how do you get Shadowing experience?

[dodohae]

Hi there, 

I am just about to enter my final year of University and I have recently developed interest in PT program. I have ~3.78 GPA last year, and 3.38 cGPA. The problem is that I do not have shadowing experience like all of you applicants do. I am planning to do around ~50 hours (Is that realistic and sufficient number?) before I apply to the program, but I do not have a clear idea how I can request shadowing. Do I just take a PT's contact information from internet and send him an email? 

 

[PTapplicant2017]

Depends on where you want to shadow, if it's in a hospital, usually they will have a volunteer coordinator or department that you can contact to see if there are open positions for new volunteers in the rehab department.

[dodohae]

5 hours ago, PTapplicant2017 said:

Depends on where you want to shadow, if it's in a hospital, usually they will have a volunteer coordinator or department that you can contact to see if there are open positions for new volunteers in the rehab department.

Thanks, how would I approach if I wanted to volunteer in private clinics or family doctor (+PAs) clinic centre.. 

[PTapplicant2017]

I don't have experience with that but I would guess just ask the secretary of the clinic in person or email a PT working at the clinic (if their email is on the clinic's website)

[HopefulPT95]

I've volunteered in some private clinics and one of the best things that you could do that I found in my experiences is to send an email either to the clinic owner or as PTapplicant2017 said to email one of the PTs working there and just explain yourself, like your reasons for wanting to volunteer in their clinic and what you have to offer! I found most PTs were happy to have a student follow them for a bit or help around their clinic. The hardest part I found was just getting connected with a PT

[PeaTea30]

I personally went into the clinic I wanted to volunteer at and asked to speak with the attending PT. Luckily for me, he had a minute to talk, so I basically sat down with him and told him why I wanted to be a PT/start volunteering. I also, brought in my resume/CV, and as we were having our discussion, he was briefly looking it over while asking me about some of my experiences. After a short conversation he told me I could start whenever. This approach worked for me, but as the previous two replies suggest, an email is also sufficient.