Hello,
I have a question regarding how I should spend my time. I am interested in observing at a local recovery center for homeless people with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse. There is one MD that works at the center, but he is not that involved with the patients, so I would probably not be “shadowing” him. I currently have no shadowing hours, but I have already been in contact with physicians who have agreed to let me shadow them.
The main reason I am interested in observing is because I do not have any life experience with homeless people or people with severe mental illness (or even substance abuse, for that matter). I think it will help me become a more rounded individual and I will grow from this experience. I am not wanting to do this just so I can put it on my application. I have a full time job, so I only have a certain amount of days I can take off for shadowing. Would it be unwise to use some of these days to observe at the mental health center?
Also, I have been volunteering 3-6 hours a week for over 2 years at a children’s hospital and at a non profit, so I do not want to commit myself to volunteering at a mental health center to get the experience.
Thanks for your advice!
If it’s something you have a genuine interest in, go for it. The main thing about shadowing is to get a ‘taste’ of clinical medicine and see if it’s the field for you. If psychiatry is a field that appeals to you then that’s a good enough reason to shadow in a recovery center. You mention that you are concerned about taking the time to do the shadowing, but if it is something you enjoy it can only be a benefit for your application. If you enjoy the experience it will come across in your essays about your EC’s and in the interview, to me that’s a win-win. It sounds like you have a fair amount of volunteering both clinically and at the non-profit. I don’t see a downside to to you exploring your interests this way. Good luck to you in your journey!