Mode of communication to approach shadowing requests

[Guest KRJames]

Hello everyone!  Looking for some opinions on what is the best way to approach physician assistants for shadowing requests. By that I mean the actually means.... Drive to their practice in person? Make telephone cold calls? Approach them in action at the hospital where I work? Write an e-mail? Mail a typed letter? Mail a hand-written letter? I see pros and cons to all of them. I have made some attempts already- asked the ER PA in my hospital, e-mailed a few in my town off the AAPA directory, asked one making hospital rounds, asked one I met in a social setting, etc. Nothing has panned out yet, even when they are receptive their jobs have not been. Minus my own hospital's ER PA where the workplace wouldn't be an issue, but he seemed to think it was too early to set anything up for me in relation to applying...which I will be in 2016 for 2017 start. But I am excited to get started! And I don't want to wait for the last minute. Plus I don't want to come across like I have a special interest in ER by only racking up hours there. I'm starting to lean towards mailing a letter so I am less intrusive/they can digest my inquiry and run it by their employer, but even then should it be typed or handwritten? Handwritten could come off as unprofessional, but typed could come off as a mass impersonal form letter.

 

What do you guys think? How did you approach this?

[fakingpatience]

I was able to shadow 2 different PA for a day each (due to company policies) by emailing them from a list. Didn't hear back from most of the people I emailed, and like you a few others were unable to have people shadow due to policies. My best luck was using my connections to acquire shadowing opportunities. Do you know someone who knows someone?

[zoopeda]

I find word of mouth works.  I knew a doctor.  I shadowed him.  Then I asked him if he knew any PAs that might take on a shadow.  His referral panned out.  And if I want to shadow others, she has lots of PA contacts.  If someone tells you no, ask them if they know of someone who might take you on.  If you ask enough PAs AND Drs (in person or email), you'll land something.  

[Guest MedLib42]

I actually called some, emailed others, and in some cases used plain old mail - for me, that depended on what contact information was available for the P.A. I was asking to shadow, and how I'd heard about him/her. 

 

Check with your state P.A. association - mine actually had a list of P.A.s willing to shadow or precept (or both). I went through that list and contacted them via whatever preferred method was listed - if email was available, I'd usually send out an email, and follow up with a phone call if I didn't hear anything back within a week or two. Because I wanted to try multiple specialties, I also called all of the hospitals and clinics in the area that I knew utilized P.A.s (I tried to find a contact who was involved with student services, like educational programs, residencies, etc) and asked if they accepted shadows. Sometimes it's not up to the hospital, it's up to the specific P.A. to accept a shadow, so in some cases, calling hospital departments wasn't helpful. But it turned out there were a couple in the area that were able to set up shadowing experiences for students, so it's worth a shot.

 

And yes, word of mouth is really helpful. I asked around, used social media - I put out general feelers on (I think) Facebook, and it turned out that a friend of a friend of a friend was a P.A. that allowed me to shadow.

 

One of the P.A.s I shadowed in the beginning told me it can be helpful to include your resume with your email or letter asking to shadow. I included a resume with my email or hard copy letter that basically highlighted my healthcare-relevant educational background and HCE, and I think I may have even included a couple of sentences as to why I wanted to be a P.A. I'm told some places that are reluctant to take on shadows might be more comfortable if they see you have a decent amount of HCE and have been in a healthcare setting previously. 

 

Also, I don't think it's too early to start shadowing - I applied with over 500 hours of shadowing that I accrued over a couple of years at least. I would say that's a bit of overkill for most programs (I continued doing it mostly because I was really enjoying it, rather than for app purposes after a point), but the fact that I had so many hours in many different specialties was brought up at every interview, and most ADCOMs said they were really impressed to see it. So I'd say go ahead and start early.. can't hurt! 

 

Good luck, and keep trying - you'll land something!

[Guest KRJames]

Thanks everyone for your responses! I really think that including a resume sounds like a great idea. I'm going to do that. And I'll keep asking around.

[Guest KRJames]

Oh and Medlib42, I must have read one of your posts somewhere else in the forums, because I remember someone with 500 hours!!! And surely you must be unique there ;)

[Guest louisweil]

If only the PA shadowing Opportunities thread was as helpful as the responses to your questions...