It’s really difficult to get shadowing now. My D got to shadow a Dr for a couple of days in June. All the Doctors near us who are with a hospital system are now out of reach as hospitals doesn’t allow shadowing after Covid.
She started working as an RA in a rehabilitation facility recently. Hope that experience count…
Arent there doctors in the rahabilitation facility?
Yes there are doctors , nurses and CNAs. I hope she get to see them do their work too during her time there
Depending on exactly what she does as an RA, it may or may not count.
BTW, can she shadow doctors who are not in a hospital system i.e. doctors who are still independent or in a group practice?
Trying hard to get an independent physician in our area. The Dr we found and agreed to us have been getting a lot of such students for shadowing so it’s like a time share !
If there are doctors available where she is an RA, why is she not able to use them for shadowing? She just needs to find a way to spend time with them and ask them if they could be listed for shadowing experience.
Shadowing is an overrated activity but it only helps in BS/MD admissions to show that someone in high school who is not familiar with rigors of medicine actually spent time with doctors and understood what the profession entails. The kids who have a physician parent dont even need to claim shadowing experience.
Btw what does RA stand for and what does she do as part of her work?
@texaspg
In general Resident assistants (RAs) work in the kitchen, drive patients to their appointments, provide companionship, Check residents’ whereabouts and assist them with their daily schedule (serving coffee, keeping track of their medication, etc), plus assist in Facility Services. However, the job/volunteer duties/expectations for HS level RA could be at a small scale.
I thought RA stood for resident assistant but I wasn’t sure why a high schooler will have a position with that title since they are usually remunerated in someway and not volunteer type…
I was advising a college student a couple of days ago and they are a paid EMT for an urgent care. I was asking why they are not talking to the doctors in urgent care about getting their shadowing requirement instead of looking for someone somewhere else. Any doctor shadowing will do for listing as an experience.
Folks… In this case, It means Rehabilitation Assistant
@Park1212
Are the job/volunteers duties the same as the resident assistant I mentioned above, or are they different? Just curious.
My daughter’s title is Resident attendant, who has to help with the resident’s daily needs like getting them coffee or water, feeding them, moving them around , getting them food tray and back, making their beds etc.
this is a paid job
No!
You were almost accurate. May be different places have different definitions.
My bad lol
@Parentof2Ds So we seem to have the definition correct and even duties guessed accurately!
Do they have PMR doctors or some other kind at this center or only nurse practitioners?
My daughter started only a few days back so she hasn’t seen any Dr’s yet but thinks there should be.
The main take away for her is to be very close with patients and attend their needs. She is experiencing the sadness and suffering people working in this field get to deal with every day!
That sounds like a good medical related experience for your daughter! If anything, it should give her a lot to write about in her “why medicine” essay I think. She will feel and learn a lot.
One Doc I know does his rehab/nursing home visits on Saturdays (and only on an emergency basis during the week).
It may be a good idea for your daughter to ask the nurses there about the Doc’s schedule and plan a few of her days overlapping that schedule.
Thanks @NoviceDad for that suggestion. I will let her know to try that way.
Personally I won’t sweat a lot on each and every thing.
TBH , the entire acceptance is a BIG puzzle with all these things are small “part” and can be replaced with other stuff.
Here are my observations/experiences.
Result ; Both are in BSMD.
As u already (may) know that lot go into this process… ask your D to do her best … this may even help her decide even if Med is the path (like working with patients)
Good luck