Shadowing at the Trauma Center
by a ShaDO-MD student
1. Can you briefly introduce yourself?
I am a sophomore at UMBC as a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Major on the pre-med track. As of now, I aim to become a doctor with much interest in pathology and psychiatry.
2. Before Shado-MD, what challenges did you face when trying to find physician shadowing opportunities?
Finding the right connections was always a challenge for me in terms of shadowing. I wasn't sure how to contact physicians that I was interested in. Shado-MD made things a little easier!
3. How did you first hear about Shado-MD?
I heard about Shado-MD through UMBC's Muslims in Medicine club. I think I will continue to utilize Shado-MD as a resource for shadowing opportunities!
4. What specialty or specialties did you shadow through Shado-MD?
So far, I have only shadowed in UMMC's Shock Trauma through Shado-MD. Though it is not my desired specialty, I was curious about it and wanted exposure to surgical and more fast-paced environments.
5. Describe your shadowing day.
During my shadowing day, I observed a free flap surgery whilst shadowing surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and surgical technicians. The surgery was super cool to watch, and the staff were very kind and even taught me how to prepare the OR beds!
6. What did you learn from shadowing that you couldn’t have learned in a classroom?
Seeing how each professional took on their role and communicated was something you definitely could not have learned in a classroom. There really is a method to the madness, and their organization and collaboration made everything go smoothly.
7. Did your experience help confirm or change your interest in medicine or a particular specialty? How?
My experience confirmed that surgery is not for me :). It's not something that excites me the way other specialties do, and I definitely prefer less stressful environments.
