Shadowing questions

[gofer]

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(1) This first question is by me. In another thread on shadowing, people mentioned that they just emailed doctors. How do you get a doctor's email address? When I went down to the only clinic here, the staff was unwilling to give me any doc's email address. So how do people get the email addys?

(2) This question is for a friend of mine I am trying to help. He is also Native American. He lives a short distance from Colorado City, AZ and finds that most doctors in his area are mormon polygamists (Colorado City is a privately owned town by the polygamists and non-polygamists are not permitted to live or rent in that town). If the doctors are not polygamists in his area, then they are regular mormons. He approached all the doctors in his town and every single one declined to be shadowed. Says my friend - mormons and the polygamists believe Natives are "Lamanites" from the Book of Mormon and (apparently) hate Native Americans with a passion, if my friend is to be believed (again, I don't have any personal experience of my own to relate). They also had some local incidents related to the Mountain Meadows massacre this year in the region. The massacre was carried out by mormons but blamed on Indians. Because of the incident this year, hatred for Indians is at a peak in his region. My friend does not own a car, so he can only get around on his bicycle, which is not permitted on freeways and some other roads. Consequently he is restricted to his mormon town. What creative ideas can you suggest for my friend so that he can shadow someone? (Remember that they have already said no to him once).

(3) I don't have any formal clothes, nor can I afford to buy at this point in my life. Does it really look that unprofessional if I shadow in jeans and a good shirt? (I do have a few good shirts). What kind of clothes am I expected to wear while shadowing?

 

[portlandpixie]

Go online to look up physicians' emails. Sometimes you have to hunt but most of the time they're there if you search hard enough. However sometimes all you're going to get is a phone number. Either email or call them and ask. There are plenty if threads explaining how to go about this.

As for clothes, my doctor said "just not beach clothes." but it varies from doctor to doctor and office to office. I think the basic guideline is to just look professional as possible. Hope that helps a little

 

[familyaerospace]

1) Some organizations have a physician mentor list that lists email addresses (that is how I found two doctors to shadow). Some private practice websites have email addresses. Some universities list faculty email addresses. It's easier to track down emails than phone numbers most of the time. Plus people are more likely to respond since they can do it on their own time.

2) Find a friend with a car who owes favours, get a taxi if affordable, public transportation.

3) Yes, it looks unprofessional if you are going to be seen in the office. Think about it, what would you think if you were in the patient's shoes?

Do you have a thrift store by you? If so, go look. You can get a dress shirt for $4-5. Dress pants around $5-6. (Shoes aren't expensive but I can't estimate a price since I've never purchased that at Goodwill.) Necktie about $2. Or you could buy an actual suit for around $12-15. Hard to find a white coat there, but scrubs are pretty common around here and you're looking at a full set for about $10-12.

If you're going to be shadowing in the OR, it generally isn't going to matter what you are first wearing since you're going to be changing into scrubs. First day I dressed nicely because I thought there was an observation room, I didn't realise I was going to be actually IN the OR. When I shadowed a neurologist, I wore dress shirt with a tie and dress pants. (He used to say that anything less than a dress shirt/tie was disrespectful to the patient and was only acceptable if you just came out of an OR.) When I shadowed a nephrologist, I wore something similar to when I shadowed a neuro, but he wanted me to wear the white coat which I luckily already had.

 

[justdoit31]

1- a lot of hospitals have a first name.lastname@_____ .com email so you might see if that applies to your area

2- maybe ask again- if not I think he either needs to find transportation or he is out of luck

3- You must wear dress clothes unless in the OR- each of the physicians I shadowed specifically said dress in buisness attire and in medical school we get a grade for professional attire (they aren't strict with specifics but if you show up in jeans you would not pass that portion of your review) And regarding a white coat- each of the physicians I shadowed either didn't require one or provided me with an extra of theirs for the day. Now that I am in med school I have one and will be wearing it to my summer clinic that I am doing as part of my research.

 

[filhodeinferno]

(2) This question is for a friend of mine I am trying to help. He is also Native American. He lives a short distance from Colorado City, AZ and finds that most doctors in his area are mormon polygamists (Colorado City is a privately owned town by the polygamists and non-polygamists are not permitted to live or rent in that town). If the doctors are not polygamists in his area, then they are regular mormons. He approached all the doctors in his town and every single one declined to be shadowed. Says my friend - mormons and the polygamists believe Natives are "Lamanites" from the Book of Mormon and (apparently) hate Native Americans with a passion, if my friend is to be believed (again, I don't have any personal experience of my own to relate). They also had some local incidents related to the Mountain Meadows massacre this year in the region. The massacre was carried out by mormons but blamed on Indians. Because of the incident this year, hatred for Indians is at a peak in his region. My friend does not own a car, so he can only get around on his bicycle, which is not permitted on freeways and some other roads. Consequently he is restricted to his mormon town. What creative ideas can you suggest for my friend so that he can shadow someone? (Remember that they have already said no to him once).

Wow, your point number 2 is the most confusing and misguided thing that I have read in a while. First of all, polygamists aren't Mormons...Mormons do not practice polygamy anymore. Second, the Mountain Meadows massacre happened back in the 1800s....I seriously doubt that there is that much fallout from that still around that is preventing your friend from shadowing a physician. Also, Mormons do not hate Native Americans.

 

[FloatOn]

I agree with all that answered for (1). I shadowed at a teaching hospital, so it was very easy to find doctor's email addresses in their online directory. Again, most clinics and private practices have websites so look on there too.

For (3), jeans are unprofessional, even if they look like "nice" jeans. Try to find dress pants paired with a dress shirt (collar, buttons down the middle) and a tie.

Good luck!