Not everyone is prepared for the grueling challenges of medical school, and more so, the medical profession but, as a pre-med student, you can take a peek at the career ahead of you through extracurricular activities.
Pre-med students have a lot of options when it comes to practical immersions, but one of the most popular ones is family medicine shadowing. This is when someone volunteers to follow a family doctor throughout their workday in a clinic or hospital.
However, since many people cannot participate as in-person volunteers due to health and safety concerns, several institutions have started to offer virtual shadowing as an alternative to in-person shadowing. This is so that students can still have access to clinical experiences especially during unsafe circumstances. Virtual shadowing is a viable option when looking to complete your shadowing experience.
Whether you opt for in-person or virtual medical school shadowing,you might as well make the most out of the experience by asking questions that will help you determine the right path for your future. Below are seven questions that you can ask the doctor you’ll be shadowing.
1: How did you end up in medicine?
This will force you to think of your own motivations for pursuing medicine. Their answer will have you asking yourself why you want to pursue medicine, too!
2: Why did you choose this specialty?
At this point, you may still be undecided about your specialty, but asking this question can help you know the considerations when choosing a specialty for yourself.
3: How is your daily work and lifestyle?
One of the challenges of becoming a doctor is finding work-life harmony. You can get tips from the doctor on how they manage to balance all areas of their life amidst the bustle.
4: Are there things that you wish you knew before pursuing this profession?
Benefit from a doctor’s wisdom and get ahead of some setbacks through their first-hand experiences!
5: What’s a good day at your job like?
Get excited by the things that you may have to look forward to and cherish in your future job.
6: What three soft skills do I need to have to pursue medicine?
This question can guide you on your own personal development journey.
7: How do I choose a medical school?
Choosing your medical school is not so far into the future so ask for some advice and see if his insights align with your own values.
While you will benefit a lot from getting these questions answered, be respectful when asking at all times. Never interrupt conversations and don’t make anyone, including patients and other colleagues, feel awkward around your curiosity. If you think of a question during a bad time, write it down in a notebook along with your other notes from your family medicine shadowing experience.
Some medical schools consider shadowing experience when deciding on candidates during admission, but know that medical school shadowingis more than just an application booster. It’s an opportunity to find inspiration as you pursue a medicine profession.
By the end of this experience, you might find a mentor for yourself—someone who can give you guidance as you go through and finish medical school. On the other hand, you might find a different path away from a specialty you thought you wanted or from medicine all together. Either way, family medicine shadowing will be highly beneficial so make sure that you get everything you can from your immersion by asking the right questions!
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