Shadowing too early and too late

[donutzebra]

I've seen many threads about shadowing too early or shadowing too late, but I'm making a new one because I think I'm in a situation where both applies to me.

I shadowed an ophthalmologist for 55 hours the summer before my senior year of high school, and I just graduated from college in May of this year. Throughout college I never had any shadowing experience because my pre-med advisors had stressed that shadowing was not necessary for most schools, as it was mostly passive clinical experience. When I talked to them in person, they said that my extensive hospital volunteering experience was vastly more important than any passive shadowing experience. I talked to a pre-med advisor again recently and this time, she admitted that shadowing was probably important for "a few schools" and definitely for WashU, but that my application, if strong in other aspects, should be fine. She said a letter of recommendation from a physician is not necessary for a successful application. She advised against doing any "last-minute" shadowing, as it may be perceived poorly by admissions committees. I definitely trust her insight and judgment, as I know pre-med advisors don't become pre-med advisors for nothing, but I'm getting the creeping sensation from talking to others and doing my own searching on the Internet that shadowing may be a bit more important than I had been giving it credit for.

I am planning to apply during the next cycle, for matriculation in 2018 (thus, taking two gap years). I know the primary reasoning behind shadowing is to observe a physician's daily responsibilities and interactions in order to decide if being a physician is the right career choice, so it makes the most sense to do it early in college. Having one's first shadowing experience a year before applying, and only doing so for the span of about one month (that's all my current schedule allows), would likely signal to admissions committees that an applicant is only trying to complete a checklist. If it weren't for my high school shadowing experience, their suspicion would be correct. However, my shadowing experience in high school did contribute greatly to my decision to pursue a career as a physician, but I'm told we should not put high school experiences on medical school applications, as that just makes it seem like the applicant is desperately trying to fill in experiences. I'm considering doing shadowing this year, then putting both my high school and post-college shadowing experiences together under "Physician shadowing" on the application, then putting the respective dates of each experience in the description. It would not be one of my "most important" experiences, but it would be there. I'm currently considering four different options, and I was wondering if anyone could provide insights and/or advice:

A) Do the post-college shadowing (~40 hours?), and include both high school and post-college shadowing on application as one activity, providing the respective dates.
B) Do the post-college shadowing, but include only post-college shadowing experience on the application.
C) Do not do post-college shadowing, and include high school shadowing experience on application (not as one of the more important experiences)
D) Do not do post-college shadowing and do not include any shadowing experience on application.

Side note: This reminds me I need to get back to studying for the MCAT soon so I'll try to finish this up quickly.

Fortunately I kept a spiral notebook with notes from my high school shadowing experience, and I still have the ophthalmologist's contact information (I wasn't able to observe her in the OR at the time because I was 17 and you needed to be at least 18 for that. She actually sort of scolded me for telling the hospital administrative staff the truth.) Plus she gave me the contact information of two orthopedic surgeons she knew, and I still have that as well (Well done, 17-year-old me, well done.), so trying to get a shadowing experience now should hopefully be less of a headache *knock on wood*.

Side question: If I do decide to do a post-college shadowing experience, should I try to get a letter of recommendation? I currently do not have a letter of recommendation from a physician, but the shadowing experience is only going to be for about a month, so I'm not sure if it would be helpful.

Thanks for your advice and insights!

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[rilte4]

I've seen many threads about shadowing too early or shadowing too late, but I'm making a new one because I think I'm in a situation where both applies to me.

I shadowed an ophthalmologist for 55 hours the summer before my senior year of high school, and I just graduated from college in May of this year. Throughout college I never had any shadowing experience because my pre-med advisors had stressed that shadowing was not necessary for most schools, as it was mostly passive clinical experience. When I talked to them in person, they said that my extensive hospital volunteering experience was vastly more important than any passive shadowing experience. I talked to a pre-med advisor again recently and this time, she admitted that shadowing was probably important for "a few schools" and definitely for WashU, but that my application, if strong in other aspects, should be fine. She said a letter of recommendation from a physician is not necessary for a successful application. She advised against doing any "last-minute" shadowing, as it may be perceived poorly by admissions committees. I definitely trust her insight and judgment, as I know pre-med advisors don't become pre-med advisors for nothing, but I'm getting the creeping sensation from talking to others and doing my own searching on the Internet that shadowing may be a bit more important than I had been giving it credit for.

I am planning to apply during the next cycle, for matriculation in 2018 (thus, taking two gap years). I know the primary reasoning behind shadowing is to observe a physician's daily responsibilities and interactions in order to decide if being a physician is the right career choice, so it makes the most sense to do it early in college. Having one's first shadowing experience a year before applying, and only doing so for the span of about one month (that's all my current schedule allows), would likely signal to admissions committees that an applicant is only trying to complete a checklist. If it weren't for my high school shadowing experience, their suspicion would be correct. However, my shadowing experience in high school did contribute greatly to my decision to pursue a career as a physician, but I'm told we should not put high school experiences on medical school applications, as that just makes it seem like the applicant is desperately trying to fill in experiences. I'm considering doing shadowing this year, then putting both my high school and post-college shadowing experiences together under "Physician shadowing" on the application, then putting the respective dates of each experience in the description. It would not be one of my "most important" experiences, but it would be there. I'm currently considering four different options, and I was wondering if anyone could provide insights and/or advice:

A) Do the post-college shadowing (~40 hours?), and include both high school and post-college shadowing on application as one activity, providing the respective dates.
B) Do the post-college shadowing, but include only post-college shadowing experience on the application.
C) Do not do post-college shadowing, and include high school shadowing experience on application (not as one of the more important experiences)
D) Do not do post-college shadowing and do not include any shadowing experience on application.

