Would you shadow if...?

[Bacchus]

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So, the doctor I shadowed last summer was happy to take me on board again. To my dismay, since the office is affiliated with an area health network, there is a mass of paperwork and screenings to go through. I've already shadowed ~60 hours with the doctor but wanted to get some more time in to really see patient interaction (which particularly interests me). I figured FP would be the way to do this because of the one on one time. Anyway, onto the "dilemma". I need to get another TB screen even though I had one in January, along with a 9-panel urinalysis, and a PA state background check. I don't think the TB or urinalysis will be covered by insurance "because I want to shadow." I'm figuring those, coupled with the background check will come out to roughly $100.

With the hours I have, and clinical volunteer work along with Habitat and hurricane recovery work, do you think adding more hours to shadowing is going to be preferentially advantageous in my situation? ECs, since someone will ask, are student gov, pre-med society (woopty doo), orientation leader, and a few committees.

Just wanna know what all of you would do in this situation. I know there is the option of scowering the yellow pages for a willing DO or MD but there aren't many in private practice in my area. I guess I could hit up the local hospital since it will probably have less strict requirements. Anyway, thanks in advance. 🙂

 

[spicedmanna]

So, the doctor I shadowed last summer was happy to take me on board again. To my dismay, since the office is affiliated with an area health network, there is a mass of paperwork and screenings to go through. I've already shadowed ~60 hours with the doctor but wanted to get some more time in to really see patient interaction (which particularly interests me). I figured FP would be the way to do this because of the one on one time. Anyway, onto the "dilemma". I need to get another TB screen even though I had one in January, along with a 9-panel urinalysis, and a PA state background check. I don't think the TB or urinalysis will be covered by insurance "because I want to shadow." I'm figuring those, coupled with the background check will come out to roughly $100.

Holy cr*p, Batman, you have to go through all that just to shadow a doctor for a few hours? Ah, no thanks. If you want to do more shadowing, it might be easier to go to other doctors in your area, or check out some hospitals. Teaching hospitals are used to students dropping in, so they are probably least likely to mind much.

With the hours I have, and clinical volunteer work along with Habitat and hurricane recovery work, do you think adding more hours to shadowing is going to be preferentially advantageous in my situation? ECs, since someone will ask, are student gov, pre-med society (woopty doo), orientation leader, and a few committees.

If you have sufficient clinical experience and have some shadowing, additional shadowing will probably be of minimal benefit beyond giving you more interview fodder and interesting experiences. In my humble and non-adcom opinion, 60 hrs is plenty, as long as it was solid experience and can talk about it meaningfully.

 

[nlax30]

Holy cr*p, Batman, you have to go through all that just to shadow a doctor for a few hours? Ah, no thanks. If you want to do more shadowing, it might be easier to go to other doctors in your area, or check out some hospitals. Teaching hospitals are used to students dropping in, so they are probably least likely to mind much.

If you have sufficient clinical experience and have some shadowing, additional shadowing will probably be of minimal benefit beyond giving you more interview fodder and interesting experiences. In my humble and non-adcom opinion, 60 hrs is plenty, as long as it was solid experience and can talk about it meaningfully.

I agree, I've never had to do anything like to shadow (in OR, ER, several hospitals, etc...) The most I've had to do is just sign a privacy form that they have pretty much all volunteers sign.

Were these "requirements" mentioned to you by the physician or by a volunteer coordinator or something. I could see having to do that to become an "official" volunteer that will be performing some sort of duties at the clinic/hospital, but in my experience if you're just there to shadow then you're just there under the physician's discretion.

 

[bigdog8829]

Why can't you just get those tests done from a doctor and have it covered through your insurance? Just tell the doc, hey take care of me and the insurance will take care of you.
Insurance doesn't have to know its only bc u want to shadow.

 

[Bacchus]

I agree, I've never had to do anything like to shadow (in OR, ER, several hospitals, etc...) The most I've had to do is just sign a privacy form that they have pretty much all volunteers sign.

Were these "requirements" mentioned to you by the physician or by a volunteer coordinator or something. I could see having to do that to become an "official" volunteer that will be performing some sort of duties at the clinic/hospital, but in my experience if you're just there to shadow then you're just there under the physician's discretion.

Agreed. Its annoying me a bit because I actualled volunteered at HUP for my clinical volunteer hours and had an orientation and patient transport lesson. I thought that'd require more paperwork than this. Now, to shadow where I already shadowed, I have to do all this. I won't even be at the hospital, I'll be at a satellite office of FPs. I'm just going to write the doctor a nice letter explaining how rewarding it was, yadda yadda, and then ask for a LOR. I wanted to shadow some more to talk to her about her school, PCOM, and some other things. I don't think getting the LOR is an issue but I'd like to have some more shadowing just to make sure I'm still into it. Oh well, I guess I can throw those papers away, haha.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.