Knowing how to ask to shadow a doctor mostly comes down to timing and clarity. Start with physicians you already know, contact them at least a few weeks before you hope to begin, explain in a few sentences who you are and why you chose them, offer specific dates, and follow up once if you hear nothing.
This guide focuses on the request itself: sample emails, a phone script, a follow-up schedule and what to do when the answer is no. For the full process from first contact through reflection, see our guide on how to shadow a doctor.
Before You Reach Out
A physician who agrees to host you is taking on extra work, so make the request easy to say yes to. Have these details ready before you send anything:
- Your school, year and intended path, such as pre-med biology major or post-baccalaureate student
- Two or three date ranges when you are genuinely available
- A one-page resume you can attach or send on request
- A short reason for choosing this physician or specialty
- Any medically related experience you already have, even if it is limited
Students often delay because they want the perfect message. A clear, polite and specific request matters more than polished wording. Physicians and office managers read many emails a day, and a short message that answers their obvious questions gets a faster reply.
Who to Ask First
The AAMC’s shadowing guidance suggests starting with doctors you already know, including your own physicians, and notes that it is also fine to contact hospitals through their volunteer office. A personal connection usually produces the quickest answer because the physician already knows you are reliable.
Good first contacts include:
- Your own doctors. A former pediatrician, a primary care physician or a specialist who treated you. Some practices do not allow current or former patients to shadow, but the physician may introduce you to a colleague.
- Family and family friends. A relative who practices medicine is a fine place to start, and they likely know other physicians. Plan to ask someone outside your family for any letter of evaluation, since a relative cannot judge your work impartially.
- Your pre-health advising office. Many colleges keep lists of physicians who have hosted students before.
- Hospital volunteer offices. Some hospitals run formal shadowing or observership programs with their own applications.
- Local practices found through a search. Searching for physician shadowing near you can turn up practices that already host high school or college students.
Should You Email or Call?
Either works. The AAMC guidance says to call the office or email the physician at least a few weeks before you would like to begin. Email gives a busy physician time to answer and lets you attach a resume. A phone call can work well for small practices where the office manager handles requests. If you call, keep any voicemail under 30 seconds and leave your number twice.
What to Include in Your Request
The AAMC recommends that you explain why you want to shadow this person specifically, briefly describe where you go to school, any medically related experiences and your goals, and stay courteous and professional throughout. In practice, that means five short pieces:
- Introduce yourself with your name, school and year.
- State that you are exploring medicine and which area interests you.
- Explain how you know the physician or how you found them.
- Say why you would like to shadow them in particular.
- Ask directly, and offer specific dates.
Keep an email to three or four short paragraphs. Use a clear subject line, such as “Shadowing request from a pre-med student” or “Request to shadow, summer availability.”
Sample Email to a Doctor You Know
Treat the samples below as templates. Replace every bracketed detail with your own information and rewrite any sentence that does not sound like you.
Subject: Shadowing request from [Your Name]
Dear Dr. [Last Name],
I hope you are doing well. You were my [pediatrician / family physician] for several years, and I am now a [year] at [University], where I am a pre-med student majoring in [Major].
I would like to learn what a physician’s day involves before I apply to medical school, and I would be grateful for the chance to shadow you. Your work in [specialty or setting] is the reason I first became interested in medicine.
I am available [date range] and can adjust to your schedule, whether that means a few hours a week or a single full day. I have attached my resume in case it is helpful.
Thank you for considering my request.
[Your Name] [Phone number]
Sample Email to a Doctor You Do Not Know
Subject: Request to shadow, [month] availability
Dear Dr. [Last Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I am a [year] at [University] studying [Major] as a pre-med student. I found your practice while looking for physicians in [specialty] near [city], and your focus on [specific detail from their profile] stood out to me.
I am hoping to shadow a physician in [specialty] to understand the daily work and patient care involved. I have [one sentence on relevant experience, such as hospital volunteering]. I am available [date range] and would be happy to work around your schedule and any requirements your office has for observers.
I have attached my resume and would be glad to answer any questions. Thank you for your time.
[Your Name] [Phone number]
Sample Email When Someone Referred You
Referrals are the most effective cold contact because the physician has a reason to trust you. Name the referrer in the first sentence.
Subject: Referred by [Referrer’s Name] for shadowing
Dear Dr. [Last Name],
[Referrer’s Name] suggested I contact you. I am a [year] at [University] interested in [specialty], and [Referrer’s Name] mentioned that you have hosted students before.
Would you be open to my shadowing you for [a few hours a week / a few days] during [date range]? I am happy to complete any paperwork or training your office requires.
Thank you for considering it.
[Your Name]
Phone and Voicemail Script
“Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I am calling for Dr. [Last Name]. I am a pre-med student at [University], and I am hoping to shadow a physician in [specialty] this [season]. If Dr. [Last Name] would consider it, please call me back at [number]. That is [number] again. Thank you, and have a great day.”
If a receptionist answers, introduce yourself in one sentence and ask who handles shadowing requests. Office staff often know the practice’s policy and can save you several emails.
