# Physician Shadowing



## maymay85 (Jul 13, 2006)

Ok. I searched in this forum and nothing showed up about this topic. So, here I go.

In a few days I have my FIRST REAL physician shadowing experience. ( I say this because I dont count my ambulance rides with paramedics and interactions with doctors in the hospital ).

Im shadowing a hematology/oncology surgeon _OFFICIALLY_, through my undergrad school program/club.

Any pointers? Advice? Tips??...for the ;;;;first day;;;; lol..

*I dont want to screw up*, and even though this is not my first specialty of choice (the specialty I wanted was at a diff. time than I could make)....I want to make a good impression and be invited back for more visits with the physician.

#baffled #angry #eek #confused #happy #sorry #rofl #shocked #sad


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## Rehan (Jan 26, 2006)

Ask questions but don't get in the physician's way either. It all depends on how good your mentor is at teaching. Unfortunately not all physicians are good instructors. Some will hold informal and very informative lectures on the side and in between patient interactions and others will act like you're not even really there and just go on with their typical day. If you have the former, you're lucky and you'll learn a lot, and if you have the latter, you may not find it to be very rewarding.

I say ask questions whenever you find something interesting or want to know more about it but at the same time realize that they're probably very busy and don't have time to explain every little thing in detail. But just be a sponge and absorb all you can. This experience is more about you deciding if medicine in every way that you've built it up to be in your mind is really what its like in real life.

So just have fun and learn as much as you can!


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## maymay85 (Jul 13, 2006)

The meeting went really well. The physician I was supposed to shadow was super nice and explained everything as we were going. I was introduced to the patients, and even they made me feel welcomed!!! It was an overall WONDERFUL experience. I want to go back, but I also want to try other physicians with diff. specialties.

I strongly recommend this experience.


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## Natacha (Feb 19, 2006)

Hey maymay!

Wow! I'm happy to read this thread. It's great to see that you got a chance to shadow. God willing I'll get a chance to do so sometime in the near future. I hope you get the chance to do it in the field that interests you most. This way you will be able to do some comparing to see what you truly want to specialize in. 
Much luck to you!#yes


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## spesterfield (Oct 28, 2010)

I am soooo jealous - I cannot wait until I can shadow a physician, more and less, a surgeon!!! I start my volunteer work in the surgical floor at Mayo Clinic next week which I am stoked about so I hope with time, I will have the chance to have a similar experience.


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## Hopefulmedic (Oct 29, 2010)

Be curious and as friendly as you can, try putting yourself in the doctors and the patients position to truly understand the relationship they have. One of my friends made such good friends with the surgeon that she was allowed to come and shadow anytime she wanted provided she called and he even took her in to the theatre whilst he performed surgery! I would interview patients that would be willing to help and maybe even write a report on it, it'll be awesome to mention in interviews and will really show you went the extra mile to understand the patient's position. Make sure to keep a diary of everything you do, in a months time all the tiny important details will be forgotten! And have fun! )


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## oliver (Apr 22, 2011)

Physician shadowing, in my opinion, is one of the best extracurricular activities in which a pre-medical student can engage for *several reasons:*


*1.* It provides you with clinical exposure and stories to talk about in the admission interview.

*2. *Shadowing allows you to see what medicine and a physician?s life are like every day.

*3.* You will quickly discover if medicine is really for you.

*4. *It?s easy to set up and do.

*5. *It?s one of those ?intangible? (and unofficial) requirements to get into medical school.


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## mosko (Jun 24, 2011)

shadowing really boils down to one thing: clinical exposure. If you already have worked as a nurse or medical assistant with ample patient and physician contact and interaction, you really don?t need any shadowing, or at least not much. It?s an easy way to get that important clinical exposure that can make or break your application. In essence, if you have not spent some significant time with physicians and patients during your time as a pre-med, how do you _really_ know you want to be a physician? How do you convince the admissions folks that you truly know what it is like to be a physician and involved in patient care? They want to see that you have immersed yourself in clinical settings with real patients.


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