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volunteering/shadowing


Guest whiteboyfunk

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Guest whiteboyfunk

Hi Everybody,

 

I'm just about to start volunteering at a local hospital, and I have a couple of questions.

 

What does shadowing a physician usually entail? I know that every doc will have their own ideas and limits, but do some docs allow med hopefuls like me into the examination room? Would it be too far to discuss cases? I hope it's more than walking around and fetching coffee :P

Thanks!

 

whiteboyfunk :rollin

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Hey, when I've done shadowing it's all about being in the room during complete physical examination, you discuss cases, if you get a really good doctor they may let you try your hand and some parts of the physical like listening to breathing, etc. depending on the case.

 

What hospital? Just curious..

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Guest GrdInquisitor

Shadowing a physician is a great idea for someone who wants to get into any area of medicine. I am a big fan of it myself. Like OT6 mentioned, a lot really depends on the physician you choose (or that chooses you). It's definitely not fetching coffee, at least it shouldn't be anyway. It should give you first hand experience about what a typical day is like for a physician. Obviously there will be some limitations, for example, you probably wont be alowed into an OR, however, even just following a physician around can be a worthwhile experience. An added bonus comes when you apply for meds and you can turn to the person you shadowed for either career help, or in most cases, a reference, if they liked you. The best, and earliest, professional relationships you can work on developing are the ones that begin as a shadow-physician realtionship. Try it out, see for yourself.

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Guest whiteboyfunk

That sounds like what I really need! Excellent.

You've probably never heard of the hospital. Quinte Healthcare/Trenton Memorial, a small but excellent facility.

Thanks for the reply!

 

whiteboyfunk :rollin

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That's cool, what part of the hospital are you volunteering in?

 

From my experience, which isn't TOO extensive, ER shadowing's the coolest just cause there's such a variety of cases you might see on a given day.

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I got interested into shadowing program when I read this thread, so I decided to give it a try. I asked the head nure in the General Hospital in Ottawa where I have been volunteering for about a year, but she told me that because of doctor-patient confidentiality I could not do it. Is this true of all hospitals? Could I just sign an agreement or what should I do?

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That's weird and no it's not true of all hospital.

When you began volunteering you must have signed a confidentiality agreement, right?

So if you were to shadow whatever ou signed to still holds..

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Guest whiteboyfunk

OT6 : I haven't been assigned to any specific department, but I'll be some sort of liasion. Directing people to where they need to go, helping out wherever I'm needed. The great part is that the volunteer coordinator knows that I'm a meds hopeful, and she will be hooking me up with some great docs. Since my main interest is emergency medicine, I am very excited to get in there and learn.

 

whiteboyfunk :rollin

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  • 2 months later...
Guest kanayo101

Has anybody done this (shadowing) in BC? Is there a way I can get into a program such as that? I volunteer in a triage section of an emergency dept and I think its really fun but more med experience would be better

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