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Pre-med students all need shadowing experience to get into medical school. Here, let’s talk about what shadowing is, how to find a doctor to shadow, and how to get the most out of the experience.
Shadowing means accompanying a doctor to experience what a day in the life of a practicing physician is like. It helps pre-med students get hands-on experience and is a basic requirement of a strong medical school application.
Dr. Harvey Katzen is an oncologist and MedSchoolCoach advisor. He is a professor at George Washington University Medical School where he has been an admissions officer. We sat down with Dr. Katzen to ask him what pre-medical students should know about shadowing a physician. Keep reading to hear his tips and secrets!
You can also get extra shadowing hours with the Virtual Clinical Education resource from MedSchoolCoach, a free online experience that allows students to interact with over 20 physicians from various specialties. You even get a certificate after completing each session, allowing you to add these hours to your med school application.
Get shadowing hours from your couch! Register for our FREE Virtual Clinical Education resource to shadow over 20 physicians from various specialties. You’ll even get a certificate for your shadowing hours.
Benefits of Shadowing
Why shadow? Here are some common reasons pre-med students pursue shadowing:
- You get a better understanding of what to expect from a day in the life of a doctor.
- Observing something first can take the stress off of when you actually have to do it.
- Asking questions may be more encouraged than when you’re volunteering at a clinic.
- You get to see doctors interacting with patients, learning bedside manners in real life.
- Shadowing can lead to beneficial mentorships.
- If you shadow doctors in multiple specialties, you can begin to find which area resonates most with you.
- It will strengthen your med school applications.
Dr. Katzen describes the sorts of things you can learn while shadowing a doctor:
An observant student watches how the physician enters the room, how they conduct themselves in the room. Do they walk in the room and formally address the patient or formally introduce themselves? When they ask questions, how do they actively listen? Do they allow the patient to talk? What is their method of questioning? What is their method of obtaining information? That is very important.
When Should I Shadow?
Don’t wait till the end of your junior year to shadow; plan to spread out clinical experiences over the course of your pre-med college career path.
Dr. Katzen says, “I personally don’t think all your shadowing should be done in the last year of college. Instead, demonstrate a long-term commitment… You like to see somebody who has long-term experience, over a number of semesters.”
Start researching shadowing programs and opportunities in your freshman year. Not only does this give you four semesters across sophomore and junior year to work in diverse shadowing and volunteering experiences, but it can also help you figure out what specialty is right for you.
In rare cases, high school students have been known to shadow doctors. Generally, this is not necessary, but it may show an early dedication that could increase your chances of getting into the school of medicine of your dreams.
Read Next: Tips from the AAMC: Top Resources for Getting into Medical School
How Many Hours Are Needed?
Though there’s no strict minimum, you should aim to shadow for at least 40 hours to make your application competitive. It’s also beneficial to spread your shadowing hours across multiple specialties – admissions committees would prefer you shadow four different specialties for 10 hours each than one specialty for forty hours.
Some schools may only require as little as 12 hours of shadowing. However, as well over 90% of matriculating medical students have completed at least some shadowing (according to a 2023 AAMC survey), consider spending more time shadowing physicians if you want to stand above the rest.
As with other extracurricular activities, aim for quality over quantity. Shadowing for more than 100 hours probably won’t make you a more competitive applicant. By then, you’ve shown admissions committees that you’re committed to medicine and know what you’re getting yourself into.
A How-To Guide on Shadowing a Physician
I talked with Dr. Katzen about some tips concerning physician shadowing. With our combined experiences, the guide below should help you get the most out of shadowing a doctor.
“You have to realize the process of med school application is not an overnighter, a one semester process,” Dr. Katzen begins. “I mean, if you’re going to do shadowing or volunteering, that should not all be done in the last year of college. Instead, it should represent more of an ongoing commitment.”
Choose a Specialty You’re Interested In
When you’re researching shadowing opportunities, think about which specialties interest you to help guide your search.
Common medical specialties include internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics. Common surgical specialties include general surgery, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology.
Just remember that while it’s great to have ideas about what specialty you want to go into, you won’t be in a position to make that decision until your third year of medical school. Shadowing can help you get a feel for each specialty, but you won’t know your true preferences until you complete your rotations as a medical student.
Dr. Katzen also recommends that pre-meds remain versatile before entering med school.
I don’t think it’s appropriate when we hear a fourth year college student say, ‘I am going to be an orthopedic surgeon.’ I think that shows a very narrow-minded approach. That is not the type of student we want admitted into our medical school.
We want someone who has an open mind to learn and see something that piques their interest once they see it in more depth. To me, anyone entering medical school should be entering it with an open mind and not with a preconceived notion as to what their final destination will be.
All that being said, shadowing is still a great way to explore your interests in medicine. By all means reach out to doctors whose work you’re interested in. Just be open to changing your mind based on new experiences.
Find the Right Opportunity
You’ve decided on a few specialties that interest you, and now it’s time to find shadowing opportunities in those specialties.
One option is to do your own research into local doctors of particular specialties. A good initial strategy is to send as many emails to local physicians as possible – shoot for 20-30 if possible. Of those, perhaps four or five will allow you to shadow or will be able to connect you to other physicians open to shadowing.
Also think about any family connections you may be able to utilize. Is anyone in your family a practicing doctor or in a position to connect you with a physician?