Side note: This reminds me I need to get back to studying for the MCAT soon so I'll try to finish this up quickly.

Fortunately I kept a spiral notebook with notes from my high school shadowing experience, and I still have the ophthalmologist's contact information (I wasn't able to observe her in the OR at the time because I was 17 and you needed to be at least 18 for that. She actually sort of scolded me for telling the hospital administrative staff the truth.) Plus she gave me the contact information of two orthopedic surgeons she knew, and I still have that as well (Well done, 17-year-old me, well done.), so trying to get a shadowing experience now should hopefully be less of a headache *knock on wood*.

Side question: If I do decide to do a post-college shadowing experience, should I try to get a letter of recommendation? I currently do not have a letter of recommendation from a physician, but the shadowing experience is only going to be for about a month, so I'm not sure if it would be helpful.

Thanks for your advice and insights!

Personally, I would go with Option A and skip the letter.

 

[Catalystik]

I've seen many threads about shadowing too early or shadowing too late, but I'm making a new one because I think I'm in a situation where both applies to me.

I shadowed an ophthalmologist for 55 hours the summer before my senior year of high school, and I just graduated from college in May of this year. Throughout college I never had any shadowing experience because my pre-med advisors had stressed that shadowing was not necessary for most schools, as it was mostly passive clinical experience. When I talked to them in person, they said that my extensive hospital volunteering experience was vastly more important than any passive shadowing experience. I talked to a pre-med advisor again recently and this time, she admitted that shadowing was probably important for "a few schools" and definitely for WashU, but that my application, if strong in other aspects, should be fine. She said a letter of recommendation from a physician is not necessary for a successful application. She advised against doing any "last-minute" shadowing, as it may be perceived poorly by admissions committees. I definitely trust her insight and judgment, as I know pre-med advisors don't become pre-med advisors for nothing, but I'm getting the creeping sensation from talking to others and doing my own searching on the Internet that shadowing may be a bit more important than I had been giving it credit for.

I am planning to apply during the next cycle, for matriculation in 2018 (thus, taking two gap years). I know the primary reasoning behind shadowing is to observe a physician's daily responsibilities and interactions in order to decide if being a physician is the right career choice, so it makes the most sense to do it early in college. Having one's first shadowing experience a year before applying, and only doing so for the span of about one month (that's all my current schedule allows), would likely signal to admissions committees that an applicant is only trying to complete a checklist. If it weren't for my high school shadowing experience, their suspicion would be correct. However, my shadowing experience in high school did contribute greatly to my decision to pursue a career as a physician, but I'm told we should not put high school experiences on medical school applications, as that just makes it seem like the applicant is desperately trying to fill in experiences. I'm considering doing shadowing this year, then putting both my high school and post-college shadowing experiences together under "Physician shadowing" on the application, then putting the respective dates of each experience in the description. It would not be one of my "most important" experiences, but it would be there. I'm currently considering four different options, and I was wondering if anyone could provide insights and/or advice:

A) Do the post-college shadowing (~40 hours?), and include both high school and post-college shadowing on application as one activity, providing the respective dates.
B) Do the post-college shadowing, but include only post-college shadowing experience on the application.
C) Do not do post-college shadowing, and include high school shadowing experience on application (not as one of the more important experiences)
D) Do not do post-college shadowing and do not include any shadowing experience on application.

Side note: This reminds me I need to get back to studying for the MCAT soon so I'll try to finish this up quickly.

Fortunately I kept a spiral notebook with notes from my high school shadowing experience, and I still have the ophthalmologist's contact information (I wasn't able to observe her in the OR at the time because I was 17 and you needed to be at least 18 for that. She actually sort of scolded me for telling the hospital administrative staff the truth.) Plus she gave me the contact information of two orthopedic surgeons she knew, and I still have that as well (Well done, 17-year-old me, well done.), so trying to get a shadowing experience now should hopefully be less of a headache *knock on wood*.

Side question: If I do decide to do a post-college shadowing experience, should I try to get a letter of recommendation? I currently do not have a letter of recommendation from a physician, but the shadowing experience is only going to be for about a month, so I'm not sure if it would be helpful.

Thanks for your advice and insights!

E) Do the post-college shadowing (40-50 hours, ideally including a primary care physician, include post-college shadowing on application in an Activities space, but mention the HS shadowing in the PS as part of the path to medicine.

It is a rare MD med school that requests a physician LOR. Some premed committees ask for one too. DO med schools more commonly request one, and some of those will take an MD or DO letter. For the most part they are of little value.

 

[aymar]

I had high school shadowing and put them in AMCAS. As long as you have some more recent hours as well, I think it shows longevity of medical interest. But that's just my 2 cents. Generally speaking, I think it is the only activity in AMCAS that it would be advisable to put high school things in (barring long term experiences that continued during college)


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[Doctor-S]

Hello donutzebra,

I respectfully concur with the sound advice proffered by Catalystik - that is, choice "E."

Post-college shadowing (as well as a notation about your high school shadowing hours, en route to a future career in medicine) is indicative of increasing desire, motivation, pensiveness, maturity, and future aspirations to earn an MD degree.

I'm not particularly interested in reading LORs prepared by physicians (selected by an applicant) because they probably don't know you as well as "you" know yourself. Indeed, I'm more interested in reading about what makes you "tick" and "why" you would be a competitive (and promising) medical school candidate.

Thank you.

 

[donutzebra]

Thank you for all your thoughtful responses and advice! I'm probably going to do the post-college shadowing and mention the high school shadowing in my personal statement and perhaps also as a side note in the activities section.

I was partly hoping to travel a bit after the MCAT, but you know what they say: pre-med before pleasure!