When to start shadowing?

[mastamark]

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Hello all,
I am just finishing my first year of undergraduate work. It went OK but not like I wanted. Gen Bio I & II(B in both), Gen Bio Lab I & II (C- and B respectively)<---I know will take the first lab over, Gen Chem I & II ( C+ and B+ resp), Chem Labs (B and B+ resp). I know that was off the beaten path but I wanted to get it out there. I was wondering when should I attempt to start shadowing docs[mainly DOs]? I am currently a paramedic so clinical experience should be taken care of. 😕 I think.

 

[LVDoc]

You definitely have the clinical experience covered. As far as shadowing a DO, there are really no requirements as to when or for how long you need to do it. I would recommend spreading out the times you shadow over the course of an extended period of time, so that it seems you are "committed." Of course, things don't always work out this way, and in that case, it is still acceptable to continuously shadow one for a few weeks/months or so.

One thing I must say is that, unfortunately in this game of admissions, GPA and MCAT combined tend to weigh more than clinical experience in the majority of cases. As such, you should place your focus on doing well in classes as your first priority; the clinical experience should be your last point of emphasis, or at least second to what I stated above.

 

[raptor5]

I would first worry about picking the grades up. No amount shadowing or clinical experience will help poor grades. Gen Chem and physics are important b/c that is stuff you will actually use in pulmonology, renal, and cardiovascular medicine. Orgo is important for other reasons. Still haven't used much of it except for real basic concepts (Dextro, Levo, etc).

I shadowed at the end of my junior year while I was applying. As soon as the summer was over the DO LORs went out. It was a fresh experience to talk about during interview time.

 

[DrB]

I agree with the above posters, that you should spread out your DO shadow experience and do it close to the time you interview. You are telling a story when you apply to medical school, one that should show commitment to the field of medicine and continued improvement over time. I think it is great that you are a paramedic... how many hours a week do you work? If you work many hours this may justify your grades... it did for me... if not then you need to work on your scores.

I was a phlebotomist at my local hospital, which allowed me to get to know an Osteopathic Emergency Physician. He was very nice and allowed me to shadow him before/after work or when things were slow. I got to see him in action when the hospital was so busy it was closed to trauma and when it was so slow he just sat at the desk. Both points of view were very rewarding in that it allowed me to see the dynamic roll of a physician. I hope your experiences will be equally rewarding.

Best of luck on the journey ahead
-B