From shadowing to medical school: A pathway for future physicians

In 2023, Chelsea Ng was an undergraduate at UW when she first shadowed clinicians at Harborview’s International Medicine Clinic. That experience, observing care up close, helped shape her path toward medicine.

Born and raised in Malaysia before immigrating to the U.S., Ng shadowed Dr. Duncan Reid, clinical assistant professor (General Internal Medicine), a physician in the International Medicine Clinic at Harborview and the Medical Director of EthnoMed.

The experience was transformative for both. Today, Ng is a first-year medical student at UW, and Reid has formalized the shadowing experience into a structured program for undergraduate students.

Partnering with UW’s chapter of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS), Reid created a pathway for underrepresented students to apply and be matched with clinicians. In addition to Harborview, the program now includes UW Medical Center-Northwest and the Aftercare Clinic, with about a dozen students participating annually.

“Minority students and children of immigrants may not envision a career in healthcare,” says Reid. “When diverse students have the opportunity to shadow clinicians to serve diverse patient populations, a potential career in medicine becomes that much more meaningful.” 

How the shadowing program is implemented

In advance of the experience, participating students are trained in patient privacy. Over the course of three days, they accompany a physician and observe clinical encounters firsthand. Clinicians also take time to learn about each student's interests and debrief after the patient visits. Ng recalls being struck by how physicians listened across language barriers and cultural divides — with support from the Interpreter Services Department and Caseworker Cultural Mediators — ensuring that every patient felt heard, respected and truly seen.  

“Shadowing at the International Medicine Clinic was one of the most formative experiences of my pre-med journey as it inspired me to see how I could serve immigrant populations in the future,” says Ng. “I observed firsthand how providers navigated complex cultural dynamics, language barriers, and competing life circumstances while delivering compassionate, patient-centered care to immigrant and refugee populations.” 

The program's impact

Now, Ng, on her way to be a future physician, is carrying forward MAPS’ mission: To foster a new generation of socially conscious healthcare professionals who understand the challenges their patients face. 

Hear more about Ng’s journey and the MAPS shadowing program on EthnoMed’s YouTube channel and on the EthnoMed Podcast. If you are a clinician who would like to learn about participating in the MAPS shadowing program, please contact Duncan Reid at reidd@uw.edu.

Source: UW Medicine Vitals