Shadowing at Prisma Health
Shadowing at Prisma Health offers pathways for students to experience, observe and connect to professions in healthcare. Shadowing is observation only. For complete information, read the Shadowing at Prisma Health policy.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact and procure their own host. For contact information for Prisma Health clinicians and practices, please visit the Find a Doctor page of the Prisma Health website.
Student Observation
All requests for shadowing must be placed by the Prisma Health team member (employee) who will host the observer at least 2 weeks prior to the experience start date.
Exceptions
- University of South Carolina School of Medicine medical students: Observations outside of clinical clerkships and rotations need to be approved through the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs. Please make sure your mCE compliance checklist is cleared and up to date. Please note, you must wear your Prisma Health student badge at all times in the clinical learning environment.
- Pre-therapy students: Students seeking shadowing hours needed to apply to a post-graduate therapy program should view available opportunities listed on our Pre-Therapy Experience page.
- Visiting or shadowing residents: Contact the GME office at the affiliate in which you are interested in shadowing.
- Upstate: GMEUpstate@PrismaHealth.org
- Midlands: GMEMidlands@PrismaHealth.org
Guidelines for age-appropriate experiences
Age limits
- Age 16 is the minimum age for shadowing at Prisma Health.
- No student under the age of 18 may observe in the operating room, pediatrics or in the Department of Emergency Medicine in the Upstate unless approved by the academic vice chair and/or chair of the department.
- Each department has the authority to limit the age of observers as they deem appropriate.
Recommended experiences by age
Right experience, right age, right time.
- Ages 16–18: high school – exploratory, initial exposure
- Short-term (approximately one day to one week)
- Focused on career planning, exploration and sharing of profession
- Observation only – no direct patient care hands-on experiences
- Does not include any procedures/experiences that could be potentially difficult for high school students to process
- Patient observation permitted only when permission is granted by the patient
- Ages 18–22: undergraduate – exploratory and early training
- Short-term (approximately one week)
- Focused on career exploration, content of profession/application of science, education and patient care
- Observation only—no direct patient care hands-on experiences
- Patient observation permitted only when permission is granted by the patient
- Ages 22+: graduate level – specialized educational experiences
- Longer-term (approximately 1–2 weeks)
- Focused on career specialization, content of profession/application of science, interprofessional education and patient care with a concentration on a student’s training and deeper understanding of the professional track
- Observation only – no direct patient care hands-on experiences
- Appropriate for aspiring medical or health science graduate students
- Patient observation permitted only when permission is granted by the patient