don't really see where that would fit into my app. Are you saying I should probably bump out one of my stronger/better ECs to add in the shadowing experience because it's THAT important? (even though it would prob look like I'm just sticking it there to earn that little checkmark next to the "shadowing" requirement).
Or is there somewhere else (perhaps in the personal statement or on the secondaries) where I could incorporate that info...

If you're shooting for a LOR from a physician longevity is key. It gives more authority to his or her LOR for them to be able to state they have extensive experience with you.

Necessary?

 

[ZagDoc]

Are you saying I should probably bump out one of my stronger/better ECs to add in the shadowing experience because it's THAT important? (even though it would prob look like I'm just sticking it there to earn that little checkmark next to the "shadowing" requirement).
Or is there somewhere else (perhaps in the personal statement or on the secondaries) where I could incorporate that info...

You'll figure out how to play the AMCAS game in due time. You'll most likely not have to leave a "strong EC" off your activities, but you may need to condense two separate EC experiences under one heading. But yes, I'd strongly recommend having an individual EC on your AMCAS be simply "shadowing" or "clinical experience."

Necessary?

Generally, no. But depends on your situation. Does your university have a premed committee letter? If so, you don't need one, that letter carries a lot of wait. Planning on going the 3-4 individual LOR route? A physician letter can be a very nice compliment.

 

[Green Grass]

I've had 200 hours with General Surgery and 250 hours with FP. Also did a one month full-time shadowing of many different specialties. I have tons of shadowing experience. I would say more than 1 experience is a good idea to get an idea of more than one area.