Question

I will be a junior starting this fall. I am a pre-med student and I don't have much help when it comes to finding internships and doctors to shadow. I wanted to know if anyone can help lead me as to:
- where and what am I suppose to do to get an internship?
- How do I go about shadowing a doctor? How do I ask a doctor. do I e-mail them or what?
Thank You.

Answer 1

To find an internship: first of all, talk with your career advisor (your school should have one) and/or with pre-med or any other advisor. They can offer at least the general direction you are looking for and they will alert you to any latest openings. Second, talk with your professors, if you are looking for research experience (most med applicants have some), then you should start building a rapport with them. They can be your mentor or supervisor for your research later on. Lastly, look on career websites, montster, indeed, and other job websites to find any internships around the nation or local ones. These are much harder to get, but is easiest to find the opportunity.

Answer 2

I understand your situation. I've been having a hard time rounding up an internship as well. this web site http://people.rit.edu/gtfsbi/Symp/premed.htm is a really great current data base for internships. In my experience as far as shadowing goes never make the first contact an email or phone call, you are asking a favor from this physician. He needs to know that he can trust you in front of his patients. Go to the clinic, dress up, bring a resumé and ask the secretary if it would be appropriate to speak with him or leave the resumé with a note stating what you'd like to do. We are pre-professional, a physician that might let you shadow will want to see how professional you can be.