Value of shadowing

[WannabePA]

Are there any studies that document any value of shadowing to PA students and/or graduate PAs? Is the dropout rate for students that shadowed lower? Are graduate PAs who shadowed more likely to be practicing as a clinical PA 10 years after graduation. Do PAs who shadowed perform better academically?

[PaulK]

That's an interesting question. The only article I could dig up on the topic is below and it isn't oriented toward PAs specifically.

But in my mind, the reason to shadow is not to become a better PA someday or even to increase your chances of getting into PA school. It's to get clear on the profession.

Did you ever see Private Benjamin with Goldi Hawn?

I joined a *different* army. I joined the one with the condos and the private rooms.

Shadowing wouldn't be very necessary if a person was going to become, say, a dentist or a teacher. Everybody has spent time around those professions and understands a lot about what they entail. But PA is a less common career, and there is plenty of confusion about just what PAs do. So by shadowing, PA schools make sure that you have done enough research to know what you're getting into - that you don't get into PA school thinking you're going to become a Personal Assistant or something. It prevents Private Benjamin moments.

http://lamar.colostate.edu/~aejmcpr/55gordon.htm