Shadowing

Started by kiddynamite914
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
K

kiddynamite914

Full Member
7+ Year Member
I want to shadow an OMFS dentist. We do have a center of OMFS near campus but all six of the dentists refused to be shadowed. As a premed it was much easier since we have a medical school on campus and the teaching doctors are always down to allow us to shadow them (at one point I was shadowing 3 different doctors). How do you guys go about asking private practice dentists for shadowing opportunities? We don't have a dental school affiliated with the undergraduate university I am at.
 
Just give them a call and say you are a student at x looking to go to dental school and are wondering what else is involved in the field. Some might not let you, keep calling different places and eventually one will. Best of Luck!
 
I'm surprised you were declined the opportunity to shadow. All of the OMFS guys I know would love to have someone. Maybe specify just a half day and try another group.
 
kiddynamite914 said:
I want to shadow an OMFS dentist. We do have a center of OMFS near campus but all six of the dentists refused to be shadowed. As a premed it was much easier since we have a medical school on campus and the teaching doctors are always down to allow us to shadow them (at one point I was shadowing 3 different doctors). How do you guys go about asking private practice dentists for shadowing opportunities? We don't have a dental school affiliated with the undergraduate university I am at.
Click to expand...
Where are you located? I know dentists all over the country, I can't promise but I might be able to find someone.

Dr. Romano
 
FYI, some schools require you to spend 1/2 of the shadowing hours at a GP office and the other 1/2 are offices of your choice. I would keep calling around. I’m sure you’ll find someone who will let you shadow. Most doctors remember having to do that at one time in their life.
 
Hey, I had the same problem, the shadowing hours on my app are just from 2 GPs and an orthodontist. For some reason the OMFS dentists in my area were not okay with me shadowing, I believe this may be due to the more sensitive surgical nature of their work, a lot of them straight up told me they don't want any non-staff in their exam rooms, this might be due to patients being more nervous than usual/having their own family members with them, another also cited limited space in their exam rooms as a reason lol. I really wanted to shadow one after having my own wisdom teeth removed but the most extent of my shadowing was my own appointment 🙁
 
Sweet_Tooth said:
Hey, I had the same problem, the shadowing hours on my app are just from 2 GPs and an orthodontist. For some reason the OMFS dentists in my area were not okay with me shadowing, I believe this may be due to the more sensitive surgical nature of their work, a lot of them straight up told me they don't want any non-staff in their exam rooms, this might be due to patients being more nervous than usual/having their own family members with them, another also cited limited space in their exam rooms as a reason lol. I really wanted to shadow one after having my own wisdom teeth removed but the most extent of my shadowing was my own appointment 🙁
Click to expand...
Have you asked through your gp? They can pull strings, that's how I shadowed ALL of the specialties... thru my gp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.