Hello all. I just a have a few questions and I hope you guys can help out. I am a post-bac almost done with the pre-reqs for med school. Just need orgo, which i’ll finish by the spring. My degree is in education and I volunteered overseas for a year teaching missionary kids the social sciences. Long story short, I got married had a baby girl and moved back to States to pursue my dream of becoming an M.D. My G.P.A is about 3.7 and unless orgo kills me it should stay pretty high. The question I have is pertaining to shadowing. How much do I need? In a week I’m going to Colombia to visit my parents and i’m shadowing a doctor friend there. Does that count? Do the ADCOMS look at me with grace beacause I’m the sole bread winner in my household? Does the year of volunteer work overseas help?
I plan to apply for entry in august 2012. God willing all the hard work will pay off.
The shadowing in Colombia counts. However, it would be good to do some US based shadowing as well, because you would ideally like to get a LOR from the doctor you shadow…how much shadowing is enough has to do with you gaining further insight into medicine and some of the issues you will face, and with them getting to know you and being willing to write a letter of recommendation.
I did not very much shadowing (4 days total with a family practice D.O., then 2 days later on in the semester)…but I had 30 years of nursing experience so that did put me in a category where not as much shadowing was needed.
20 hours or more with a doctor is more typical, and more than one doctor, I think
Kate
A different perspective on getting a LOR from the doctor you shadow with . . . Many osteopathic schools require a letter from an osteopathic physician. If you are applying to osteopathic schools, then you should definitely keep this in mind. However, most MD schools do not require or even necessarily want a letter from a physician that you shadowed with. In general, academic letters are preferred.
Thanks all.