A Simple Follow-Up Schedule
Silence usually means a busy inbox, not a no. A simple schedule keeps you persistent without becoming a burden. The timing below is a suggested plan, not a rule:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Send your request with dates and a resume |
| Days 7 to 10 | Send one short, polite follow-up in the same email thread |
| About day 21 | If there is still no reply, move on and contact someone else |
| Within 1 to 2 days of a yes | Thank them, confirm dates and ask what onboarding the office needs |
| The day before you start | Confirm arrival time, location and who will meet you |
| Your last day | Give a thank-you note and, if it went well, ask about a letter |
A follow-up can be two sentences: “I wanted to follow up on my note from last week about shadowing. I remain available [dates] and would be glad to work around your schedule.”
What If the Doctor Says No?
Thank them and ask one question: “Do you know a colleague who might host a student?” Many physicians decline because of hospital policy, liability rules or a full schedule, not because of anything in your request. A courteous reply keeps the door open for later and often produces a referral. Keep a simple list of everyone you contact, the date and the response, so you never send the same person two first requests. Once a physician says yes, plan what you will ask with our list of questions to ask while shadowing a doctor.
Hospital Contact Checklist
Large hospitals tend to route shadowing through a central office, and the requirements can take weeks to complete. Use this checklist when you contact one:
| Ask about | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which office handles student observers | Volunteer services, medical education or a department coordinator may own the process |
| Minimum age and enrollment rules | Some hospitals only host students over a certain age or enrolled in college |
| Immunization and health screening | Many sites ask for records or a recent screening before you can attend |
| Confidentiality or HIPAA forms | You may need to sign a form agreeing not to disclose patient information |
| Background check or ID badge | These steps can add time, so start early |
| Dress code and what to bring | Each site sets its own expectations for observers |
After the Doctor Says Yes
What Will the Office Ask You to Complete?
Ask what the office needs from you and complete it promptly. The AAMC notes that you may need to sign a HIPAA compliance form agreeing that you will not disclose patient information, and it recommends dressing professionally and comfortably, with closed-toed shoes you can stand in all day.
Agree on a schedule that suits both of you. The AAMC suggests options such as a few hours a week for several weeks or months, or a full week during a summer or school break. Arrive early, follow every office policy and remember that patients may ask you to step out.
Take notes between patients, not during conversations, and leave out names and identifying details. Note anything you want to ask the physician later and any idea you might use in a secondary essay. Log the date and hours after every session, and use our guide to shadowing hours for medical school to judge how your total fits your plan.
Choosing Which Doctor to Shadow
Start where your interests lie, but take any good opportunity you can get. A primary care physician, pediatrician, obstetrician-gynecologist or ophthalmologist can each show you a different side of medicine. If you hope to enter a particular specialty, say so in your request to a physician in that field. A specific reason is more persuasive than a general wish to see medicine.
Thank-You Notes and Letters
The AAMC recommends writing a thank-you note to give the physician on your last day and, if the experience went well, asking for a letter of recommendation right away rather than waiting until the experience is no longer fresh. A handwritten note is a good habit. Mention one specific thing you learned so the note does not read as a form letter.
Letters and experiences eventually become part of your AMCAS application, so keep the physician’s full name, title and contact details in your records.
When Shadowing Is Hard to Find
Shadowing is widely recommended, but it is not the only way to learn about clinical work. The AAMC’s shadowing fact sheet reports that in a 2016 AAMC survey, 87% of responding schools said they accept an alternate activity instead of clinical shadowing. Hospital volunteering, scribing and other patient-facing roles can teach you a great deal, and our guide to clinical experience for medical school compares the options.
Another route is a structured program. IMA offers supervised medical shadowing abroad for pre-health students. Stays start at two weeks, students observe for six to eight hours a weekday under licensed clinicians, and staff are on call 24/7.
If you want help planning your clinical experience or writing your request, our medical school admissions consulting team works with students on exactly this.
High school students should start with our guide to shadowing a doctor in high school, since age rules differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Far in Advance Should I Ask to Shadow a Doctor?
Contact the physician at least a few weeks before you hope to begin, as the AAMC recommends. Hospitals with formal onboarding can take longer, so start earlier when you are approaching a large health system.
Is It Better to Email or Call a Doctor About Shadowing?
Either is acceptable. Email lets you attach a resume and gives a busy physician time to reply, while a call works well for small practices where the office manager handles requests.
How Long Should a Shadowing Request Email Be?
Keep it to three or four short paragraphs. Introduce yourself, explain why you chose this physician, offer specific dates and thank them for considering your request.
How Many Times Should I Follow Up?
Send one polite follow-up after about a week to ten days. If you still hear nothing after roughly three weeks, move on and contact someone else.
Can I Ask a Family Member Who Is a Doctor to Let Me Shadow?
Yes. A relative is often the easiest first contact and can introduce you to colleagues. Plan to ask someone outside your family for any letter of evaluation.
What Should I Do if Every Doctor Says No?
Ask each physician who declines whether a colleague might host you, contact your advising office and hospital volunteer offices, and consider other patient-facing roles. Many schools accept alternate clinical activities when shadowing is hard to arrange.
