What's the best way to find a shadowing opportunity?

[dude1344]

So, long story short, I was an applicant last year, got 5 interviews, including 4 schools in the top 20, but no acceptances. After a long soul searching summer, I decided that my naivete regarding the medical profession was my undoing. I believe I have matured and want to seriously throw myself into the clinic. With regards to shadowing, which I believe is immensely valuable, how in the world do you find the opportunity? Randomly call up physicians? What else can you do?

Thanks in advance.

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[gsquared]

All the shadowing I have done is relatively unplanned. I volunteer at a local hospital, and after helping out with the grunt work (stocking, transporting, etc.) I just ask doctors if I can follow them around for a while (usually an hour or two).

You could also try talking to your pcp or any other doctor you know- they might not let you shadow them, but you can get good recommendations (in my case, my pcp told me to check out the free medical clinic in a nearby town).

Just keep looking- you will find something.

 

[ADeadLois]

So, long story short, I was an applicant last year, got 5 interviews, including 4 schools in the top 20, but no acceptances. After a long soul searching summer, I decided that my naivete regarding the medical profession was my undoing. I believe I have matured and want to seriously throw myself into the clinic. With regards to shadowing, which I believe is immensely valuable, how in the world do you find the opportunity? Randomly call up physicians? What else can you do?

Thanks in advance.

To be honest, if you received 5 interviews, then I don't think lack of exposure to medicine was your problem. You wouldn't have gotten any interviews if you weren't able to answer "Why Medicine" in your PS. I would work on your ability to articulate this desire during interviews, and perhaps apply more broadly next time.


To answer your question, the best way is to contact hospitals in your area to see if they have any sort of formal shadowing program. Otherwise, yes, it's a matter of randomly contacting physicians.