Shadowing

Shadowing a professional in your field of interest is essential for your professional school application. But beyond the application, understanding what medical professionals see, do and feel in their daily routines is an important experience for pre-professional students. It is one thing to see professions from a patient side or through videos, but in-person shadowing provides a deeper exposure and hopefully a fuller understanding of the profession. It also can be helpful for a pre-health student to experience and see the multidimensional, team-work aspect of medicine. So many different professions working together, all for patient health.

Steps to a Successful Shadowing Experience 

Start by thinking of those people you know who are in medicine or know someone in medicine. Those people include your family, friends, neighbors, classmates, clubs/organizations, etc. You can also search through your LinkedIn account and/or your account in Bearcats Connect.

These options can help you see and connect with professionals in our region. If you are still drawing a blank, meet with your PPAC advisor to brainstorm other contacts and ways to develop a network. Don’t be afraid to reach out but do be respectful. Healthcare professionals will often remember when they were pre-professional and are open to sharing if they can.

Before reaching out to professionals, it’s best to create an effective resume and have it reviewed by a career coach in the Bearcat Career Studio. Professionals may ask for your resume so that they can learn a bit more about you.

Here is an example of how you might introduce yourself and ask for a shadowing experience:

Dear Dr. Xxxxxx,

I am a University of Cincinnati student in my second year and I am eager to explore the field of (xxxxxx) by shadowing. I learned of your practice by (xxxxxxxxxx) and was hoping I could shadow you in your office as you work.  My current experience as a UC student in (xxxxx major) includes (xxxx) and I would greatly appreciate your allowing me to learn from you by shadowing.

You can reach me by email at xxxxx@ucmail.uc.edu or by phone at (xxx)xxx-xxxx. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Full Name

The following websites provide some great suggestions on how to dress and behave while in shadowing situations: 

Dress professionally and be sure to listen and watch. Shadowing should never be a hands-on experience while you are an undergraduate student. Follow all the professional’s instructions during your shadowing time and be sure to ask questions at the end, as appropriate (including a follow up request for another shadowing opportunity). Then always send a thank you email.  

Always track the shadowing hours, the professional you shadowed, and your experiences. Prepare ahead of time by thinking of what you might see and expect from the experience. Afterwards, write about the experience. This doesn’t have to be a long essay each time, but it should be consistent and in some detail. You can download and use the PPAC Experience Log to help yourself track these experiences over time.

For Pre-Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and some Physician Assistant programs (see MSJ for example) there are more specific forms or details you need to document your experience.