Why is it so hard to find a doctor to shadow?

[Gigantron]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I live in Nassau County. I literally live 10 minutes away from NYCOM and so far I'm having extreme difficulty in finding somebody to shadow. I've used all of the mentoring sites I could find including the iLearn site, but I haven't gotten ONE reply...from ANYONE. I've also made a lot of phone calls...and nothing. It's pretty disheartening. Yes, I do shadow an Anesthesiologist, but it's not really often enough (for me, anyway). I want to shadow at least one more doctor...so why the heck is it so hard to find somebody?

 

[Laryngophed]

I live in Nassau County. I literally live, around, 10 minutes from NYCOM and so far I'm having extreme difficulty in finding somebody to shadow. I've used all of the mentoring sites I could find including the iLearn site, but I haven't gotten ONE reply...from ANYONE. I've also made a lot of phone calls...and nothing. It's pretty disheartening. Yes, I do shadow an Anesthesiologist, but it's not really often enough (for me, anyway). I want to shadow at least one more doctor...so why the heck is it so hard to find somebody?

Try this: Find a D.O.

I'd suggest emailing as it doesn't put the docs on the spot. Also, take a look at your local teaching hospitals and email the faculty and ask about shadowing. I'd guess that the docs in teaching hospitals will be more receptive to having a shadow and good luck!

 

[Gigantron]

Try this: Find a D.O.

I'd suggest emailing as it doesn't put the docs on the spot. Also, take a look at your local teaching hospitals and email the faculty and ask about shadowing. I'd guess that the docs in teaching hospitals will be more receptive to having a shadow and good luck!

That was one of the first sites I tried. I emailed an Emergency Physician and a Orthopedic Surgeon on there. Still haven't got any word from either of them. I really don't know whether or not the hospitals I called were specifically teaching hospitals or not...just knew that they were hospitals.

 

[gomango]

Try this: Find a D.O.

I'd suggest emailing as it doesn't put the docs on the spot. Also, take a look at your local teaching hospitals and email the faculty and ask about shadowing. I'd guess that the docs in teaching hospitals will be more receptive to having a shadow and good luck!

I agree. I just went through the list of doctors at my two local hospitals/clinics and emailed every DO I could find (I would email a few, wait a week if I heard nothing then email a few more). They didn't have their emails listed, but I found out the generic email formula for the hospital and just used that for each one (meaning: it was first letter of first name then last name then hospitals name, etc....lo and behold it was right!). One responded with an available opportunity to shadow him(out of 8 or 9 that I emailed) and I had a fantastic shadowing experience! 🙂 Not sure if you are looking for a LOR, but I was and I was upfront about it in my email. It got that awkwardness of "is s/he or isn't s/he willing to write a letter" out of the way. I only shadowed him for a short amount of time due to time restraints on both our parts, but it ended up being one of the best experiences I had ever had AND he wrote me one of the best LOR some of the schools had ever seen (was told by some of my interviewers it was outstanding!). I think that was because he knew I needed a LOR so he took every opportunity to find out who I was and my interest in/knowledge of osteopathic medicine. And he was just a plain 'ol great Doctor and a great guy too! 🙂

Good luck...I went through tons and tons of doctors before something worked. I emailed probably 25 MDs too! You'd think I was asking for their first born child. Something will work out! 🙂

 

[FrkyBgStok]

honestly i emailed a crap ton of docs and only got 1 response, but that 1 response happened to be one of the cities most respected plastic surgeons who commonly sits as an adcom for DMU. So keep trying and you may just get extremely lucky. i haven't shadowed him in a while and i need to email him again and ask so i can eventually get a LOR.

 

[Kramerica]

I live in Nassau County.

Check your PMs.

 

[ncguy2005]

That was one of the first sites I tried. I emailed an Emergency Physician and a Orthopedic Surgeon on there. Still haven't got any word from either of them. I really don't know whether or not the hospitals I called were specifically teaching hospitals or not...just knew that they were hospitals.

I agree that the Find a DO site is hard to work with. I emailed several DO's and after a few weeks with no replies decided to look up their licenses (crazy I know) on my state's medical board website...

Turns out 1 of the 3 that I emailed had their license suspended a few months previous... I guess my point is that the Find a DO website isn't exactly up to date... at least in a few instances anyway.

 

[Laryngophed]

I agree that the Find a DO site is hard to work with. I emailed several DO's and after a few weeks with no replies decided to look up their licenses (crazy I know) on my state's medical board website...

Turns out 1 of the 3 that I emailed had their license suspended a few months previous... I guess my point is that the Find a DO website isn't exactly up to date... at least in a few instances anyway.

