Shadowing a physician is a critical step in the premed journey. It provides insight into the daily responsibilities of doctors, the challenges of patient care, and the complexities of medical decision-making. But when it comes to medical school applications, students often ask: How many shadowing hours do I really need?

At AcceptMed, we guide premed students in crafting strong applications by focusing on the experiences that matter most. While some applicants focus on logging as many shadowing hours as possible, the truth is that medical schools value quality over quantity. Instead of worrying about hitting an arbitrary number, understanding how to maximize your shadowing experience can set you apart from other applicants.

1. The Myth of the Magic Number

Many students believe that more shadowing hours automatically make their application stronger. While gaining 50-100 hours is a reasonable range, medical schools aren’t just looking for numbers—they want to see meaningful engagement in clinical settings.

• 50-100 hours: Ideal for most applicants.
• 100+ hours: Beneficial if you lack other clinical experience.
• 20-40 hours: Acceptable if supplemented with patient-facing roles like scribing or volunteering.

Some students shadow for 150+ hours, but without proper reflection or diversity of experiences, those extra hours may not add significant value to an application.

2. Why Quality Matters More Than Quantity

Admissions committees want to see that you gained valuable insights from shadowing, not just that you followed a doctor around for weeks. Here’s what quality shadowing looks like:

• Diverse experiences – Shadowing different specialties (e.g., primary care, surgery, internal medicine) helps you understand various aspects of medicine.
• Active engagement – Asking thoughtful questions about patient interactions, diagnoses, and treatment plans shows genuine interest.

• Reflection and takeaways – Being able to articulate what you learned in your personal statement and interviews demonstrates a deep understanding of the field.

3. How to Make the Most of Your Shadowing Experience

Instead of passively observing, take a proactive approach to shadowing:

• Engage with physicians – Ask questions about clinical reasoning, challenges in medicine, and career advice.
• Observe patient interactions – Pay attention to how doctors communicate, make decisions, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
• Keep a journal – Writing down key experiences, patient cases, and reflections will help you later when writing your personal statement or secondaries.

4. How Medical Schools Evaluate Shadowing in Your Application

When reviewing applications, medical schools don’t just look at your total hours—they assess how well you integrated your experiences into your narrative. Here’s how to effectively showcase your shadowing experience:

Personal Statement – Reflect on how shadowing confirmed your passion for medicine and what you learned about the physician’s role.
Activities Section – Use clear, concise language to highlight your key takeaways rather than just listing hours.
Interviews – Be prepared to discuss specific patient cases or physician interactions that influenced your career decision.

5. Balancing Shadowing with Other Clinical Experiences

While shadowing is valuable, it should not be your only clinical experience. Medical schools expect applicants to have hands-on involvement in patient care through:

• Clinical volunteering (hospitals, free clinics, hospice care).
• Patient-facing jobs (medical scribe, EMT, CNA, phlebotomist).
• Research experience in healthcare-related fields.

If you have fewer shadowing hours, supplementing with direct patient care experience can strengthen your application.

A strong medical school application isn’t about who has the most shadowing hours—it’s about who can clearly articulate why medicine is the right path for them based on their experiences. By focusing on quality over quantity, you’ll build an application that truly stands out.