Shadowing?

[bihari]

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How exactly should one approach a doctor for shadowing experience? Does one have to be in medical school, or just pre-medical will work? Should one just ask 'I was wondering if I could shadow you during your work, to see if I like the field?'

Thanks

 

[PunkmedGirl]

How exactly should one approach a doctor for shadowing experience? Does one have to be in medical school, or just pre-medical will work? Should one just ask 'I was wondering if I could shadow you during your work, to see if I like the field?'

Thanks

www.osteopathic.org/YOM/Mentor_main.htm You can start here and search for available DO's to shadow. YOu don't have to be in medical school in order to shadow.

 

[Cp22kjer]

How exactly should one approach a doctor for shadowing experience? Does one have to be in medical school, or just pre-medical will work? Should one just ask 'I was wondering if I could shadow you during your work, to see if I like the field?'

Thanks

I found the most success by emailing. It seemed that my messages were always forgotten. All but one of my emails got replys.

Med school is def. not necessary as pretty much all pre-meds must have shadowing experience.

In addition I've found it beneficial to ask doctors that are affiliated with teaching institutions. They are generally more open to shadowing...........the 2 I've shadowed have been phenomenal.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

I found the most success by emailing. It seemed that my messages were always forgotten. All but one of my emails got replys.

Med school is def. not necessary as pretty much all pre-meds must have shadowing experience.

In addition I've found it beneficial to ask doctors that are affiliated with teaching institutions. They are generally more open to shadowing...........the 2 I've shadowed have been phenomenal.

Did you try the AOA mentor program or just calling DOs that are listed?? I was going to do that as well but lucked out with the mentor program. I guess finding someone to shadow is a crapshoot as well. But good luck any how.

Congrats on your Acceptance Cpk22jer!!😀

 

[engineeredout]

I used the AOA mentor program. Literally checked off every DO within a 30 mile radius until one finally responded. He ended up being awesome and wrote my LOR.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

I used the AOA mentor program. Literally checked off every DO within a 30 mile radius until one finally responded. He ended up being awesome and wrote my LOR.

Yep, mines too with the added bonus of being hot. 😀

 

[engineeredout]

Yep, mines too with the added bonus of being hot. 😀

See now thats the reason I want to go to med school, to be the hot DO that all the college girls want to shadow.

 

[AMEHigh]

I live near a med school with a large hospital. I just went to the search for physicians page and literally scrolled through every page and found all of the DOs. 2 of them responded and I ended up shadowing one. It was a great experience for me and she wrote me a LOR.

I tried the AOA mentoring thing, but didn't get much help.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

See now thats the reason I want to go to med school, to be the hot DO that all the college girls want to shadow.

Haha, me too well with the opposite effect with the opposite effect of course.😀

 

[Cp22kjer]

Did you try the AOA mentor program or just calling DOs that are listed?? I was going to do that as well but lucked out with the mentor program. I guess finding someone to shadow is a crapshoot as well. But good luck any how.

Congrats on your Acceptance Cpk22jer!!😀

Thanks!

I used the "Find a DO" function on the main AOA website. It had a larger database than the mentor website. The downside is that by nature they didn't sign up to be a mentor and thus are probably less prone to allowing an observer. But if you call/email 20 of them you're bound to get a few responses!

 

[e p i c]

Haha, me too well with the opposite effect with the opposite effect of course.😀

Wow, a typing stutter.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

Thanks!

I used the "Find a DO" function on the main AOA website. It had a larger database than the mentor website. The downside is that by nature they didn't sign up to be a mentor and thus are probably less prone to allowing an observer. But if you call/email 20 of them you're bound to get a few responses!

Gotcha.

 

[MossPoh]

A huge chunk of mine were just doctors I knew personally, but a few weren't.

As cheesy as it seems, I had some medical problems and asked my PCP, Urologist, and General Surgeon about shadowing after the appointment. They were all more than willing to help. So, a possible hernia helped me out.

 

[bihari]

unfortunately there are no radiology mentors on that website. i do know some doctors personally so i guess i could just ask, or go on the AOA site and check it out

now can a DO write a recommendation for an MD school, or vice versa?

 

[bihari]

so i checked out the AOA site...only phone numbers = awkward lol

 

[MossPoh]

unfortunately there are no radiology mentors on that website. i do know some doctors personally so i guess i could just ask, or go on the AOA site and check it out

now can a DO write a recommendation for an MD school, or vice versa?

You'd be bored as hell with a radiologist. Trust me. You will sit there about 4 feet behind the guy while he stares at a computer screen, mutters to himself, clicks a bit, and then does his report. It isn't very exciting to watch and you won't learn much. Most radiologists will only explain some basic stuff if they aren't getting blown up with cases, which is rarely.

I know this from personal experience because as mentioned in other places, my dad is a radiologist. My entire life seems to involve radiology so far. If you can find an interventional radiologist, then you may get to see some more fun stuff. Shadowing a radiologist involves you sitting in a dark room and looking at pictures. The novelty wears off pretty quick for a lot of the stuff.

 

[213965]

You'd be bored as hell with a radiologist. Trust me. You will sit there about 4 feet behind the guy while he stares at a computer screen, mutters to himself, clicks a bit, and then does his report. It isn't very exciting to watch and you won't learn much. Most radiologists will only explain some basic stuff if they aren't getting blown up with cases, which is rarely.

I know this from personal experience because as mentioned in other places, my dad is a radiologist. My entire life seems to involve radiology so far. If you can find an interventional radiologist, then you may get to see some more fun stuff. Shadowing a radiologist involves you sitting in a dark room and looking at pictures. The novelty wears off pretty quick for a lot of the stuff.

 

[melv55]

I didn't have any luck with the AOA site, so I asked my pre-health advisor and she had the name of a doctor nearby that was willing to let students shadow. It can be a good back-up if you don't hear back from the physicians from the mentor website!

 

[engineeredout]

now can a DO write a recommendation for an MD school, or vice versa?

For MD writing for DO school, it depends on the school. Most schools that require a letter seem to want a DO only, but some like Touro-NY will take DO or MD.

 

[Snake Doctor]

How did you guys fit shadowing into your schedule during the school year (esp. if you have class everyday)?
Is it okay to shadow 3-4 hours a wk?
I've shadowed before back home during break... but those were usually for the full days.

 

[PunkmedGirl]

How did you guys fit shadowing into your schedule during the school year (esp. if you have class everyday)?
Is it okay to shadow 3-4 hours a wk?
I've shadowed before back home during break... but those were usually for the full days.

Two of the doctors I shadowed were only half days because of my school schedule. I'm pretty sure the doctors don't mind working around your class schedule.

 

[Snake Doctor]

Two of the doctors I shadowed were only half days because of my school schedule. I'm pretty sure the doctors don't mind working around your class schedule.

Awesome. Thanks!