BMS5102

Learning what it means to be a physician is essential for students considering a career in medicine. Participation in a variety of activities that provide exposure to diverse health care settings can help achieve this goal. These activities allow students to gauge and affirm their interest in medicine as a career. Shadowing is different from volunteering; volunteering enables a pre-medical student the unpaid opportunity to help in a healthcare setting. Shadowing experiences are observational in nature. The pre-medical student observes as the healthcare professional provides care to patients. Observation always occurs under the appropriate supervision of a licensed physician. A shadowing experience not only provides an introduction to the profession of medicine and the day-to-day responsibilities of the health care provider but also offers the physician the opportunity to model professionalism as well as ethical and culturally sensitive treatment of patients.

Critical to the experience is the awareness and education of both the pre-medical student and the patient regarding the importance of the patient’s rights, privacy and confidentiality. Since the primary purpose of shadowing is observation, the experience should focus on watching the physician as they perform their duties. The pre-medical student should never engage in any activity that is considered the practice of medicine. These activities include, but are not limited to diagnosing diseases, administering medications, performing surgical procedures, suturing, providing medical advice or other tasks generally reserved for the trained health professional.

pre-req: Enrollment in science graduate program; department consent