Shadowing /Clinical Hours Log Sheet + Sample Descriptions for AMCAS, CASPA, and AACOMAS

For pre-med, pre-PA, and pre-nursing students, shadowing is one of the most essential — and sometimes overlooked — components of your application to healthcare programs. But it’s not just about collecting hours. Admissions committees want to know what you learned, how you reflected, and how your experiences shaped your commitment to healthcare.

Whether you’re logging shadowing hours from your hometown clinic or from an internship abroad, keeping a detailed and organized record of your shadowing experiences is crucial. In this guide, we provide a downloadable Shadowing Hours Log Sheet and sample experience descriptions tailored for AMCAS (MD), CASPA (PA), and AACOMAS (DO) applications.

> Explore Go-Elective PreMed and Medical Internships Abroad

Why shadowing matters

Shadowing gives you direct exposure to:

• The daily responsibilities of physicians, PAs, and nurses
• The complexity of real patient care
• How healthcare teams operate in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
• Ethical decision-making, communication, and professionalism in action

Most healthcare programs — including medical and PA schools — want to see that you’ve explored the profession deeply and understand what the role truly involves.

For example:

• Medical schools (AMCAS) recommend shadowing multiple physicians across specialties
• PA schools (CASPA) look for a blend of shadowing and direct patient care experience (DPC/PCE)
• Nursing programs value early exposure that strengthens clinical awareness and patient interaction skills

Shadowing through Go Elective — whether in Kenya or Tanzania — allows students to observe high-volume, multidisciplinary care in diverse and often under-resourced environments. It’s the perfect way to see real healthcare in action while gaining a global perspective.

How to use a shadowing hours log sheet

Documenting your hours is key — not just for reporting, but for reflecting. Here’s what to track:

Pro tip: Use a Google Sheet or printed log to stay organized during your internship. You can request a completion letter from Go Elective at the end of your program.

Sample descriptions for AMCAS, CASPA, and AACOMAS

These sample entries are tailored to students who’ve completed their shadowing abroad through Go Elective, but they can also be adapted for local shadowing experiences.

AMCAS Sample: Physician Shadowing Abroad

Experience Type: Clinical Shadowing
Title: Clinical Intern – Go Elective
Organization: Coast General Teaching & Referral Hospital
Supervisor: Dr. Omondi, Consultant, Emergency Medicine
Dates: July 2025
Total Hours: 200
Description: Shadowed emergency physicians in a high-volume public hospital in Kenya. Observed trauma triage, respiratory distress care, and team-based stabilization under limited-resource conditions. Discussed ethical considerations and clinical reasoning with supervising doctors. This experience strengthened my interest in medicine and taught me the importance of cultural competence and adaptive problem-solving.

CASPA Sample: Shadowing with Clinical Officer

Experience Type: Clinical Shadowing – Physician
Supervisor: Tom Otieno, Clinical Officer
Location: Naivasha County Referral Hospital, Kenya
Dates: 07/2025
Total Hours: 180 
Description: Observed a licensed clinical officer during inpatient ward rounds and outpatient consultations. Gained insight into diagnosing and managing malaria, TB, and hypertension in rural Kenya. Learned how clinical officers function in a PA-like role, and how interdisciplinary care is delivered in under-resourced environments. Reflected on the impact of healthcare access and the importance of flexibility in patient management.

Pre-Nursing/Nursing Sample: Shadowing in OB/GYN Ward

Experience Type: Shadowing – Nurse
Supervisor: Nurse Lucy, RN
Location: Naivasha County Referral Hospital
Dates: July 2025
Total Hours: 14
Description:

Shadowed midwives and nurses in the maternity department. Observed live births, maternal assessments, and postnatal patient education. Gained awareness of nursing roles in underserved settings and learned how to manage care for multiple patients simultaneously. Reinforced my commitment to becoming a maternal health nurse and strengthened my patient advocacy skills.

How many hours should you aim for?

While there’s no universal requirement, general guidelines include:

• Medical School (AMCAS): 50–200 shadowing hours across specialties
• PA School (CASPA): 50–200 shadowing hours (in addition to 500–2,000+ PCE hours)
• Pre-Nursing Students: 25–100 shadowing or observational hours can help strengthen applications

Note: All Go Elective internships provide an official certificate of completion, and we’re happy to verify hours for your documentation needs.

How shadowing through Go Elective gives you an edge

Shadowing in a global health setting does more than tick a box — it transforms your perspective. Interns who shadow in Go Elective’s partner hospitals gain:

• Exposure to tropical and resource-limited medicine
• Observation of interdisciplinary teams (physicians, nurses, clinical officers, lab techs)
• A deeper understanding of public health challenges, especially in maternal and child care
• Stories, case examples, and reflections to use in personal statements and interviews

Whether you’re tracking hours for pre-med, pre-PA, nursing, or public health, Go Elective ensures your internship is structured, ethical, and impactful.

Final thoughts

Shadowing is only as valuable as your ability to reflect on it. That’s why Go Elective encourages interns to log their hours, ask questions, and think critically about what they observe. With a clear, detailed shadowing log and thoughtful experience descriptions, you’ll be able to present your clinical journey with confidence — whether you’re applying through AMCAS, CASPA, or any other platform.

> Apply Here for Go-Elective Global Health Internships or contact hello@goelective.com 

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Jul 1, 2025