shadowing workshop presented by the creighton career center and the pmed seminar program
TRANSCRIPT
SHADOWING WORKSHOP
Presented by the Creighton Career Center and the PMED Seminar
Program
SHADOWING WORKSHOP
Presented by:
Lisa Brockhoff and Linda Dunn
Creighton Career Center
Shadowing…What Does it Really Mean? Beyond just looking it up
online…It is actually watching someone do a job for a few hours, days or whatever time is necessary.
It is the only way to really find out what you may like or not like about a specific profession or clinical specialty!
You will ALWAYS learn something- both positive and negative
Will come away either more excited or less excited – never neutral
Why do I need to shadow?
• “But I already KNOW what doctors do –” – Your experience as a
patient (or TV fan) does NOT give you a real picture of what it takes day in and day out
– You need to be sure – Medical Schools want to
KNOW that you have truly explored being a doc!
– The focus should be to have exposure to many different practices and specialties
What is an “ideal” shadowing experience?
• How many times do I need to shadow?
• How many hours of shadowing do I need?
• How many different doctors do I need to shadow?
The Rule of 4-3-2-1
• At a minimum– 4 - different doctors– 3 - different visits to each
doc– 2 - hours at each visit– 1 - no more than one doc
you already know• The best shadowing experiences will occur over several years• Not a checklist• Learning process
What are the “logistics” of shadowing?
• Find a physician to shadow
• Use of Reference USA– Physicians all over the US
who graduated from CU’s Medical School
– Demonstration
• CU Physician Experience Database (available to sophomores)
• Networking
• Shadowing Guidelines handout
Before you Shadow…
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act )– Patient Confidentiality is
PRIMARY! – Physicians will prefer those
already HIPAA proficient• PMED students received
certification, so refer to this.
• RESUME – If you have one, use it.– PMED 201 students will
attend Resume Development workshop in the Fall
Shadowing Etiquette
• Have a good reason for your choice of doctor
• Contact the appropriate person
• Be flexible in scheduling • Dress professionally and
wear comfortable shoes• Have at least 5 questions
– Inquire about referrals for other physicians
• Always write a Thank You note
• Remember that shadowing is not a not a group project
While you are there
• What is the scope of a shadowing visit?– To watch, listen and learn– Observing only
• BE SENSITIVE to patients• Be on time• Be polite, sensitive and considerate of office staff, nurses and other docs• Remember that you are there to learn, not teach!
• A database of more than 850,000 US doctors and dentists
• Can select by geography, medical specialty, size of practice, medical school attended, etc.
• Examples: CU medical school alums in Des Moines; Nebraska med school alums in Denver; Pediatricians practicing in Omaha from Creighton’s medical school, etc., etc.
Other Suggestions for Getting Clinical Experience:
• Start shadowing with your own physician and their colleagues
• Volunteer at local hospital and long-term care facilities
• Get trained to be a Certified , Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Tech, Phlebotomist, etc.
• Information about local CNA, EMT and Phlebotomy programs available through Career Center
• Summer months – good time to do this…. Could then get paid for clinical experience