Do I need more shadowing for this upcoming cycle?

[doctorwannabe1234]

I’m a non trad (graduated in 2019) URM female who will be applying this cycle. My last shadowing was 2018-2019 (16 hours primary care, 8 hours vascular surgery outpatient clinic). My clinical experience: 50 hours patient escort volunteering, 800 hours pharmacy tech, 2000 hours radiology department transport aide. I currently work in a hospital laboratory and one of my coworkers’ father is a primary care doc who works next door to the hospital. He said it was fine for me to shadow. I know it won’t hurt to get more shadowing but I’m worried because I’m a month out from applications. I’m not sure if it will look last minute or as if I’m just checking a box. If I do shadow, will one day be enough?

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[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Go for like 2 days, it'll bolster your old shadowing and you've got plenty of patient contact with the transport. Pharm tech generally isn't considered clinical though.

 

[Catalystik]

I’m a non trad (graduated in 2019) URM female who will be applying this cycle. My last shadowing was 2018-2019 (16 hours primary care, 8 hours vascular surgery outpatient clinic). My clinical experience: 50 hours patient escort volunteering, 800 hours pharmacy tech, 2000 hours radiology department transport aide. I currently work in a hospital laboratory and one of my coworkers’ father is a primary care doc who works next door to the hospital. He said it was fine for me to shadow. I know it won’t hurt to get more shadowing but I’m worried because I’m a month out from applications. I’m not sure if it will look last minute or as if I’m just checking a box. If I do shadow, will one day be enough?

For this activity, boosting your hours immediately prior to volunteering won't be looked down on. Aim for 50 hours total of shadowing. I'd consider 40 hours to be a minimum.

 

[AKYetiMan]

I’m a non trad (graduated in 2019) URM female who will be applying this cycle. My last shadowing was 2018-2019 (16 hours primary care, 8 hours vascular surgery outpatient clinic). My clinical experience: 50 hours patient escort volunteering, 800 hours pharmacy tech, 2000 hours radiology department transport aide. I currently work in a hospital laboratory and one of my coworkers’ father is a primary care doc who works next door to the hospital. He said it was fine for me to shadow. I know it won’t hurt to get more shadowing but I’m worried because I’m a month out from applications. I’m not sure if it will look last minute or as if I’m just checking a box. If I do shadow, will one day be enough?

I agree that you should take advantage of that shadowing opportunity and aim for 50 hrs total. Continuing shadowing throughout the application process (even after your applications are submitted) can also provide you some really good material for an update letter in case of either a waitlist or a slow admissions decision.