US observerships: questions to ask before committing to a program

A program's name is not the whole story

Evaluate an observership by its permitted activities and intended audience. For example, Cleveland Clinic's International Physician Observership is observational, excludes patient-care responsibilities and states that it is not designed for IMGs seeking US residency or fellowship applications. Source: Cleveland Clinic — International Physician Observership.

That example does not describe every program. It shows why a familiar institution or the word “hospital” is insufficient to establish whether an opportunity fits your goal.

Rafael Ulysses and Victor Vaz at MedCof headquarters. Real behind-the-scenes photo from MedCof USA. Source: @medcof.usa.

Start with the purpose

Write down what you hope to learn: how a service operates, how teams communicate, how discussions unfold or what a particular field involves. Compare each objective with the official description. Turn any unaddressed expectation into a written question.

Avoid putting every opportunity into one broad “US experience” category. Record the institution, dates, format and activities actually permitted. This precision will also help when describing your background later.

Questions before payment

• Who is eligible and at what professional stage?
• Which activities are included and excluded?
• Who supervises the experience and what schedule is expected?
• What participation documentation is provided?
• Which expenses, cancellation conditions and documents apply?

Do not assume that a recommendation, interview or selection advantage comes with registration. If a commercial offer makes such a promise, request a precise definition and identify who is responsible for delivering it.

Compare offers objectively

Create a record for each opportunity and highlight unanswered questions. Two similarly priced offers can include different activities and expenses. Compare costs after understanding their scope.

Learn from the experience

As a learning exercise, keep a journal without identifiable patient information: what you observed, what question arose and what you plan to study. Describe your participation accurately and follow institutional rules. Observing care should not be presented on a CV as having been responsible for delivering it.

Describe the type of experience accurately

The MyERAS Experience section includes structured observerships among education and training examples. This does not equate observation with hands-on patient care or determine its weight in selection. Describe only your actual participation. AAMC — MyERAS Experience.