Another option is to contact your pre-med office or alumni network. Is there any way your school or alma mater can help you find shadowing opportunities?
Lastly, you should consider whether you have peers who are currently in medical school. They may be able to refer you to physicians whom they shadowed as pre-med students.
For experience beyond simply shadowing a doctor near you, think about joining an organization like Global Medical Brigades to shadow a physician in a foreign country. This might be a fantastic opportunity if you’re interested in public health or want a better understanding of medicine in places very different places than where you live.
Is it okay to shadow your own doctor? If you remain professional, yes, it is okay to shadow your own doctor. You can also ask your doctor for recommendations on doctors to shadow.
Once you have identified some potential shadowing opportunities through a variety of referrals — and perhaps with some letters of recommendation in your back pocket — it’s time to get in contact.
Looking for extracurricular hours beyond shadowing? Check out our Pre-Med Extracurricular Portal, an all-in-one resource that allows you to browse and apply to volunteering, clinical, and research opportunities across the country.
Reach Out
Contact physicians directly — unless your school is handling this step. Below are some tips on reaching out in the most effective way:
- Send an email first. You may call a few days later if they haven’t responded.
- Write formally. Address the physician by their last name. Use formal greetings, like “Dear Dr. Patel” or “Hello Dr. Schwartz.”
- Introduce yourself confidently and honestly. Include your stage of training, where you’re enrolled, your résumé, who referred or recommended you, and your goals or interests pertaining to this shadowing.
- Directly ask to shadow this doctor. Don’t beat around the bush and leave it up to interpretation.
A lot of physicians welcome the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences with future health professionals.
Read Next: How to Ask to Shadow a Physician
If they agree to let you shadow them, confirm important details like the location of the clinic, hospital, or medical center, as well as the duration of this shadowing opportunity. There may be paperwork involved.
Get the Most From Your Experience
In order to get the most out of in-person shadowing, here are some pointers:
- Be punctual.
- Be respectful in all your interactions with patients and staff.
- It’s an added bonus if you show how enthusiastic you are. Everyone will want to work with you more when you’re clearly positive and interested.
- Wear professional attire, including comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Men should wear a tie.
- Remember you are bound by HIPAA confidentiality. Do not share information about any patients you encounter during shadowing rotations with anyone other than the physician with whom you’re working.
- Bring a notebook and a pencil or pen to take notes. Don’t write down confidential patient info. Try not to write notes in front of patients — it may make them nervous. (Avoid taking these notes on a mobile phone, as this may be perceived as rude.)
- Ask plenty of questions. You may need to write down questions and ask them later at a more appropriate time.
- Ask the doctor how you should refer to yourself to patients and their healthcare coworkers.
- Be mentally prepared for a few patients to not feel comfortable with you in the room.
- Confirm where you can obtain scrubs when necessary.
- Thank the doctor and other colleagues when the shadowing is finished.
Read More: Questions to Ask a Doctor When Shadowing
Dr. Harvey Katzen has some more specific advice:
First of all, you should look at how the patients are brought into the room, whether it is or is not by the physician. You should spend some time with either the medical assistant or the nurse and get a better understanding of the preparation before the physician goes into the room. It could be something as simple as weighing and taking vital signs.
When shadowing a doctor examining a patient, observe how they do a proper physical exam. In particular, observe the basic courtesies and manners that one should have as a physician. Observe how the doctor respects whether it’s a male-to-male, male-to-female, female-to-female, or female-to-male examination. They have appropriate chaperones, and they make proper allowances to respect the patients’ modesty and so forth.
Dr. Katzen recalls what a surgeon general once said to him and a group of young students. “You will ask questions that no one else will ask them. You will ask them questions that their family won’t ask them. You will touch them in areas that no one else will touch them. And you need to be respectful when you do that.”
“I think that is very good advice,” Dr. Katzen continues. “That anecdote definitely makes you think about patient care when you are training to be a doctor, shadowing, or when you do become a doctor.”
Don’t Stop at One
You may get away with one shadowing experience, but medical school admissions committees are looking for dedicated students who demonstrate holistic learning. “Show a long-term commitment,” says Dr. Katzen.
“It is rarely effective to all of a sudden wake up and feel like you want to pursue the medical field. I personally get more confidence in demonstrations of commitment. When I see that somebody has multiple experiences, I think it exhibits commitment but also exposure to different aspects.”
Try to do a few shadowing sessions a year as a freshman, sophomore, and junior. If you can get 15-20 hours per year, that will be enough to make you competitive for med school.
After Shadowing
Always send a thank you card or email to the doctor you shadowed.
Also, you might want to write down any formative or memorable experiences that you can mention in your AMCAS Personal Statement or Work & Activities Section.
In terms of letters of recommendation, asking doctors you’ve shadowed probably isn’t your best bet. Shadowing is helpful, but it is still probably the least important aspect of your medical school application. Instead, AdComs will be looking for letters from people who’ve worked with, whether in a clinical, volunteering, or research setting.
Need help finding pre-med experiences to enhance your candidacy for med school? MedSchoolCoach offers 1-on-1 pre-med coaching with former admissions committee members. Schedule a free info session with our enrollment team to find out more!
Sahil Mehta MD
Dr. Mehta is the founder of MedSchoolCoach and has guided thousands of successful medical school applicants. He is also a practicing physician in Boston where he specializes in vascular and interventional radiology.
