When and where do you guys job shadow?

[TheConfused]

As an undergraduate living 80 miles from my parents without an automobile, job shadowing outside of my region would be a stretch for me. Do or did any of you bike to the hospital or got a ride from your parents or something? Also did you guys shadow during the academic school year or summer?

Also, do you guys think I should job shadow a Podiatrist this summer (I'm a first year right now) or just take some college coursework or a job?

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[ashtonmccants]

Ultimately the process is up to you. Since you're a freshman, the level of urgency to shadow a podiatrist should be very low. The only benefit to shadowing this early in your studies would be to eliminate podiatry as a professional choice if you didn't like it. Try to find a podiatrist that is local and willing to allow you to observe. As far as working/taking extra courses vs. shadowing a podiatrist, I would recommend focusing solely on your academics for the first few semesters. Podiatrist will be around as long as people have feet. Your grades and GPA are more important than shadowing at this point in your academic career. As far as working is concerned, only you can determine the load that you can handle. Some people can juggle several different tasks, while others cannot. If you're considering podiatry, or any other medical specialty, I recommend saving your money as early as possible. The application process can be very expensive. Hotel fees, plane tickets, and gas expenditures add up very quickly. Good luck to you in the process.

 

[deleted664048]

I would advice getting a job in some medical/research connected field. It will make your resume look better. Shadowing is up to you at this point. You do not need to shadow for too long, maybe during your junior or senior years few hours per week for few months. It is a great idea to shadow early if you are not sure. You could shadow other medical specialties to see what you like the most. Shadowing will not get you to school, but MCAT and GPA will, so make sure you are getting good grades and making sense from classes you are taking. MCAT is not about memorization but about understanding. Also MCAT courses are expensive. Kaplan around 2000, so save some money.