Should I start shadowing?

[snipza]

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Question 1: Should I begin shadowing now?

I am completing my undergrad degree (B.A. Business - Information Technology)

My plan of attack up until applying is:

1) Complete bachelors (Should be done by Dec '14)
2) Begin Pre-Med Pre-Requisites since I'm at a university already (1 - 2 years?)
3) Begin studying for MCAT
........- While studying, I plan to go back to Junior College to retake undergrad classes I got C's in (History, Accounting, and a few others).

4) Apply after having taken the MCAT (assuming I do decently well) and having finished the retakes.

Start now? I am worried that any physician I approach will brush me off since I haven't eve taken a single Pre-Med course yet. Also, I have been without health insurance for a long time. Are you typically required to have health insurance before being allowed to shadow?

Thanks.

 

[WingsFan]

Question 1: Should I begin shadowing now?

I am completing my undergrad degree (B.A. Business - Information Technology)

My plan of attack up until applying is:

1) Complete bachelors (Should be done by Dec '14)
2) Begin Pre-Med Pre-Requisites since I'm at a university already (1 - 2 years?)
3) Begin studying for MCAT
........- While studying, I plan to go back to Junior College to retake undergrad classes I got C's in (History, Accounting, and a few others).

4) Apply after having taken the MCAT (assuming I do decently well) and having finished the retakes.

Start now? I am worried that any physician I approach will brush me off since I haven't eve taken a single Pre-Med course yet. Also, I have been without health insurance for a long time. Are you typically required to have health insurance before being allowed to shadow?

Thanks.

The earlier you start the better, for anything you do to help you get into med school. The doctors I have asked to shadow have all been more than happy to let me shadow them without me even mentioning what courses I have or haven't taken. Just say you are interested in medicine and want to get a better feel for what a doctor's day to day life is like and that should be enough.

I have never heard of health insurance being required for shadowing, it has never come up for me before so I don't think it is an issue (in my state at least). That is something you can ask the physician you want to shadow, I'm sure they would know.

 

[snipza]

The earlier you start the better, for anything you do to help you get into med school. The doctors I have asked to shadow have all been more than happy to let me shadow them without me even mentioning what courses I have or haven't taken. Just say you are interested in medicine and want to get a better feel for what a doctor's day to day life is like and that should be enough.

I have never heard of health insurance being required for shadowing, it has never come up for me before so I don't think it is an issue (in my state at least). That is something you can ask the physician you want to shadow, I'm sure they would know.

Thank you for the reply! I will wait until I start school to get a feel for how busy I will be and will assess how much I can commit to shadowing.

I was injured at work last year and was taken care of by 2 M.D.s, a D.O, a P.A., a D.P.M, and a whole mess of physical therapists.

(I fell from the ceiling at my work and was in a chair for a month, crutches for 2 weeks, and limping for another week).

My experience at that clinic and the kindness and aid they provided me is what really put the nail in the coffin as far as confirming my desire to become a doctor. I want and HAVE to be a part of making people feel the way they made me feel and the way they helped me get better.

I will ask that clinic if they have shadowing opportunities. I hope they remember me. 😱