Hi, I am a sophomore in high school, and I have wanted to be a doctor since forever. I have recently started to shadow doctors and wanted to share my journey with you. My first time shadowing was in the ICU department of the hospital. I was extremely nervous because I had absolutely no idea what to expect or what to say. To help you guys out, I will share some things I wish I had known before I started shadowing.

Some Tips for Shadowing:

• Do not be nervous ! Healthcare workers are very understanding and don’t feel bothered by your presence. Most of them have had students shadow them and are happy to answer whatever questions you have.   
• No question is a dumb question! It is very intimidating to be talking to a very smart person, but I promise you that they will not think any less of you if you ask a question that may be obvious to them. 
• If you have trouble coming up with questions, try asking open-ended questions like, “What does a normal routine look like for you?” or asking them to explain a certain disease or treatment course is always a great start. Many questions can stem from this!
  
  
• Bring a notepad! It is very helpful to take notes in the moment rather than trying to remember them when you come home

What I Learned:

I wanted to share some things I learned during my first day of shadowing because I personally thought it was really eye-opening.First, I was shown a patient receiving dialysis. This patient originally came to the hospital with pneumonia. However, as his lungs began to deteriorate and oxygen levels decreased, his kidneys started to fail as well. Eventually, the patient was put on a ventilator and also began dialysis.

How Dialysis Works: The dialysis machine filters the patient’s blood and removes excess fluids. Blood is drawn from the patient, filtered through the machine, and then the waste products are removed. The filtered blood is returned to the body, and the process is repeated. Dialysis helps to perform the function of the kidneys when they are no longer working effectively.

As I mentioned, this patient was also on a ventilator. When I shadowed, it was his second week on the ventilator. He was receiving multiple medications through an IV, including propofol, the same drug that Michael Jackson was infamously administered too much of. Propofol is an anesthetic that can cause severe respiratory depression if not carefully managed.

Next, I observed a patient named R, an elderly woman with Down syndrome who was also on a ventilator. She had come from a group home and was prone to frequent illness. When I returned a few days later, R was off the ventilator, though she seemed cranky. She wasn’t a fan of her feeding tube and had to wear mitts and a vest restraint to prevent her from pulling it out. These restraints are used to keep patients from removing vital medical devices like feeding tubes or IV lines.

Finally, a patient came in with what seemed to be a stroke. He was a middle-aged man who had been found on the floor by his discoverer. I learned that there are two main types of strokes: Hemorrhagic and Ischemic. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and causes bleeding. Ischemic strokes happen when there is a blockage in a blood vessel carrying blood to the brain.

This was a topic of discussion as I wondered whether clot-busting medication would be necessary. For context, the ICU department was debating this before the patient was transferred from the Emergency Unit. In an ischemic stroke, clot-busting medication is typically given within 3 to 4 hours from when the symptoms start. However, this discussion became unnecessary when it was discovered that the patient did not, in fact, have a stroke.

Instead, his symptoms, which mimicked a stroke, were caused by the deterioration of his health due to personal choices. The patient was an alcoholic, which led to cognitive issues and the deterioration of motor skills.

I hope some of the implications of my day were helpful to you in some form! Please feel free to ask any questions or anything regarding shadowing.