Shadowing- Too many responses

[buffywannabe]

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So when I try to find people to shadow I pick a specialty and then send out 3-4 emails to different people in that specialty. This has in the past produced 0-1 people replying that I could shadow. UNTIL NOW! I sent my emails out to two different specialties trying to get two people to shadow. I got SIX! How can I shadow 6 people? What should I do? I feel like a super jerk 🙁

 

[Van Chowder]

Welllll... from what it looks like you are already fairing well this cycle with two interviews! ( Congrats by the way!) so im curious as to why you are still looking to shadow?
But in terms of the doctors, believe me that you are not doing anyone a favor by shadowing, they simply want to help YOU out. You could send out emails explaining that "you are doing better this cycle than you thought, and shadowing may no longer be necessary, but thank you anyway"


Good luck! And keep on trucking!!!

 

[armybound]

Just my opinion, but you should be appreciative and take each of them up on the offer.

Shadow each of them once. Spread it out over a few months.

 

[buffywannabe]

Just my opinion, but you should be appreciative and take each of them up on the offer.

Shadow each of them once. Spread it out over a few months.

This is what I was thinking of doing.

I am still shadowing because who knows if I will get in this year. Plus shadowing makes me happy. It reminds me what I am working towards. Some 1st years still shadow over the summer probably for the same reasons.

 

[RomanCandle]

let me shadow them instead. i can't get any responses.

 

[Bacchus]

This is what I was thinking of doing.

I am still shadowing because who knows if I will get in this year. Plus shadowing makes me happy. It reminds me what I am working towards. Some 1st years still shadow over the summer probably for the same reasons.

Glad you're humble. But, if you don't get in the system is broken. You were offered an interview at the CC, which has no tuition. You're doing something right.

 

[Jli]

you could pass on the shadower to me.

 

[buffywannabe]

Ugh another one just emailed me back... 😱

7 now!

 

[buffywannabe]

Glad you're humble. But, if you don't get in the system is broken. You were offered an interview at the CC, which has no tuition. You're doing something right.

Or maybe I am broken 😀 This is my third try so it isn't so much confidence as it is pure fear of another rejection and getting ready to apply for #4.

 

[buffywannabe]

let me shadow them instead. i can't get any responses.

you could pass on the shadower to me.

If you guys were in WI I would totally try 🙂

 

[dukemed22]

So when I try to find people to shadow I pick a specialty and then send out 3-4 emails to different people in that specialty. This has in the past produced 0-1 people replying that I could shadow. UNTIL NOW! I sent my emails out to two different specialties trying to get two people to shadow. I got SIX! How can I shadow 6 people? What should I do? I feel like a super jerk 🙁

Just don't reply to all of them... no one will care

Or of course, as someone else suggested, just stagger them out over a couple months

 

[s1lver]

Off topic - during interviews, do they ask about the names of the docs you shadowed?

 

[schrizto]

That's like when I emailed about working for free in a lab. I emailed a little under 10 PIs thinking some of them would ignore me or say no but all of them replied saying yes.

Funny because now I'm looking for shadowing opportunities and haven't found much.

 

[TopSecret]

So when I try to find people to shadow I pick a specialty and then send out 3-4 emails to different people in that specialty. This has in the past produced 0-1 people replying that I could shadow. UNTIL NOW! I sent my emails out to two different specialties trying to get two people to shadow. I got SIX! How can I shadow 6 people? What should I do? I feel like a super jerk 🙁

Did you go through a university directory?

Okay, the solution is pretty simple. Shadow all of the doctors but on different days. Half days are fine, too.

 

[TopSecret]

Just don't reply to all of them... no one will care

Or of course, as someone else suggested, just stagger them out over a couple months

It would be discourteous to ignore them.

 

[Yudid]

So when I try to find people to shadow I pick a specialty and then send out 3-4 emails to different people in that specialty. This has in the past produced 0-1 people replying that I could shadow. UNTIL NOW! I sent my emails out to two different specialties trying to get two people to shadow. I got SIX! How can I shadow 6 people? What should I do? I feel like a super jerk 🙁

Lucky u!😉 I cant find anybody to shadow... and it gets annoying

 

[buffywannabe]

I guess I will document how I got these abundant shadowing opportunities. Maybe it will help you guys who are having trouble.

So I found my local hospital (best if teaching hospital). I look at the tab where you can find doctors based on specialty. I pick a specialty I find interesting. Then I see all of the doctor's names. At this website it has pictures as well. I pick people who look nice (which is super subjective but whatev, I do it) and since I am a girl a lot of times I choose women. Then because they are connected to the local university I go to the university site and look up thier email. Otherwise I bet you could call the number and ask the secretary or snail mail them something or go there.

The email (spiel or letter) consists of this. Who you are (a premed), why you are interested in their specialty (don't make them cry or anything but a sentence about how you knew someone with this condition or something like that may suffice and pull heart strings/ make them believe you are serious about this), if you are already volunteering through their hospital mention that (this may help to show you are serious and from my experience they like to help you more if you are already helping the university), if you are doing research on campus you may also want to name drop here (especially if the research field is anything close to the specialty. Thank them for their consideration and there you go.

You may not all like this but I am just letting you know what worked VERY (too) well for me. 🙂

Good luck everyone!