Im about to shadow a doctor for the first time (a primary care physician). What kind of things should I ask and talk to him about? I dont want to sound dumb in front of him! 😳
What to ask the doc you're shadowing
- Thread starter sarahss
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honestly you don't even have to ask anything. Just shadow him and socialize when he's not around a patient. I'm sure y'all will strike up a conversation.
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Depends on what you want to know and how he is personality wise. Some good things to find out is what he likes and doesn't like about his specialty. When I was shadowing I asked "How do you know that" a lot when the doc would say something like "He's dehydrated". I also asked a couple times to explain the thought process behind a decision (What comes to mind is CHFers who are dehydrated and whether to give lasix and in what amount).
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I didn't ask, not that I didn't want to or didn't planned to but he took the initiative and explained everything to me in such detail.
He even bought me lunch hahaha 😀
He even bought me lunch hahaha 😀
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Ask him/her stuff you're genuinely interested in learning about.
They're a resource for you. If he/she is a good teacher or enthusiastic, you will see what I mean. They will make an effort to make you feel included.
They're a resource for you. If he/she is a good teacher or enthusiastic, you will see what I mean. They will make an effort to make you feel included.
I think this is what's worked for me. I wouldn't agree with the people who said you don't have to ask much; while it varies by doctors, I'd say that most premeds/physicians I've talked to agree that physicians who let people shadow them like questions. If you're going to be there, be involved. Otherwise what's the point--for you, and for the physician you're shadowing?
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During the free time I asked the doctors I was shadowing how/why they got into medicine. I also asked about their thoughts on medical malpractice, HMOs, the Health Care system, etc. It also doesn't hurt to talk about non-med related things. One of the doctors I shadowed and I talked about our interests in sports.
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The first doc I talked to told me all the bad stuff about medicine and why I shouldn't be a doctor but he definitely explained a lot and showed me a lot of procedures and the science behind many things..
The second guy was really chill.. We talked about football, basketball, pretty much everything.. and he bought me lunch... So I am still shadowing him!!!
The second guy was really chill.. We talked about football, basketball, pretty much everything.. and he bought me lunch... So I am still shadowing him!!!
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Honestly, there is so much to talk about once you get there. I thought I wouldn't know what to talk about, but I ended up talking a lot with the Doc I shadowed. He let me run around with residents too so I could watch them and talk with them. That was nice. But my best advice is that if you run out of stuff to talk about, dumb yourself down. Ask questions about things you already know the answer to/think you know the answer to. I did that a few times if I couldn't think of what to say in an awkward silence.
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Not this.
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