Shadowing

[bumpy22]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello everyone,
I just started as a post-bacc student and was hoping that some of you who are more advanced in the application process could give me some insight into the best ways to go about finding a doctor to shadow. I have gone to the D0-online.org and found the DOs who are in my area, but I am not sure if it would be better to write them a letter telling them a bit about myself and asking them if I could shadow them or is it better to call and leave them a message?
Also, I am very interested in UNECOM,as it is closest to my home (Mass) so I was hoping to find a DO who graduated from there. Do you think this may give me an extra boost or is any "good" DO letter fine.
I currently live in NYC (Washington Heights area), so if anyone has any contacts I would greatly appreciate them.
Thanks in advance for all of your input. 😍

 

[digitlnoize]

There are many ways to go about it...

If you want to find a doc in your area, you can try your state medical board website...they usually have a listing of docs by region and degree...

Or, you can try the AOA (American Osteopathic Association) website. I think they also have a lookup function by state...

Find some docs, give them a call or email and ask. I've also found it helpful to ask around. I've gotten some excellent shadowing experiences from friends of friends of friends...The docs are often more receptive if you're referred to them by someone they know...

Basically though, you just have to ask.

 

[Beau Geste]

I tried the AOA website in early August, and still have not gotten a response back. I was fortunate to have some connections, but I'm disappointed in the AOA mentoring program after this.

 

[t-funk]

Yeah, I tried that website. I think I contacted them last fall. They got back to me in like January and said they would find someone and then never contacted me again. There were only 2 DOs in our phone book and neither of them allowed shadowing. I contacted my childhood DO who lives about 1.5 hours away and he said he would love to let me shadow but the company that bought him out last year wouldn't allow it. Finally, I found a DO at my university clinic who would allow me to shadow for only two 1/2 days and that was it. She wrote me a letter and I think it was a pretty good one but man, I think they have to do away with these shadowing expections now that HIPAA is the way it is.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Look up a DO in the phone book and call his or her office. this is one of the easiest things that SDNers make into a major ordeal. Its not like you're trying to shadow the president or the chick from transformers. It shouldn't be hard at all to find someone who would have no problem with you watching them work for a week or something.

 

[Beau Geste]

the HIPAA issue can be addressed via paperwork. I shadowed an ER doc and just had to let HR know I was coming and they had me sign confidentiality agreements.

 

[Beau Geste]

Look up a DO in the phone book and call his or her office. this is one of the easiest things that SDNers make into a major ordeal. Its not like you're trying to shadow the president or the chick from transformers. It shouldn't be hard at all to find someone who would have no problem with you watching them work for a week or something.

Yeah, it can be a problem.

I called every DO in a 20 mile radius around me and they all said no. Either they were busy or they "don't do that anymore".

Some said yes, but not until next year, which is too late. So I had to go back to my hometown and beg a colleague of my mom's. Lame, but I got what I needed.

 

[t-funk]

That's the same reply I got, "I just don't do that anymore." I had to sign that paperwork at the clinic where I shadowed but the drs that told me no seemed to suggest it was bc of HIPAA and not bc they didn't want to. I don't know.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Some might just not want to do it. Who cares? Just keep trying until you find one who doesn't mind.

 

[ExPhys82]

I set my primary care doc to a DO after I changed my health insurance carrier. Then I made an appointment with her...(knee and allergies), then after she checked me out I said "By the way...I chose you as my primary care doc because you are a DO, and I am seriously contemplating DO school....Do you have any advice on shadowing?" Then she said "yeah...you can do it here...just call and leave me a message, and Ill call you back and we'll set up some times". I thanked her and left!

 

[t-funk]

I think that another thing that one must keep in mind is that the amount of DOs in a region differs significantly across the country. The percentage of DOs in Nebraska is only .3% of the physician population wheras it is about 6% in Texas. There are only about 150 DOs in Nebraska but over 3000 in Texas. There are only 2 DOs in my phone book and none in the surrounding small towns in the phone book. It is not easy for everyone in every part of the country.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Holy crap only 150 in the whole state?

There are a bunch in the ER where I work, and the only two docs who treat me with any kind of regularity are DOs, and that wasn't even by design. They just turned out to be DOs.

 

[t-funk]

Yeah, it's kind of crazy!! I know there are more than 2 in my town bc they are registered with the AOA, but they work in the hospitals and didn't have phone numbers other than a general hospital phone number. I didn't know if it was acceptable to call them or not. Luckily, there was one at our clinic who was willing. Otherwise, I would have been screwed.

 

[t-funk]

I also don't think there were any at the ER where I volunteered.

 

[huckaaa]

There are only two D.O.'s in my region and both have been incredibly helpful! I shadow both as much as I want. I've been doing about 12 hrs each per week for over 5 months and neither one seems bothered at all. I went about it by sending cover letters to each as well as a resume. I made sure the cover letter stated about my interest in osteopathy and that this experience is vital for me. Bottom line: There really is no excuse for not being able to shadow an osteopath. If you have a hard time, re-evaluate your strategy and try again, even if it's the same doc.

