Do med schools care about shadowing?

Shadowing experience is often critical for getting into medical school—and for deciding whether that's the right path for you in the first place.

Does shadowing matter for med school?

Shadowing a doctor is a great way to find out if a career in medicine might be right for you. It will give you a better understanding of what a doctor's typical day is like, and give you good experience to talk about in your applications and interviews for medical school.

Can you get into medical school with no shadowing experience?

Many medical schools in the US do not require applicants to gain shadowing experience.

Is 200 hours of shadowing enough for medical school?

For shadowing experience alone, aim to have at least 100 or more hours. 100 to 200 hours will show you've taken the time to learn in a medical setting, especially if you also have a variety of other clinical experiences to discuss in the activities section of your application.

Does shadowing a doctor look good on college application?

Medical school admissions committees look for activities such as shadowing as evidence that applicants have been exposed to medical settings, as confirmation both of students' interest in medicine and of their understanding of the life of a physician.

pre-med day in the life (my first shadowing experience!!) 🩺

Is 20 hours of shadowing good for medical school?

While clinical experiences, including shadowing, are a crucial part of an application, the number of hours each school expects can vary significantly. According to the most recent 2023 survey by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the average shadowing expectation is around 80 hours.

Is 300 hours of shadowing good?

When considering med school, you should aim to complete around this amount or more. Others recommend even more clinical hours, with the career center at UCSD saying that “150-300 hours of meaningful patient interactions” is helpful in becoming a competitive applicant.

Is 120 hours of shadowing good?

However, the school recommends shadowing multiple physicians in multiple medical settings. Generally, a good range of shadowing hours is around 100 to 120. While the lowest shadowing hours considered is 50 hours below.

Is 1000 clinical hours enough for med school?

There's no universally applicable set of clinical hours that will get you into medical school. However, generally speaking, about 100 to 150 hours of meaningful clinical experience completed in a consistent schedule over a few months can give your application a competitive edge.

How much shadowing should I do for med school?

Many medical schools have a minimum requirement for shadowing hours. This may vary; some schools require 12–24 hours, while others require more than 75 hours.

What kind of doctors should I shadow?

There is no specific type of doctor you should shadow. You want to find one who specializes in the area of medicine you are interested in. If you're unsure, reach out to a few doctors in different specialties to get a better idea of which field you wish to pursue.

Is shadowing more important than clinical experience?

While shadowing can help you understand what it's like to be a physician, it's very passive. You need clinical experience to learn whether you enjoy being around patients. Spending time with and caring for patients over months or years will show you the good, bad, and messy parts of medicine.

What do you wear to shadow a doctor?

Choose conservative clothing

This means avoiding clothing that is too revealing or provocative, as well as clothing with holes, stains, or offensive language. It's also important to choose comfortable shoes that are appropriate for standing and walking, and to avoid tight or revealing clothing.

At what age should you shadow a doctor?

Must be at least 13 years of age to job shadow; & signed consent form for minors req'd. D. Job Shadow is observation only.

Do med schools care about virtual shadowing?

The majority of med schools acknowledge value in virtual shadowing, but relying on those experiences alone to boost your application may put you at an admissions disadvantage.

Is 400 clinical hours good for med school?

Many schools have minimum requirements, but the most competitive applicants have more than the minimum. We've seen students have anywhere from about 40 hours to well over 400.

Is 2000 clinical hours good?

Applicants must have no less than one (1) year – equivalent to 2,000 hours – of paid, recent experience. We strongly recommend applying with 4,000 hours (2 years) clinical experience to be more competitive.

Is 150 clinical hours enough for med school?

There's no magic number of clinical experience hours needed for medical school. However, 100 to 150 hours is considered a good goal for clinical experience hours.

How often should I shadow a doctor?

I would just say shadow as often and as broadly as your schedule allows you. For me I shadowed a doctor the entire summer, in the OR and his practice, and got a really good letter from him. Just make the call on your own.

Does shadowing actually work?

Shadowing, or echoing, is an imitation technique where one is imitating another speaker, or certain aspects or elements of someone else's speech. Shadowing in English is one of the best ways to improve your English speaking skills as it helps improve pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary.

Does shadowing count as clinical hours?

Just because you aren't directly providing care doesn't mean that shadowing is a lesser pursuit. Provided you'll get enough time, exposure, and mentorship, physician shadowing does count as clinical experience.

How many clinical hours is competitive for med school?

In general, having between 100 and 150 hours of experience is ideal for your med school applications. Make sure to plan for this ahead of time. Sure, you could cram your 100 hours into six weeks so that you can say that you did them.

What clinical experience is best for med school?

Do I need clinical hours for med school?

The answer to this question varies – it depends on which medical schools you'll apply to. Some schools will provide guidelines as to how many hours you should earn. Other schools will provide exact requirements. We recommend at least 100 hours and up to 150 hours.