Job Shadowing

There is no expectation for you to engage with site work—in fact, legally speaking, you are meant to only observe on site without performing work. This distinction separates job shadowing from longer-term, immersive field experiences like internships. Any student shadowing will instead watch the site supervisor they are shadowing while the supervisor completes their day-to-day duties, attends meetings, and works with colleagues and/or clients. Taking observational notes is highly recommended! 

Job shadowing is not a credit-bearing experience. Shadowing hours are meant for career exploration, professional development, and/or securing requisite clinical shadowing hours for graduate medical programs. It is the sole responsibility of the student to contact a site and arrange job shadowing hours with a site supervisor (see below for guidelines). 

Begin by identifying potential job shadowing sites on-campus or off-campus. The Lougheed Center for Applied Learning can provide support in terms of site recommendations and contacts. You should also ask faculty mentors for site ideas and contacts, as faculty may have industry connections to share. Don’t forget to ask family and friends for recommendations. You may also use Handshake or CareerShift to help you find employers. You can utilize the BearConnect platform to identify an alum mentor in their discipline—alumni can offer valuable career guidance as well as ideas for job shadowing on the local/regional level (or back home, if that’s preferred). Job shadowing can occur in any workplace, so you should ask anyone in your network about shadowing opportunities. 

Common job shadowing sites include:

• Hospital units/departments (ex: Canton Potsdam Hospital)
• Dentists and oral surgeons
• Optometrists and audiologists
• Veterinarians 
• “Ride-Alongs” with sheriff’s office or state trooper unit
• Department of Environmental Conservation offices
• Environmental Conservation Officers and Forest Rangers
• Behavioral health clinics and counseling/therapy offices 
• Court system 
• School districts

Note: You are highly encouraged to attend the “Get to Work” fair (fall) and Career and Internship Networking Fair (spring), where you can connect with employers for job shadowing opportunities! 

Whether emailing or calling a site, remember to include the following in your communication: a professional greeting, your reason for reaching out about job shadowing, how shadowing connects to your career interests/path, and what you hope to gain from the experience. You should ask if shadowing is feasible for them and ask about potential scheduling (be ready to offer your availability if they follow up). Consider the timeframe for completing job shadowing hours and include how many hours you are seeking. You should thank them for their time and immediately follow up to confirm the experience. A second follow-up, 48-72 hours prior to the experience, is recommended. For additional support writing a professional email or making a phone call please consult our Networking Guide.

Note: A site may use an HR office or main contact for general inquiries, so be prepared to provide additional information such as a resume, availability to schedule a quick interview and/or visit to the site itself to introduce yourself (some employers prefer to meet with a student in-person before accepting them on site, even for short-term experiences). Need help with a resume? Visit Career Services and consult our Resume Guide!

Job shadowing at a medical/health science site is considered a “clinical experience” due to the observation of healthcare professionals during their daily work. Healthcare organizations typically require clearance/onboarding documentation prior to a clinical experience taking place. The site may request immunization records, a background check, safety/first aid training, etc. You should be prepared to work with the site regarding their prerequisites for job shadowing to occur. If a site asks for an affiliation agreement to be in place for the experience, SUNY Potsdam will work with the site to prepare and execute an agreement for job shadowing (if an agreement is not already on file with both parties).

Many medical school and healthcare programs require completion of shadowing hours prior to submission of a graduate program application. Graduate programs want to ensure that students have experience/exposure in the healthcare field, and job shadowing can help you take care of this requirement. Note that graduate programs will differ regarding how many shadowing hours are needed. It is a good idea to complete your shadowing hours at different sites, as this provides you with different professional contacts and exposure to a variety of healthcare methods and settings. Again, taking observation notes is highly recommended to have a clear log of who, what, when, and where observation details. You can also utilize these notes and reflections when compiling your graduate school application materials.

You can submit a job shadowing proposal through Handshake (similar to submitting an internship proposal) by following this step-by-step walkthrough.

Submitting a Handshake proposal for your job shadowing experience is not required; however, it is an effective way to keep everyone in communication about the experience. Submitting a proposal also means you can earn a digital Credly badge, which can be applied to your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate professional development in your particular industry.

Give yourself enough time to arrive early to the shadowing site. Many healthcare settings expect business attire with close-toed shoes, while some medical settings commonly wear scrubs with sneakers. The same can be said for non-healthcare industries, where the expectation may be business casual at some sites and more casual dress at others. You should ask your site supervisor in advance about appropriate attire. 

Ask the site if an electronic device is allowed to take notes. If not, bring a pad and paper with you to capture observation notes. You should ask your site supervisor if there will be any opportunities for discussion following an observation. Similarly, you should establish whether you can ask questions during observation or if the expectation is to remain silent. 

Remember to send a thank you note once your job shadowing is complete. This can be a brief thank you email or handwritten card that expresses gratitude to the site/site supervisor for sharing their time and expertise with you.