What category does this experience fall under?

[zzbaodo]

This may sound like a dumb question, but I really need your help here. I am bilingual, so I was asked often to translate for people in the doctor office by my family as well as acquaintances of members of my family that are not related to me. To be specific, I go into the examine room with the patients and observe the interaction between doctors and the patients while translate everything I can. This happens many many times, so I wonder how should I classify this experience?

 

[Sky138]

I don’t think this counts as an activity. That’s almost as bad as putting you’re yearly checkups as physician shadowing. Don’t put this on your app....

 

[coramDeo]

You're just helping your family and friends, I don't think it'd be viewed positively at all if you put that on the app

 

[Catalystik]

This may sound like a dumb question, but I really need your help here. I am bilingual, so I was asked often to translate for people in the doctor office by my family as well as acquaintances of members of my family that are not related to me. To be specific, I go into the examine room with the patients and observe the interaction between doctors and the patients while translate everything I can. This happens many many times, so I wonder how should I classify this experience?

You could include this activity under the tag "Other". It is not a volunteer activity when it is for family and friends. It is not formal shadowing, though you could refer to it in the Shadowing entry, if you wish and are desperately light on hours in that category.

 

[zzbaodo]

You could include this activity under the tag "Other". It is not a volunteer activity when it is for family and friends. It is not formal shadowing, though you could refer to it in the Shadowing entry, if you wish and are desperately light on hours in that category.

Thank you for your advice! Yes, I have no shadowing hour to put on the app (covid-19), so if this experience could somewhat be referred as shadowing then I would be happy! Still, is it better to apply w/o shadowing or classify this experience just like how you suggest?

 

[Catalystik]

Thank you for your advice! Yes, I have no shadowing hour to put on the app (covid-19), so if this experience could somewhat be referred as shadowing then I would be happy! Still, is it better to apply w/o shadowing or classify this experience just like how you suggest?

Better to have an informal Shadowing entry than none at all, but also you'll need an objective witness as Contact. Is there an adult whom you've assisted repeatedly who is not your relative or a doc you've assisted more than once, that you might list (with the notation for the former that they don't speak English well)?

Also, I strongly recommend that you set up some formal shadowing when things open up in your state, for the sake of Secondary prompts, update letters, and potential questions during interviews.

 

[zzbaodo]

Better to have an informal Shadowing entry than none at all, but also you'll need an objective witness as Contact. Is there an adult whom you've assisted repeatedly who is not your relative or a doc you've assisted more than once, that you might list (with the notation for the former that they don't speak English well)?

Also, I strongly recommend that you set up some formal shadowing when things open up in your state, for the sake of Secondary prompts, update letters, and potential questions during interviews.

I live in a state that is not likely to open up soon, so I recently go to Wyoming, where things are getting back to normal, to live in my relative's house while looking for a shadowing opportunity here. I am asking around, but none of the doctors have replied back to my request yet. When do you think is the latest until I manage to obtain a shadowing opportunity? And should I hold off submitting my primaries until I can get at least few hours of shadowing or just go ahead and submit w/o any and update with a physician letter later on? For example, should I wait until mid to late June to submit primaries with a formal shadowing entry or just submit it by the end of May?

 

[Catalystik]

I live in a state that is not likely to open up soon, so I recently go to Wyoming, where things are getting back to normal, to live in my relative's house while looking for a shadowing opportunity here. I am asking around, but none of the doctors have replied back to my request yet. When do you think is the latest until I manage to obtain a shadowing opportunity? And should I hold off submitting my primaries until I can get at least few hours of shadowing or just go ahead and submit w/o any and update with a physician letter later on? For example, should I wait until mid to late June to submit primaries with a formal shadowing entry or just submit it by the end of May?

Submit by the first two weeks of June, if you want to be "early." Recall that med schools won't get any verified applications until July 10.

Have you had your relatives hit on their docs, maybe offering some volunteer service in return for the chance to shadow?

 

[zzbaodo]

Submit by the first two weeks of June, if you want to be "early." Recall that med schools won't get any verified applications until July 10.

Have you had your relatives hit on their docs, maybe offering some volunteer service in return for the chance to shadow?

Crazy enough, I just received a call offering shadowing opportunity. I will probably start it next Monday if I meet all the requirements. However, would it be bad if my shadowing experience is right before my submission? I guess it is better than nothing, right?

 

[Catalystik]

Crazy enough, I just received a call offering shadowing opportunity. I will probably start it next Monday if I meet all the requirements. However, would it be bad if my shadowing experience is right before my submission? I guess it is better than nothing, right?

Whoa! Well done.

Shadowing is one experience that need not be longitudinal. Last minute is fine.