If physician shadowing requires connections

GoldenRock
Tue, 14 May 2019 02:39:02 +0000

@SincererLove Agree, the world is not fair and level playing field is not same for all students. But all that I can say is it will work out. As long as your D tries what ever possible and does what ever she is passionate and make her unique to show her tenacity and how she can play a role.

We were exactly in the same situation you are now. My D informed us during her summer before starting her HS Junior year she is thinking of going to Medicine. I have no knowledge about US college admission process (leave alone BS/MD or MD application) nor have any background or connection in medical field. I reached out to 2 of my classmates whose wife are Doctors and both informed sorry and none in CA informed she can do shadowing. She applied to 15 Summer Internship programs (so complicated process with LOR from school - it is a huge public school and they are already burdened with college admission process related activities). All 15 rejected even for internship. She did not get any shadowing or patient facing experience. All that she could do when she applied to BS/MD programs is 100 hours of volunteering at a local hospital (Front desk and Gift shop). She had ACT 36, SAT2 800 in Math/Bio/Chem and AP 5 in CalcBC/Bio/Chem. But know she is handicapped for BS/MD and not even interviews she got though we applied wide cast. Was happy that she is very matured for her age and strong though she did not get a break through until March 28th. She got finally 1 admission at OU MHSP (considered low tier for both UG and BS/MD) and she took it gladly with no second thoughts.

Again she repeated the same handicapped situation when she applied to regular MD in the current cycle. This time for different reasons. First she did not know that she will be applying for MD cycle until 1 year back. Because she is content and happy to attend OU SOM where her seat is guaranteed. Second, her college town is away from the nearest city and no public transportation nor she had car. All that she did was 35 hours of clinical experience and another 40 hours from the hospital near our home for 40 hours. But she had 60+ hours of shadowing with different specialists. Applied to 20+ schools but hardly got few interviews. But she got 1 acceptance at UTSW and took it gladly with no second thoughts.

She said her 35 hours of clinical experience at Free clinic is much more richer and gained so much than her 140 hours of volunteer work at hospital and she refused to go there for more hours. 7 weeks and each week 5 hours. it is a non stop work and from beginning to end of patient visit in the free clinic gave her the best experience. She capitalized that experience in her interview along with the research at the school where got selected.

But she did not felt there is a challenge to get clinical volunteer work in OK state (unlike CA) and also age 18 and above helped. She did shadow her pediatrician (she has her Doc for 15+ years) back at CA (Kaiser). But it took 8 full months to complete the application process to shadow just 20 hours.

Near my home within 2 blocks, there are 10+ big name and mom-and-pop shops for coaching of all kinds. Parents willing to shell out $2-10k for test prep and college application process. It is a booming business!

My D as a matter of principal does not want to do any paid coaching including MCAT prep. Because she feels it is unfair for students who can not afford and it is not level playing during admission. Though she knows connections and money helps many students, she wants to be the way she thinks. For example, my friend whose wife is a Doc also a faculty in Stanford and their D got internship in Stanford during 9th summer itself. I am not saying that kid is not talented but it helped when her Mom is a faculty there. But neither me nor my D worry about these and continue our path.

Sorry for the long post, but all that want to say is, just keep trying to get whatever your D wants to do.