Shadowing Healthcare Professionals: How It Impacts Your Future

For aspiring healthcare professionals, the path to a successful career in pharmacy, physical therapy or occupational therapy begins long before graduate or professional schooling. Shadowing – the practice of observing healthcare professionals in action—provides prospective students an invaluable insight into their future profession while enhancing their applications to competitive programs.

Creighton University faculty experts share their insights on maximizing these essential experiences, from discovering opportunities to showcasing your dedication to your chosen field.

Why Shadowing Matters in Healthcare Education

Shadowing isn’t just a box to check on your application—it’s an essential step in affirming your career choice and understanding the daily realities of your chosen profession.

“To me, I look at shadowing as your firsthand look at the day-to-day practice,” explains Nick Weber, PT, DPT, assistant professor of Physical Therapy at Creighton University. “It helps students understand the realities of patient interactions, the different specialties and appreciate the complexity that goes into clinical reasoning.”

For pharmacy students, these experiences reveal the variety of career paths available beyond the corner drugstore. “A lot of students know about your general community pharmacy because that’s what you see,” says Jennifer Tilleman, PharmD, associate professor of Pharmacy Practice at Creighton University. “But when you shadow different areas like hospitals, clinical pharmacists and nuclear pharmacies, you learn what it’s like to be in that environment. It helps you decide when you graduate where you might want to go.”

Occupational therapy students gain similar insights through shadowing. “Occupational therapy just isn’t as well-known as some of our other partners within our school with PT and pharmacy,” notes Carrie Bose, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, assistant professor of Occupational Therapy at Creighton University. “Typically, the students coming in have either gone for occupational therapy themselves, or they had a sibling or another family member that’s had occupational therapy, and they saw the benefit of it.”

Bose shares the shadowing experience that changed her career path: “I was shadowing a physical therapist because that’s what I initially thought I was going to do. And I saw the occupational therapists working in the other areas, and I thought, ‘I think that’s what I want to do,’ and changed my path.” Her experience illustrates how shadowing can lead to unexpected yet fulfilling career decisions.

Beyond career exploration, shadowing provides concrete examples that strengthen your application and interview. “Having a story to tell about what you observed during shadowing can be really impactful,” Bose explains. “We know you likely don’t know everything clinically, but we can look at your thought process and ability to interpret what you saw.”

Making the Most of Your Shadowing Experience

Successful shadowing requires more than just showing up. Faculty experts recommend coming mentally prepared and actively engaged throughout the experience.

“Be mentally prepared to understand that you’re going to a location with a patient who may have experienced either one of the worst experiences in their life or just maybe something that they were born with and that they’re managing,” advises Bose. “I think curiosity in shadowing is really important. It can be easy to be a wallflower and just be there but not actively engaged.”
Weber suggests finding ways to participate appropriately: “You want to try to almost participate in a way—you want to help. As the provider is finishing up their session with the patient, to prevent that burnout that they’re experiencing where they want to talk to you and explain to you what they’re doing, try to help them turn the room over, help them change the linens real quick or wipe down a table and participate and make that experience for them less of a burden.”

Asking thoughtful questions is essential, but timing matters. “I would definitely ask that question before we started for the day,” Weber suggests, “‘Do you mind if I ask you questions while you’re with the patient, or do you prefer if I wait until they leave?’ And that’s going to be on a very provider-by-provider basis.”

Tilleman recommends being prepared with specific questions: “Some common things would be to ask ‘how did you get interested in this profession?’ Why did you choose this area to practice in? What are some of the good things that happen in this practice environment? What are some of the drawbacks?”

How to Prepare for a Shadowing Experience

Professional demeanor is paramount when shadowing healthcare professionals. This means dressing appropriately, arriving on time and behaving respectfully in the clinical environment.

“Usually, for the most part, if you’re going to shadow, someone at the company is in charge of setting up the shadowing experiences, and they’re probably sending you an email about professional dress, and here’s the expectation,” explains Weber. “Making sure that you read those communications ahead of time and then abide by them. Because while it might not affect your experience, it might affect the opportunity for future students.”

Mental preparation is equally important. Bose advises students to “come in with a good mental headspace to understand what you’re going to do while you’re shadowing. You’re not going to do much physically, but you’ll be doing a lot in your head.”

Tilleman emphasizes the importance of an open mindset: “Some students have a mindset that ‘I’m going to this community, and I don’t care what the other areas are like.’ You might miss an opportunity. So you need to go with an open, positive mind to each experience.”