 

[scpod]

...I think they have to do away with these shadowing expections now that HIPAA is the way it is.

Remember, there is no requirement anywhere that says you have to "shadow" a DO. You can get a DO letter very easily without ever "shadowing" them. All you need to do is meet and talk for a while. You might even get one for corresponding by email a few times.

Of course, some schools (DMU, for example) require a letter showing some patient contact experience, but it doesn't have to be from a DO. It doesn't even have to come from a doctor-- a nurse or volunteer coordinator is just fine.

This "shadowing" stuff is way over-rated. There are plenty of other ways to get patient contact. You really don't have to do it-- so don't stress over it.

 

[t-funk]

Of course, some schools (DMU, for example) require a letter showing some patient contact experience, but it doesn't have to be from a DO. It doesn't even have to come from a doctor-- a nurse or volunteer coordinator is just fine.

It's funny, I have an interview at DMU on Thursday and my clinical experience consists of 50 hrs volunteering in the emergency room and 7 hrs physician shadowing. The physician I shadowed for 7 hours wrote my letter and I kind of just followed her around and smiled at the patients but she is a DMU grad too. Bc DMU has such high clinical expectations, I didn't really expect to get an interview there. I'm wondering if they will mention this or hound me on it during my interview. I talked about some really personal things in my PS invoving my son's autism diagnosis and some other things, so I am also wondering if this will lessen, in some ways the clinical experience requirements.

 

[scpod]

...Bc DMU has such high clinical expectations, I didn't really expect to get an interview there. I'm wondering if they will mention this or hound me on it during my interview....

My theory on the application process:

Do whatever is necessary to get the interview....then sell yourself when you get the chance. If they mention it, use it as an opportunity to sell all of your other qualities:

"I realize how important clinical experience can be for an applicant, especially one that is fresh from high school and college. Without a lot of worldly experience to go on, it can be really hard to assure that you are ready to take the plunge into medicine-- going $200,000 in debt and choosing a life-long career can't be easy with so little life experience. At my age, though, I'm fortunate to have been deeply involved in the medical system in many ways. My choice to become a doctor was made long, long ago and the quality exeriences during my hours in the ER only served to validate that choice".... blah, blah, blah.... then you talk about some good qualities that you have or struggles you had that you were able to overcome. In other words, take charge of the interview and re-direct it when they hit sensitive areas.

You'll be fine. Don't worry.

 

[Beau Geste]

Remember, there is no requirement anywhere that says you have to "shadow" a DO. You can get a DO letter very easily without ever "shadowing" them. All you need to do is meet and talk for a while. You might even get one for corresponding by email a few times.

Of course, some schools (DMU, for example) require a letter showing some patient contact experience, but it doesn't have to be from a DO. It doesn't even have to come from a doctor-- a nurse or volunteer coordinator is just fine.

This "shadowing" stuff is way over-rated. There are plenty of other ways to get patient contact. You really don't have to do it-- so don't stress over it.

I've been asked about my DO shadowing on my interviews so far because my letters were from an MD.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

What are DMU's clinical expectations? I've got about 600 hours of trauma center volunteer work to go along with the weirdest GPA/MCAT combo ever. I am really hoping they'll take a look at me. I at least got a secondary from them...

 

[t-funk]

What are DMU's clinical expectations? I've got about 600 hours of trauma center volunteer work to go along with the weirdest GPA/MCAT combo ever. I am really hoping they'll take a look at me. I at least got a secondary from them...

Only that your physician LOR is supposed to be from someone who can verify direct patient contact. Also, their literature just seemed to imply to me that they valued clinical experience very highly. I think your experience is more than enough.

SCPOD - Thanks for the advice. I think that's the angle I'll try to take. And maybe I will see you in 2 weeks even if I don't realize it.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Beautiful. I've got letters from a DO here as well as one of the nurses. On top of that, another DO who works here is a DMU grad, and he's going to make a call this week to put in a good word for me.

 

[Nasem]

if you have a friendly relationship with your family doctor (like I did) ask to shadow him, the doctor I shadowed was an MD but I don't think that makes much of a difference....

Besides, he knows A TON of doctors in my area, I am sure I can have him ask one of his DO friends to have me shadow them.

the key is to building a friendly relationship with these doctors, thats how you'll get a nice LOR from them

 

[DiverDoc]

Heres what I did. I called the receptionist at his clinic and asked to make a 15 mins or less consult appointment. I previously found out the least busiest day in the clinic and made it on that day. We met, I introduced myself and my ambitions and then he asked my GPA, where I was going to school and finally how I would be shadowing. Worked out great.👍

 

[Beau Geste]

These are all great anecdotes, but it seems it just depends on who you are dealing with. My primary care DO said no (only been going to him for 2 years) and many DOs that refer patients to me said no! I went to all the offices and they told me face to face no. I ended up shadowing 370 miles from home from a different connection.

So, sometimes it sucks, but yeah, you gotta do what you gotta do.