Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The burden of shadowing and volunteering in medical school admissions: a hurdle, not a measure of commitment

Myles Gart, MD
Education
February 9, 2025
Share
Tweet
Share

In recent years, the requirements for medical school admission have expanded far beyond academic excellence and personal statements. Shadowing physicians and accumulating volunteer hours are now seen as prerequisites for demonstrating commitment to the profession. However, these requirements, while well-intentioned, have become unnecessary hurdles rather than meaningful indicators of dedication or future success as a physician.

Unnecessary compared to other professions

Medical school applicants are asked to prove their commitment in ways that applicants to other demanding professions, such as engineering or music, are not. Engineering schools do not require students to shadow professional engineers, and music programs rarely mandate unpaid service hours in music-related fields. Instead, applicants are judged on their academic record, demonstrated talent, and passion for the field. By contrast, aspiring physicians are held to a subjective and often burdensome standard that extends far beyond classroom achievement.

A barrier to equity

The expectation that applicants spend hundreds of hours shadowing and volunteering creates a system that favors those with time, financial resources, and connections. For students who need to work, support family members, or attend schools without robust pre-medical support, these requirements are formidable obstacles. The assumption that unpaid shadowing and volunteering experiences cultivate empathy and dedication ignores the reality that many students are already managing significant responsibilities that demonstrate these qualities in real life.

Box-checking versus authentic experiences

Instead of fostering genuine growth, these requirements often encourage superficial “box-checking” behaviors. The focus shifts from meaningful experiences to ensuring that an application appears competitive. In many cases, shadowing consists of standing silently in exam rooms, observing physicians without context or interaction. While shadowing may offer a brief glimpse into the clinical world, it is unlikely to shape an applicant’s core motivation to pursue medicine.

Academic achievement speaks volumes.

An applicant’s academic record, along with research, leadership roles, and personal achievements, should already reflect their commitment, resilience, and intellectual curiosity. The decision to apply to medical school itself reflects years of preparation, sacrifice, and long-term dedication. By requiring additional unpaid hours in clinical settings, admissions committees risk devaluing the significance of academic and personal accomplishments.

A product of holistic admissions overcorrection

The rise of “holistic admissions” has led to an increased emphasis on non-academic qualities such as empathy, resilience, and altruism. While this shift aims to produce well-rounded physicians, it has also overcorrected, placing an excessive burden on applicants to prove their worth in ways that may have little relevance to their future performance as physicians. Many practicing physicians acknowledge that shadowing did little to prepare them for medical school or clinical rotations. Their clinical competence and compassion were shaped by formal education, clinical training, and real-world experience—not by shadowing.

Reimagining the path to medicine

It is time to reassess the value of shadowing and volunteering in the admissions process. Alternatives, such as structured interviews or reflective essays based on lived experiences, could provide more authentic insights into an applicant’s empathy and readiness for the profession. Programs should also consider making shadowing optional or reducing its weight in admissions decisions to avoid excluding highly qualified candidates who may lack the resources to meet these expectations.

Conclusion

ADVERTISEMENT

Medical school applicants should not have to demonstrate commitment beyond their academic achievements, research, and leadership experiences. The current system risks excluding passionate, capable individuals who have already shown resilience and dedication in meaningful ways. By shifting the focus away from hours logged and toward a more holistic understanding of applicants’ journeys, we can build a more equitable and effective admissions process—one that prioritizes future potential over arbitrary benchmarks.

In a profession that values empathy and service, we should ensure that the path to becoming a physician reflects those same values.

Myles Gart is an anesthesiologist.

Prev

Transforming dementia care with better detection tools [PODCAST]

February 8, 2025 Kevin 0
…
Next

Super Bowl betting: How America's favorite game fuels gambling addiction

February 9, 2025 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Transforming dementia care with better detection tools [PODCAST]
Next Post >
Super Bowl betting: How America's favorite game fuels gambling addiction

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Myles Gart, MD

  • Cutting opioid use in half: a hospital’s pain management breakthrough

    Myles Gart, MD
  • How objective pain management can save lives and prevent addiction

    Myles Gart, MD
  • The hidden dangers of prioritizing patient happiness

    Myles Gart, MD

Related Posts

  • Is the MCAT still vital for medical school admissions?

    Anonymous
  • Medical school admissions: wokeism vs. the Bible

    Christopher Nyte, DO
  • Medical school admissions: an issue of socioeconomic diversity

    Ravinder S. Chale
  • AAMC’s video interview tool for admissions is poised to introduce further bias to medical school admissions

    Zonía R. Moore
  • End medical school grades

    Adam Lieber
  • The role of income in medical school acceptance

    Carter Do

More in Education

  • Why medical schools must ditch lectures and embrace active learning

    Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA
  • Why helping people means more than getting an MD

    Vaishali Jha
  • Residency match tips: Building mentorship, research, and community

    Simran Kaur, MD and Eva Shelton, MD
  • How I learned to stop worrying and love AI

    Rajeev Dutta
  • Why medical student debt is killing primary care in America

    Alexander Camp
  • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

    Jordan Williamson, MEd
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean

      Cheryl Spang | Finance
    • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why testosterone matters more than you think in women’s health

      Andrea Caamano, MD | Conditions
    • A mind to guide the machine: Why physicians must help shape artificial intelligence in medicine

      Shanice Spence-Miller, MD | Tech
    • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Decoding your medical bill: What those charges really mean

      Cheryl Spang | Finance
    • The emotional first responders of aesthetic medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • Why testosterone matters more than you think in women’s health

      Andrea Caamano, MD | Conditions
    • A mind to guide the machine: Why physicians must help shape artificial intelligence in medicine

      Shanice Spence-Miller, MD | Tech
    • How subjective likability practices undermine Canada’s health workforce recruitment and retention

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...