Shadowing in Emergency Medicine
The Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida (UF) seeks to provide an environment that teaches the reward of caring for patients in an emergency department (ED) setting. Our priority is first to medical trainees within UF, including all UF College of Medicine (COM) students, house staff, fellows, and those in other healthcare units within the COM. We also recognize the importance of providing meaningful learning experiences to UF undergraduates and other interested learners about the value and breadth of emergency medicine.
Observorship, or shadowing, is a voluntary opportunity with an emergency medicine attending physician to experience their unique work environment.
Typical activities for shadowing include
- Observing patient-physician interactions in the emergency department
- Discussion of patient interactions with faculty and other members of the medical team including residents
- Participation in didactic activities
- Observing medical resuscitations
NOTE: We do not offer any academic credit or medical certification for shadowing in the Emergency Department. In addition, we DO NOT offer letters of recommendation to post-graduate residency or fellowship training for shadowing alone. Shadowing DOES NOT CONSTITUTE medical education, graduate medical education, continuing medical education, or training leading to licensure or board certification. The shadower is NOT a physician, medical staff member, or employee of UF COM and must not represent themselves as such. Shadowers are NOT ALLOWED to provide patient care, even under supervision.
Approval process for prospective observers
o UF Emergency Medicine Shadowing Application opens on the first Tuesday of each month at 1pm and will close after the first 20 applications have been received. Within 10 business days of the application being submitted, a staff member will confirm whether shadowing documents have been selected to move forward with the application process. Priority will be given first to those who have previously tried to submit an application and not gotten through, those who have not previously shadowed within our program, those with the most availability, and then in order of which applications were received. Once the applicant has been approved to shadow, applicants will be scheduled with a faculty member for the following month.
Below is an example scenario to help you understand the process:
The UF Emergency Medicine Shadowing Application opens on Tuesday, September 1st, 2026. A potential shadow uploads all their required documentation appropriately. The applicant is then informed they were selected to move forward within the application process. A “Request to Shadow Form” is then sent to the student and physician through DocuSign. Once signed by the applicant and physician, all documents are sent within 10 business days. If approved, the applicant will be scheduled for shifts meeting the physician’s preferences with plans for the applicant to begin shadowing by October 1st, completing their shadowing by October 30th.
Due to demand and availability, please expect at least 20 business days from time of application submission to time of shadowing. Some faculty may be able to accommodate sooner, but this is an exception, not an expectation. Our shadowing team has a list of faculty members willing to take on shadows which we utilize to match you with a physician best suited to your interests and availability. You do NOT need to reach out directly to faculty in order to be approved.
UF medical students are allowed to shadow at any time based on attending availability. All other prospective observers must obtain approval from a UF EM faculty as well as the COM. These observers, once approved, are permitted to shadow a physician, typically for four-hour time blocks in a 30-day period.
If you are a UF medical student interested in shadowing, please email EMED-UFEMShadowing@ad.ufl.edu with “Medical Student” in the subject line.
Forms required to shadow in Emergency Medicine
- Form of government issued ID
- Security and Confidentiality Agreement
- Proof of HIPAA certification via myTraining – (Example Here)
- Request to Observe Patient Care (only fill out highlighted portions of the document)
Dress Code and Conduct
The dress code for UF medical students is business casual or scrubs. The dress code for all other observers is business casual. Scrubs and/or a lab coat are not permitted.
Dress Code
Business casual attire is appropriate for shadowing. Please refrain from wearing crop tops, jeans, t-shirts, tank tops, and other unprofessional clothing articles. Please note that only medical students are permitted to wear scrubs while shadowing. Failure to adhere to the dress code may result is loss of shadowing privileges.
Conduct
Please be respectful and polite to all individuals you come in contact with in the ED. Phone usage should be at a minimum and never used in a direct patient care setting. Please stay focused and present while shadowing and listen to any instructions given by your sponsoring faculty member
If you are interested in shadowing and have further questions, please email EMED-UFEMShadowing@ad.ufl.edu with “Shadow” in the subject line.
All applications received will not be guaranteed a shadowing spot. You will be notified within 3-10 business days of whether your application was accepted to move forward with processing. Following acceptance, please look for a DocuSign signature request, and then, allow 10-15 business days for application processing and notice of approval. The submission of an application is not an obligation for our department to provide a shadowing experience. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact us.