Hi everyone,
I am a non trad. pre med who is seeking advice on where to volunteer and when to begin shadowing physicians. I am just beginning pre. med. pre. req courses.

I am seeking your expertise and advice about ECs.
The uninformed student (myself) is asking you to share knowledge about this.

1. Can you direct me on the best way to approach physicians to shadow? I work at a hospital and have been trying to be friendly but professional with the physicians, but have not made ample contacts with any yet to ask them about the possibilty of shadowing. Should I just write letters to random physicians from the phone book?? Call my old pediatrician? Ask my current dermatologist, gastroenterologist, ohthamalogist?
:boggled:
2. More importantly, is it recommended to only shadow physicians that work in my particular area of interest? I am interested in psychiatry right now, but I know that may change when I get to med. school, so should I shadow only psychiatrists, or other fields, in order to keep my "options open?" and to "see what else is out there?"

3. How often, i.e. how many hours is sufficient to shadow?
Does shadowing experience help you get into med. sch. (as it it looks good on your app.) or just help you learn about the field of medicine (admission committess do not really care if you shadowed or not)?

4. What do you think is more important to med. schools - clinical experience, or research experience? Basically, I would like to know if I should focus on research OR clinical exp.
Any what type of research? I have psychology research exp. Do I need biology,chemistry, etc. research exp. now?

5. can anyone recommend some good volunteer opportunities? What type of volunteer work is going to benefit me? In my experience, the options for true clinical volunteering is limited. (volunteering as a event planner versus volunteering by visiting disabled persons, etc.)

I have already volunteered in areas somewhat but not entirely related to medicine, i.e. with the alzhiemer's association (neuro) as an event coordinator and suuport group facilitator, volunteered with emtionally disturbed children at a children's residential fac. (child psych) as a peer mentor, volunteer as a SART (sexual assault response team) member who aides sexual assault survivors by going to the ER with them (er medicine), etc.
I would like some new (medical related) volunteer exerience.

- I have been working part time at a hospital as a tech in psychiatry for one year. I do not know any of the psychiatrists very well, it is an in-pt. floor, so they psychiatrists are in and out of there, but busy when there, too busy to talk to a little tech as myself about shadowing... should I write them letters, or just go to a different source (another hospital in which I am not employed,etc.)?

Do you suggest volunteering in one position for a semester or two then moving on to new position, agency, etc.? so that I may get as much experience as possible?

Do you recommend volunteering in other areas of the hospital that I work for? I do believe volunteer opps. are limited in clinical opps. i.e. gift shop volunteer, etc.
I know GPA and MCAT preside over all of this stuff. But I am far away from taking the MCAT so want to work on the EC stuff right now.

Do medical school admission commitees even care if you are a member or officer in the pre med blub, chemistry club, etc.? Does that help you out at all in admission?

What about tutoring? Does working as a academic tutor on campus help in admissions? If it does help, does it only help if you tutor a pure science subject (i.e. biology versus psychology? I currently tutor psychology classes. ) Basically, I will quit doing the stuff that is not helping me get into medical school to make more time in my schedule for doing things that will help. I just need to know what exactly that is.

Wow, that's actually quite a few questions...sorry. Thanks to anyone who reads and responds. Thanks so much. I obviously need some direction in figuring out the volunteering/shadowing/research thing. Feel free to please PM if you want.

Wow, I think you are way over analyzing, over stressing about the volunteer/research business. You already have plenty under your belt. Focus on the MCAT and grades now. They just want to know that you have some idea of what a doctor's day is like, call, carrying a beeper, been exposed to medicine on some level. Your job already is over and beyond what you need.

Hi klptvf,

I am a board-certified internal medicine physician – actually just finished my residency. I am new to this site and so posting where I think I might have something useful to say. I have served on some admissions/interviewing panels through residency, so here is some input.

I admire the fact that you are pursuing these questions early and really thinking about how best to apply yourself. Since graduating from residency over a year ago, I have not returned to medicine due to my dissatisfaction with the field. There seem to be several posts about this.

SO my biggest advice to you is the following:
1. Shadow a lot. NOT to look good on applications, but to determine whether this is what you really want. Medicine is such an enormous commitment – at your stage I had no appreciation for this. And both of my parents are physicians! You need to understand as much as possible what your life will be like. Therefore, I would try to shadow with someone in psych (if this is what interests you), but also primary care and, if possible, surgery or ER. These docs will give you a better idea of what life might be like. You must approach these people in person even if you do not know them. If you have befriended any nurses or other health care professionals, they may be able to tell you which docs the most personable or from whom they think you might learn the most. Also, as you mentioned, your current physicians might know people who would be willing to have a protégé. Most importantly, ask in person, and when you start, ask A LOT of questions – about taking call, patient demands, etc. You get the science in medical school, but you will never know the life until you are knee-deep in it!

2. In all honesty, shadowing is not as important on applications as doing research (my experience). And the best research is bench research (not clinical/case review). The best way to find this work is through biology/science college professors who need cheap/volunteer labor in their labs. Any admissions committee will love to see your name on a published journal vs. seeing that you walked around with Dr. XYZ.

3. As for volunteering, it does not need to consume your life, and it can be anything. You seem to have a lot of good experiences. If you can do the shadowing, it will show that you know what to expect in the future. The volunteering is to show that you are a humanitarian at heart. Choose something that you believe in. Volunteer.org has really nice opportunities even I have been looking into.

4. Instead of spreading yourself really thin, your best bet is to do a few things that you can really devote some time to and succeed in. Admissions committees get suspicious when they see “laundry lists” of activities. If you can shadow, perform bench research (and maybe get published), volunteer, get good grades, and do well on the MCAT, admissions committees will be calling you for interviews!

Best of luck!