Shadowing: when is it useful?

[ciestar]

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[TooMuchResearch]

The purpose of shadowing is to follow a physician around to see what docs do with their time (on days in which they allow shadows). If you're not with the docs, you are tech shadowing.

 

[mcloaf]

If you're not following a doc you're not physician shadowing.

Physician shadowing is useful if you're trying to get into medical school (as well as for your own edification, of course).

 

[ciestar]

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[mcloaf]

Exactly what I thought. Thanks!

I've made a lot of calls and sent out many emails and so far I've gotten no where. Any advice?

You could try seeing if any hospitals in your area have formalized shadowing programs (at least one near where I grew up did).

If you're doing any sort of clinical volunteering you could also try to make a connection with one of the docs there and see if they wouldn't mind you following them around for a few days.

 

[Vans42]

I will throw something into this. I shadowed at a hospital where I followed 2 different physicians (radiologist and gastroenterologist). I wasn't with them the entire time, and that time was actually spent with the radiology techs. It was a cool perspective of the hospital, and I got to see how other professions viewed the docs they work with. I actually thought it was kind of valuable, and I could talk about what I learned in an interview. I definitely think you need to shadow physicians, but spending times with the other professions has a unique twist to it too.

 

[ciestar]

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[deleted407021]

It's a day in the life of X specialty type thing. If you are having trouble finding doctors to shadow, find a volunteering job where you work around them. They are much more receptive that way. Good luck!

 

[solitarius]

I used it explore fields that I was very interested in and fields I felt I would dislike.

I know I never want to be any type of surgery. Thanks shadowing!

 

[ciestar]

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[ciestar]

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[Ismet]

Thank you for that! Maybe I'll do that, just have it as another experience under my belt, but not necessarily include it in my app. It could be useful

You can definitely include shadowing other professions in your app if it fits! As a doctor, you'll be working with the whole team of healthcare professionals, so often it's nice to see a day in the life of those other careers so that you can appreciate them for what they do. I once shadowed a team of nurses who conduct oncology research. There are physicians on the team as well, but the nurses do the majority of the work, so it was a neat aspect to see. Either way, it's definitely clinical experience, even if you're not shadowing a physician.

 

[ciestar]

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[FCMike11]

Going to hijacj for a sec. At time of application ill of had 4+ years as an ICU RN. Is shadowing necessary really? I knoe several doctors personally who have already said they will give me LORS

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