Shadowing Question

[RAlec114]

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Hey everyone.

When I shadow someone, do I need to keep like a solid record for proof that I shadowed him/her? I shadowed a GP Dentist last summer and I didn't do a log or anything. It amounted to about 25 hours. In an application to a undergraduate school / dental school, could I just put that I did 25 hours? It seems like it's really easy for some people to "lie."

Also, is it normal to have the person you shadow write you a recommendation? Does this happen in most cases?

Thanks

 

[herkulease]

I honestly believe its a honor system. Look at the LOR section. With professors they have a school email address. Not every dentist who writes you a recommendation as a domain name of their own. there are plenty who use yahoo/hotmail/gmail. So how does the school know if its not just some buddy of the applicant who made up stuff.

anyhow shadowing is for you to see what a dentist does.

Schools are not going to asks you so exactly how to go about performing a root canal.

Most people have the dentist they shadow write them an LOR since most schools want 1 from a dentist anyhow.

 

[SeattleRDH]

The number of hours don't really matter. They're looking for variety in shadowing experience. 10 hours of shadowing at 10 offices looks better than 100 hours at one office.
If you can talk extensively about your experience round-up (within reason), if you didn't get that much out of it round-down. This is the stuff they want to ask you about in your interview. I imagine they can see through people who lie about their shadowing.

As for the LOR, who else would you have write it? I'm sure the majority of dentist LORs are from shadowing or employment.

 

[chicken44]

Actually I think you are better off shadowing one physician for an extended period of time to actually figure out what it is they do. This shows medical schools that you took the time to understand the work of at least a few physicians in depth than just try to rack up a hours with as many as possible.

 

[RAlec114]

Should I bring a notebook and take notes while Shadowing? or is that a bit much, because I'm only supposed to be observing...

 

[nze82]

Hey everyone.

When I shadow someone, do I need to keep like a solid record for proof that I shadowed him/her? I shadowed a GP Dentist last summer and I didn't do a log or anything. It amounted to about 25 hours. In an application to a undergraduate school / dental school, could I just put that I did 25 hours? It seems like it's really easy for some people to "lie."

Also, is it normal to have the person you shadow write you a recommendation? Does this happen in most cases?

Thanks

It's easy to lie about the number of your shadowing hours, but it's definitely not recommended because:
1-They just want to know that you've been exposed to the field. They don't really care if you've done it for 50 hours or 300 hours, as long as you've had some exposure.
2-If you've put down 300 hours of shadowing and they ask you to explain a simple procedure, and you have no clue about it, then you just bought yourself a spot on their rejection list.
Some schools require/prefer a rec letter from a dentist. Go to the schools' website in order to find out whether or not they want a letter from a dentist you've shadowed!

 

[VizioHope]

Try shadowing a maxillofacial surgeon if possible. He/she who would have more time and be passionate about your future success.

 

[JustwantDDS]

Where are the number of hours even recorded/written in the application?
I shadowed at a dental office for two semesters, and it amounted to about ~200 hours, however I can't detail out every procedure....

 

[DrReese]

You really should check with you schools about what they prefer as far as shadowing hours. My school wants at least 80 hours total from at least 5 different dentists....so 10 hours with 10 dentists is not better than 100 hours with 1 dentist.... I personally did over 300 hours with one dentist since I worked for her for a summer...but I also got to work several hours at her husbands practice, and shadowed for 2-4 hours at other dentists offices. I only got a rec from the one dentist I worked for, the rest were to fulfill the requirement of the school.