7 Physician Shadowing Programs In NYC! (2022)

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Shadowing is super important if you’re planning on a career in healthcare. It’s also difficult to come by!

If you live in New York City, these physician shadowing programs could be a good fit for you.

Before we dive into the list of physician shadowing programs in NYC, why don’t you check out our other physician shadowing guides? We cover all major U.S. cities!

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List Of Physician Shadowing Programs In NYC

Bronx Westchester AHEC Undergraduate Summer Health Internship

The Bronx Westchester offers a summer health internship for college freshmen and sophomores that reside in Bronx or Westchester Counties.

The program is a six-week opportunity that includes a shadowing component of three days per week and five hours per day. Additional sessions include lectures, field trips, and other health-related activities.

Applications open around march while the program begins in early June.

DETAILS

Lennox Hill Hospital Shadowing

As well as volunteering opportunities, Lennox Hill Hospital offers shadowing/observing placements for any individuals interested in healthcare work.

Participants are allowed to volunteer up to 75 hours provided they can find a physician/sponsor associated with the hospital.

See the website for further information.

DETAILS

NYU Shadowing Program

The Health Career Opportunity Program at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation Center offers shadowing opportunities for candidates over the age of 18 (high school, college, or graduate).

Applications for 2022 will open in September this year but the admission is highly selective. The program is only open to individuals with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or more, with proof of grades requested.

You must apply before December 18 while notifications usually come in around the following March.

Opportunities for shadowing exist in the following specialties:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Care Management
  • Clinical Nutrition
  • Creative Arts Therapy
  • Diagnostic Radiology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Pharmacy
  • Physician Assistant
  • Psychology

And more (see the website for a full list).

DETAILS

Cornell Medical College Shadow Program

Cornell’s shadow program offers member students of their college an opportunity to accompany a practicing physician during their normal workday duties.

Designed to give their students a greater insight into medicine and its varying specialties, the program is typically held at the beginning of January in affiliation with Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Applications open in October while decisions are usually finalized beginning of November.

DETAILS

Hispanic Center of Excellence Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program (SUMP)

Running since 2002, SUMP is a six-week program offering students from underrepresented groups and backgrounds to shadow physician mentors across a range of areas.

An expectation of the program is that students complete a written research project and deliver a presentation to their peers and mentors.

Students are expected to attend 14 hours of lectures per week and spend at least six hours with their assigned mentors. Stipends are awarded at the end of the program.

Applicants must have a GPA 3.0 or above and completed at least 2 science courses prior to beginning the program.

2021’s program will be running virtually due to the pandemic but check the website for more information concerning SUMP’s future plans.

DETAILS

The Einstein Enrichment Program

The Einstein Enrichment Program (EEP) and its extension program offer grade 7-12 students important exposure to medical careers. As a New York state-funded STEP program, the 15-week curriculum is open to students of high academic school performance, good attendance, and those expressing an interest in medicine, health, and science.

Running throughout the fall and spring semesters, participants can experience the following opportunities:

  • 96 hours of clinical shadowing and research placements
  • Test-prep classes
  • Ambulance-bay prep

There is also a five-week summer program for students over the age of 16 and a six-week summer program for alumni of the program currently pursuing undergraduate degrees.

DETAILS

Montefiore Undergraduate Shadowing

Montefiore hospital runs a specialist Mentoring in Medicine (MIM) program that aims to help increase the diversity of the healthcare workforce by working with students at a young age. The program is open specifically to socioeconomically disadvantaged students, pairing them with working healthcare professionals.

Students fitting that criteria can be taken into MIM from third grade upward.

The program provides both clinical and observational experiences organized as follows:

  • 20 hours of community service
  • 40 hours of volunteering at Montefiore Emergency Department
  • 20 hours of shadowing physicians

DETAILS

  • Name: Montefiore Medical Center
  • Location: 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, NY 10467
  • Phone: 718.920.6626
  • Contact: Lynne Holden, MD
  • Website: http://www.medicalmentor.org

Montefiore Health Opportunities Summer Program

The Montefiore Health Opportunities Program (Monte HOP) is a summer program aimed at socioeconomically and educationally disadvantaged students looking to learn more about healthcare.

The program takes 12-15 students each summer and provides the following:

  • Interactive workshops (suturing, CPR)
  • Health-related lectures
  • Community field trips
  • One on one mentoring from healthcare professionals
  • Shadowing

Applicants must be graduating high school senior or college freshman/sophomore and considered economically disadvantaged from groups underrepresented in the health industry.

DETAILS

Other Opportunities For Hospital-Based Shadowing In NYC

Besides the organized shadowing opportunities listed, it can be worth researching and enquiring about possible hospital volunteering programs in NYC and the surrounding area.

Signing up to volunteer can help you build a network among physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare workers that could lead to important shadowing opportunities.

Check out our list of opportunities for hospital volunteering in NYC here.

What About Private Shadowing?

It’s possible to set up private shadowing programs with physicians (and other healthcare workers) in NYC.

Here are some top tips on how to secure further shadowing opportunities in the city:

  • Contact your own personal care provider (PCP) and enquire about shadowing
  • Search out hospital volunteer programs and research coordinators at teaching hospitals (they have a higher success of connecting you with willing physicians over cold calling/emailing)
  • Find the emails/contacts of physicians associated or affiliated with academic hospitals
  • Focus on less populated/competitive hospitals (i.e. focus on places in the Bronx rather than Manhattan)
  • Consider applying for hospital scribing jobs in the city

I Want To Shadow A Certain Specialty Doctor, What Can I Do?

If you’re looking to learn more about the various areas of medicine (and the differing roles) then shadowing can help.

Landing opportunities are broadly the same across all areas of medicine and health. You’ll want to contact departments directly and see if they can put you in contact with specialist healthcare workers in areas you’re interested in.

For students looking for specific shadowing guides after they’ve landed opportunities, make sure you check out our articles on anesthetics and psychiatry shadowing. There are some additional tips there!

Final Thoughts

A physician or hospital-based shadowing program is important for students looking to apply and learn more about various healthcare education programs.

If you remain open-minded, flexible, and persistent, there’s no reason you can’t secure something in NYC itself to help get you started.

Hopefully, the programs above can help give you a taste of what’s out there.

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