How to Shadow a Doctor in High School

Finding a Doctor to Shadow

Talk to your guidance counselor or advisor. Set up an appointment or visit your guidance counselor's office to find out if they know of any opportunities. Oftentimes, your school counselor will have contacts and resources that can connect you with potential doctors to shadow. If they do, they'll be more than happy to share them. You might say, "I'm interested in being a doctor, and I'd love to learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities of the job. Do you know of any doctors in the area that offer shadowing opportunities for students?" If you know the medical specialty you'd like to go into, try, "I'm interested in becoming a cardiologist, and I'd like to learn more about the field. Do you know of any cardiologists that allow students to shadow them in the area?"

Ask family, friends, neighbors, or your own doctor. Your personal network may include some doctors or nurses. Reach out to family members, friends, neighbors, and even your own doctor to seek out shadowing opportunities. To find more connections, make a social media post asking if anyone knows of doctors that may be interested in letting you shadow them. Write something like, "I'm interested in shadowing a doctor to learn more about the medical field. If you know of any doctors who might be interested in having a student shadow them, message me!"

Contact doctors in your area. Visit the websites of hospitals and medical facilities in your area. Then, locate the staff directory to find specific doctors to contact. Make a list of 5-10 doctors you might be interested in shadowing. This may sound like a lot, but having plenty of options will boost your chances of hearing back.

Apply to a shadowing program. Some hospitals and medical centers have specific programs dedicated to shadowing their doctors. These types of programs usually require you to fill out and submit an application. To determine if a hospital has a shadowing program, visit their website or call their customer service line. Find more info on a potential shadowing program by searching the website for a volunteer or educational opportunities page.

Asking a Doctor if You Can Shadow Them

Reach out a few weeks or more in advance. Doctors have to make accommodations in their schedules to let someone to shadow them. To boost your chances of getting the opportunity, reach out well in advance (especially if you want to shadow over spring break or during the summer). If you're applying to a shadowing program, it may take a few weeks or even a few months to process your application and get accepted. Apply early to make sure that you can shadow when you would like to.

Email the doctor with a polite and thorough request. Be sure to include details like your name, age, and a general timeframe for when you would like to shadow. Then, let them know why you would like to shadow them in particular. Consider sending emails to 5-10 different doctors to boost your chances of hearing back. Example email:"Dear Dr. Molina,I hope you are doing well! My name is Kelsey Smith, and I am reaching out because I am very interested in working in medicine. I am currently a junior at Washington High School and am 16 years old. I would love to learn more about the medical field and am interested in going into dermatology.To gain more experience, I was wondering if I could potentially shadow you during your practice over summer break this year? If so, I would be happy to talk more about scheduling over email or by phone.Thank you for your time and consideration,Kelsey Smith"

Call the doctor if you haven't heard back after a few days. Doctors are super busy and dedicated to their work. If the doctor you reached out to hasn't responded after a few days, it's possible they simply missed your email! Try calling their work phone number (or the number that was given to you by your counselor or personal network) to ask if you can shadow them. Include your name, your request to shadow, and your contact info, then thank them for their time. Example follow-up call:"Hi Dr. Curtis, my name is Susan Reyes. I'm following up regarding an email I sent about potentially shadowing you during your practice. I'm a senior in high school and am currently 18 years old. I'm very interested in going into pediatrics and would love to learn more by shadowing a pediatrician like yourself. I can be reached by phone or by email. Thank you for your time!"

Contact backup options. If you don't hear back after following up with a call, try researching more doctors and reaching out to them instead. Though it may take some persistence, there's bound to be a doctor that would be happy to have you shadow them!

Getting the Most Out of Shadowing

Wear comfortable, professional clothes. To dress professionally and make a good impression, wear clothing like dress pants, a dress shirt or blouse, or a dress. Be sure to wear close-toed, comfortable shoes. If you're shadowing a surgery, you may be asked to wear scrubs. If you aren't sure, contact the doctor you're shadowing ahead of time to ask if these will be provided for you.

Be on time. Show respect to the doctor you're shadowing by being punctual for each shadowing session. To make your commute stress free, look up directions and where to park ahead of time. Then, give yourself plenty of time to get there. If you're taking public transportation, be sure to look up the bus or train route ahead of time. Be sure to factor in how long it will take to walk from the bus or train stop to the hospital.

Bring a pencil and a notebook to take notes. Jot down important details and questions throughout the day. That way, you can have a helpful log of your experience to study and reread at any time. Your notes may also help you remember important details to include in your college applications.

Ask questions when it's appropriate. This will help you learn as much as possible from your experience. Whenever you and the doctor aren't with patients, use that time to ask questions to learn more about the profession. Avoid asking questions when the doctor is working with patients, as they'll need to give the patient their full attention during this time. Some questions you might ask include: What drew you to this specialty in particular? What is the most rewarding aspect of being a doctor? Do you have any tips on choosing a college or medical school?

Log your hours. If you're using your shadowing hours for an internship, volunteer program, or college application, be sure to record the length of each session accurately. Write down how long each session lasts to ensure you've got an accurate log.

Send a thank you note. After you're done shadowing, let the doctor know how grateful you are for the experience. To personalize your note, you might include details like what you learned and how you hope to use the experience in the future. Example thank you note: "Dear Dr. Brown,I am reaching out to say thank you for allowing me to shadow you this past winter break. I had an incredible experience and learned so much from the opportunity. Thank you so much for your time and help.All the best,Matthew Stephens"

Ask for a reference. The doctor you shadowed can be an excellent reference when you're applying to college or other opportunities in the medical field. If you're interested, email them relatively quickly after you shadow and ask for a reference. This will boost your chances of getting a thorough and accurate reference or letter of recommendation. To ask for a reference, be sure to thank the doctor for their time and express gratitude for their help. You might write, "Thank you for the incredible opportunity to shadow you this past summer. I learned so much from the experience and am so grateful. I am reaching out to see if I could list you as a reference for future opportunities in the medical field? Thanks again and hope you are well!"