By Abby Rathburn | Staff Writer
Shadowing hours look great on a resume, but shadowing isn’t just about observing a doctor at work — it’s about what you learned from your experiences.
Alpha Epsilon Delta, the American Student Dental Association and the Physician Assistant Society collaborated through a joint clinical etiquette workshop Wednesday night in the BSB. Through this, professionals shared what to do and what not to do while job shadowing.
AED Networking Chair and San Antonio senior Alex Dentchev first came up with this collaboration over winter break. Next, he sent out emails inviting the other clubs to make the event a broader pre-health experience.
“When you’re there shadowing, some things that you should and shouldn’t do, they don’t come to mind, and I think it’s good to hear doctor’s perspectives on that,” Dentchev said.
After receiving the invite to collaborate on this event, ASDA President and Plano senior Abby Song said she was grateful to bring multiple pre-health organizations to the same table, shifting the event into a cross-disciplinary learning experience.
“I know that it’s not just going to be me working with only other dental offices, so I think this year we’ve done a better job of collaborating with the other organizations just to foster that community before we go to med school, dental school, PA school,” Song said.
The event featured four prominent professionals — two physicians, one pediatric dentist, and one physician assistant. Dr. Tuan Loh, an anesthesiologist, pointed out that while logistical planning may seem minor, the details make a big difference.
“Operating rooms require scrub attire, and every hospital has different color coded scrubs,” Loh said. “So, knowing what to wear ahead of time would be very important.”
Echoing the need to be prepared, Physician Assistant David Escajeda shared a story about his frustrations with students who don’t seem to care about what is happening around them since it really is the impression made along the way that will help with future career goals.
“Just [acknowledge] that you’re actually paying attention to not only what we’re doing, but the situation,” Escajeda said.
Specifically, Escajeda expressed frustrations with students who were glued to their phones — a sign of disrespect of the doctors’ time and help. To continue establishing connections, Dr. Lina Cardenas, a pediatric dentist, offered a quick and easy way to remind the professionals students are placed with that they are appreciated.
“If you have the additional time to write a thank you note, that’ll definitely keep a good impression,” Cardenas said.