It's not meant to be a "be all, end all." Or at least, that's not why I linked it. I was just trying to provide OP a jumping off point. As it is, not every DO is listed there, as I believe it only lists members of the AOA, so if they don't pay their dues, then AOA won't put them in the database.

 

[BassCaster]

+1 on going through local hospital directories to find a DO to shadow. Some replied, some didn't, one required me to fax my cv, another required a letter from a university professor saying how interested I am in a medical education.

Best of luck! *yes, this process requires a bit of luck 🙂*

 

[zetabetazeta]

Use your connections! And you can ask all your family relatives if they know any doctors that you can shadow. That's what I did. Now I'm shadowing my dad's doctor. Good luck!

 

[Gigantron]

Use your connections! And you can ask all your family relatives if they know any doctors that you can shadow. That's what I did. Now I'm shadowing my dad's doctor. Good luck!

That's how I am able to shadow the Anesthesiologist I mentioned earlier. He's an M.D. (and I am looking for a letter of rec), but I can never seem to get a hold of him now. I only shadowed him a couple of times...

 

[SisterDisco08]

Reviving this topic because i'm having a really difficult time finding one to shadow, even though I live in Michigan. I asked MSUCOM for a list, and the doctors they directed me to don't even respond to the emails I send them.

Anyone have suggestions?

 

[Vishna]

Reviving this topic because i'm having a really difficult time finding one to shadow, even though I live in Michigan. I asked MSUCOM for a list, and the doctors they directed me to don't even respond to the emails I send them.

Anyone have suggestions?

How long have you been searching/how many emails have you sent?
Just to keep trying with the thought of "I WILL find one" in your head. It may take a few weeks but you will get one to respond.

 

[ManBroDude]

I've also made a lot of phone calls...and nothing. It's pretty disheartening. Yes, I do shadow an Anesthesiologist, but it's not really often enough (for me, anyway). I want to shadow at least one more doctor...so why the heck is it so hard to find somebody?

2 years in the sales industry taught me a few things. One of which was: the guys who make it are the guys who are pounding the phones. Constantly. All the time. There's a couple of sites that act as "rate-a-doctor" directories online. A couple hours on that and I had a list in a small-sized city with zero DO schools around. Then, I called student services at both hospitals in town and after sweet-talking the ladies, they were more than happy to help with a few names and numbers. Yeah, I've called close to 25 DOs in the metro area, and only 3 have called me back. One wanted to screen me by having me write a little mini-essay in an email "to get to know me" -- I passed. I've shadowed three DOs since, and two are writing me letters. One works as clinical supervisor in the area for a NW DO school 🙂

So yea. Calling people on the phone sucks. I hate it more than you, probably. If it really isn't your thing, just show up. Since it's summer time, you probably have some time if you're done with classes and/or the MCAT. Let them see your face, drop by a couple of times, smile. Shoot, ask for an OMT appointment or something if you can afford it! (it's totally worth it 🙂👍)

Don't give up. You've heard of older folks hanging outside the door of the newspaper until they got so sick of them they gave them a janitorial job at night, then they worked themselves up. You don't even have to work your way up! Just be sure to state your intention of having them write you a nice LOR in exchange.

 

[Poliscidoc]

Do you volunteer at any of the hospitals in your area? I went and spoke with the volunteer services and they put me in to contact with doctors that had let pre meds shadow before..

 

[medready]

hey Gigantron I totally understand what your going through. I had the same problem a few years back but as dannydickman stated you just have to be persistant. When I noticed my emails and voicemails weren't being answered I just flipped through the phone book and started calling all the doctors in my area. After approx 3-4 weeks I finally was able to shadow a doc. Stick to it and you'll be shadowing in no time.

 

[Gigantron]

Heh, it's cool to see one of my older threads being bumped again. I guess I would like to add that since posting this thread, I've actually found a D.O. cardiologist that was willing to let me shadow him. I didn't get a LOR from him (as I already had one from the Anesthesiologist at that point), but it was a great experience nonetheless. I'm thankful enough that I was still able to get into a B.S./M.D. program. 🙂

Thank you so much for the advice you have all given. Sisterdisco, I would agree with the general fact that you need to be persistent. In hindsight, I wasn't persistent enough and it's most likely why I didn't get as many replies as I could have.

 

[SCAR17]

It definitely can be tough sometimes to find a doctor to shadow. Many of them are very busy and feel that having a random person following them around may just slow them down. I emailed/called and even sent hand written letters to about 12 DO's in my area. I got one response going that route. So, I started using friend and family connections to help work me in. That worked out much better. Seems to me people are much more willing to lend their time to a perspective doctor when they are recommended by someone they know, instead of just some random person contacting them.