Hyper Trophy Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Hey Everyone, For those of you who have shadowed physician assistants already, how did you get the ball rolling? I'm currently typing up a letter of interest that I can personalize and leave when I approach places of interest. At the moment I'm considering going to Urgent Care or MedExpress facilities in hopes I can find some PAs there. I've also put out feelers to friends in the medical field in hopes they can point me in the correct direction. I've already contacted universities in New Jersey with PA Programs to find out if they have a program for alumni who are interested in having someone shadow and was told no, the information is not available to non students. This is understandable, but I am looking to change careers and believe it is vital for me to shadow now so I can figure out if I really want to go down that path. Any help, questions, or comments are welcomed. Looking in central/southern New Jersey as well as the Philadelphia, Pa area. Yes, I am on pashadowonline.com and every PA is at least an hour and a half-two hours away from where I live and they are not available on the weekends. My current job will only allow for nighttime and/or weekend shadowing. Thank you for your time! -H.Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachiehayes Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Shadow any healthcare professional that lets you - chances are he or she will know a PA or someone that works with a PA. I started by shadowing an OB/GYN. She knew a plastic surgeon that worked with 3 PAs. They let me scrub in and shadow in the operating room. I volunteered at a hospital. Volunteering is a good way to get your foot in the door and meet PAs. Some hospitals offer undergraduate students shadowing opportunities. Be ready to provide current documentation to shadow/work/volunteer. This includes copies a TB Test, proof of immunizations, drug screen, and criminal background check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakingpatience Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I joined my states PA association, which gave me access to listings of PAs in the area, then sent out emails, I got 2 shadowing experiences from that. Also, now is the time to network, ask people you know if they know any PAs you can shadow. As a whole, I had better luck with smaller offices than large corporations (here's looking at you k@iser), which had hard and fast rules against shadowing at their facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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