Thank you notes after shadowing

[ADSigMel]

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I've seen posts on thank you notes after interviews, but I'm wondering about sending notes after shadowing. I've shadowed two doctors so far, for one shift each, with plans to continue with one of them (and, I hope, the other as well), plus other doctors in other specialties, going forward. These doctors are all friends of mine, mostly through having kids that are in school together, and being friends with their wives.

I have sent one thank you note already, to the first doctor I shadowed, because I really was grateful to her, both for letting me shadow her and for giving me general advice over coffee as I considered whether to make the career change from law to medicine. But now, I'm wondering if sending the note conveyed a "formality" that will make it awkward for me to ask to shadow her again the the future. I mean, I'm going to ask, awkward or not, but I'm just wondering what y'all thought about it.

So, have any of you sent notes to doctors you've shadowed? If it matters, I'm a "society lady" in a Southern city, so I send and receive notes often, in all kinds of situations, including just to say hello to friends I haven't seen in a while. My small children each have their own monogrammed stationery, as do most of their equally small friends. That's just a bit of background information on the community where I'm operating. I imagine it's not like this everywhere.


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[qkrwndo]

Thank you notes are great and welcomed, especially in settings like this.
The physicians have a plethora of students shadow them and I'm sure they appreciate the kind words they receive after taking time out of their busy schedule.
I don't live in the Deep South but I have been brought up to always thank those who have helped me along the way. So personally, I have not only written thank you notes, but have also gifted small gifts along with such notes to show my appreciation for their time and investment. They have always been appreciated and as a bonus, I have had great LORs, some of which impressed interviewers (former associate/assistant deans of schools) so much that they commented on how they were some of the best LORs they had seen in their many years of interviewing.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I'm very much in favor of Thank You notes.

 

[DrMikeP]

I've seen posts on thank you notes after interviews, but I'm wondering about sending notes after shadowing. I've shadowed two doctors so far, for one shift each, with plans to continue with one of them (and, I hope, the other as well), plus other doctors in other specialties, going forward. These doctors are all friends of mine, mostly through having kids that are in school together, and being friends with their wives.

I have sent one thank you note already, to the first doctor I shadowed, because I really was grateful to her, both for letting me shadow her and for giving me general advice over coffee as I considered whether to make the career change from law to medicine. But now, I'm wondering if sending the note conveyed a "formality" that will make it awkward for me to ask to shadow her again the the future. I mean, I'm going to ask, awkward or not, but I'm just wondering what y'all thought about it.

So, have any of you sent notes to doctors you've shadowed? If it matters, I'm a "society lady" in a Southern city, so I send and receive notes often, in all kinds of situations, including just to say hello to friends I haven't seen in a while. My small children each have their own monogrammed stationery, as do most of their equally small friends. That's just a bit of background information on the community where I'm operating. I imagine it's not like this everywhere.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

Thank you bagels and coffee are even better.

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[QofQuimica]

Speaking as an academic physician practicing in the South, it is not uncommon for my colleagues and me to receive thank you notes from the premeds that we mentor. I can't think of any downside to you sending the notes; it's a polite thing to do, and everyone likes to feel appreciated.

 

[italiancowgirl]

Get in the habit of delivering a hand written thank you every time and you will not regret it. I have given a number of TYs while in med school (docs who gave me extra opportunities to learn and go to conferences etc). It is appreciated every single time. Appreciating others also helps me to stop and realize all the things worth appreciating. (but I am kinda a cheesy sort).

 

[ADSigMel]

Good! I'm glad to hear that. Thanks, everyone!

 

[willow84]

I've sent thank you cards to both physicians I've shadowed.