Shadowing on 4/22: What do I do?

[EHallberg]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Howdy, all. Tomorrow will be my first day (well, half-day) shadowing in clinic. I'll be showing up at a small, suburban, private clinic, and hanging out with a local DO for the afternoon.

Since I've never done this before, and many of you have, I thought I'd see if you might have...

Any words of advice? (i.e., I guess I should wear a shirt and tie, right? Will someone give me a white coat? Should I bring my nametag from the hospital where I volunteer?)

Any good stories about your own shadowing experiences?

Ideas for thoughtful and brilliant questions I can answer?

Thanks in advance. And feel free to post regardless of my deadline; I'll be doing more shadowing soon. I shoulda thought of SDN before today... 🙁

 

[Neeja]

Hi- I have shadowed many physicians in the past, and for the most part, its been quite informal. I wouldn't get too stressed out. Look professional because you are not only presenting yourself to a person who can potentially write you a letter of recom., but you will also be seeing patients. In order for them to feel comfortable with a student in the room, you should look professional. Depending on teh doctor, they may or may not give you a white coat. It all depends on what they feel the patients would want to see. I wouldn't worry about a nametag, the physician usually introduces you.

Overall, just be calm, and professional. Ask questions about specific diseases or conditions the patient has, after you leave the exam room, to show your inquisitiveness. Ask the physician where they went to medical school, how they liked it, what advantages they forsee osteopathic physicians to have. Take in an interest in them, because that will undoubetdly lead to an interest in you.

Good Luck!

 

[OMMFellow06]

One big thing that you should do is to make sure the doctor knows that you're interested in learning more and possibly doing more than just watching him treat the patient. Seem interested and ask questions about things you don't know about. Before you start the day, ask him how you should approach things, whether he wants you to ask questions in the exam room with the patient there, or does he want you to wait until the patient leaves. Some doctors may not want you to ask anything while the patient is in the room.
Most of the time, if a doctor lets you shadow them, they will be pretty laid back.

 

[Cookie Monster]

I also shadowed a small clinic and it was really laid back. I was dreading two things on the day I first day I shadowed -having to answer questions the doctor might quiz me on and feeling out of place the whole time. I felt neither one - the doctor only asked questions relating to me (like what schools I wanted to attend, stuff like that) and I felt really welcomed. Overall, I really had fun and I couldn't wait to become a doctor even more than before which I didn't think was possible!