Why Shadow?
Shadowing—observing a health professional in their daily practice—helps you understand what clinicians truly do, where they work, and the challenges of their field. Through diverse shadowing experiences, strive to learn about:
- The nature and rhythms of clinical practice
- Types of patients and conditions addressed
- Internal and external factors impacting daily work
- Interprofessional collaboration with other healthcare providers
- Continuous learning and professional development
- Managing multiple professional roles (e.g., clinician, researcher, educator)
- Balancing professional responsibilities with personal life
Alternatives to Shadowing
Shadowing isn’t always possible. According to a survey by the AAMC, 87% of medical schools accept alternate clinical experiences. Here are five alternatives to consider for clinical exposure and engaging with the healthcare environment.
Finding Shadowing Opportunities
- Student organizations: Leverage connections in UM pre-health student groups to find practitioners open to shadowing.
- UM Health System directory: Explore the UM Find a Doctor tool, choose a specialty, and email faculty directly (if provided), explaining your goals and interest in shadowing or informational interviewing.
- Shadowing Applications for UM Health System
- Friends, family, and alumni: Consider asking your primary care provider, dentist, other health professionals, family, or friends. Leverage the UM Alumni Network (UCAN) for contacts, noting that UCAN is primarily for informational interviewing but may occasionally lead to shadowing opportunities.
- Osteopathic (DO) experiences:
- Search DOs in your area via the Cranial Academy directory
- Contact osteopathic schools for alumni referrals
- Search the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) directory
- Learn more about shadowing a DO and Osteopathic Medicine
Reaching Out
Once you've identified someone to shadow, how you ask matters. Our Reaching Out to Physicians for Shadowing & Informational Interviews guide includes email templates for cold outreach, warm introductions, following up, handling a "no," and sending a thank-you after shadowing.
Compliance & Professionalism
- Most shadowing involves training and a statement of confidentiality to protect patient privacy (per HIPAA laws).
- Hospitals typically provide in-house training. For those shadowing in private practices new to hosting students, refer them to HIPAA resources and forms.
- Always follow AAMC Guidelines for Clinical Shadowing to ensure a professional, patient-centered experience.