Finding Shadowing Opportunities in Omaha and Beyond

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Securing shadowing experiences can be challenging, especially post-COVID. Still, Creighton University faculty experts offer several strategies for success at their Omaha campus and other locations where programs are offered.

“It’s hard to get shadowing nowadays, especially with COVID. There are more restrictions on students being able to come into facilities,” Bose acknowledges. “So when they can and when it’s available, it’s really important to optimize that.”

Leveraging state professional associations can be an effective strategy. “The state OT association, ArizOTA, on their website, has a location for shadowing opportunities. Any therapist willing to take shadowing students or organizations that can take them is helpful,” Bose shares. “Reaching out to your state association is important.”

Professional communication is crucial when seeking opportunities. “Professional communication is really important. This is your first step in sending an email to a rehab director or calling up a hospital and engaging in that,” Bose explains. “How you approach asking for a shadowing position can just be as important as the actual shadowing itself.”

Alumni networks can also be valuable resources. “Our alumni have gone through the process, so they understand the importance of it. And then they can give you their life experience going through Creighton,” notes Bose. “Oftentimes, our alumni are just willing to take on students because they valued their education and their time through Creighton as well.”

In pharmacy, networking is particularly important. “Pharmacy is a super small world, and usually, if there’s someone I can help shadow, I would help make that connection,” Tilleman says. “And I think most of my colleagues in the pharmacy profession would do the same.”

Weber suggests casting a wide net: “You truly have to just call around and see who has availability. A lot of places now also need help on the work side of things. Sometimes, while you’re calling just to shadow for maybe eight hours, it can evolve into a part-time job.”

How Shadowing Enhances Your Application

While shadowing isn’t the only factor admissions committees consider, it can significantly strengthen your application to competitive healthcare programs.

“Having diversity in those shadowing experiences will look good on your application,” Weber notes. “I think it allows you not only to have that on a piece of paper, but it allows you to speak to what you know about the variety of the profession.”

Tilleman considers shadowing experience a valuable bonus: “When I’m on the admissions committee, I look to see if the candidate has some pharmacy experience. If they do not, does that limit the candidate? No. It gives me a sense of the candidate’s interest in pharmacy, which is a plus.”

Beyond simply checking a box, quality shadowing experiences enable you to articulate your passion and understanding of the profession. “They should be able to understand what occupational therapy is holistically for the career and then have some specific examples,” Bose explains. “That is so much more than just having a textbook answer about occupational therapy.”

Learn more about what professional school interviews are really like and how your shadowing experiences can help you succeed.

Building Your Professional Network Through Shadowing

Shadowing experiences often lead to valuable professional connections that extend well beyond the application process.

“I think you want to build a relationship with that provider if you can,” Weber advises. “And then, I think there’s an opportunity to grow that particular experience into more of a professional networking kind of relationship. And you might want to be able to call on that person down the road, whether you get into grad school and you want to ask a question or when the time comes that you’re looking for a job.”

These connections can lead to recommendation letters, future employment opportunities and professional mentorship. “And the more people you know, the more opportunities open up,” Tilleman emphasizes. “Not only just for shadowing but after you graduate and are looking for jobs.”

Sometimes, a positive shadowing experience can lead directly to employment opportunities. “I’ve had students with me when I was in private practice for just a couple hours. And you can tell right away, like this person’s responsible, they’re professional,” Weber shares. “And by the way, I have this little part-time job. I could use a little help eight to 10 hours a week. Would you be interested in that?”

Conclusion: Your First Step Into the Profession

Shadowing represents more than just an application requirement—it’s your first professional step into your healthcare career. By approaching these experiences with preparation, engagement and curiosity, you’ll gain valuable insights while demonstrating your commitment to your chosen field.

Whether you’re interested in pharmacy, physical therapy or occupational therapy, shadowing helps you confirm your career choice while building the professional connections that will support you throughout your education and beyond. These experiences provide valuable context for Creighton’s hands-on learning approach and will help prepare you for the rigorous academic programs and clinical rotations ahead.

Make every shadowing opportunity count—approach each with enthusiasm and an open mind. Ask thoughtful questions, observe and reflect on your experiences. Remember that shadowing isn’t just about checking a box on your application; it’s about discovering if this profession truly aligns with your skills, interests and goals. Your shadowing journey might be the experience that confirms your calling or reveals an unexpected passion, leading you to a fulfilling healthcare career you hadn’t previously considered.