Being a “shadow” to a surgeon is incredibly bullshit and is designed to make you say “oh this is such an incredible opportunity” while being taken advantage of

I was an undergrad that was able to “shadow” three cardiothoracic surgeons as a shadow (no scrubs, I was just there to watch and learn). The first time I did it, one of the surgeons completely abandoned me and I had to ask residents questions the whole time. The second time I was again ignored and the third time I was completely abandoned again and ended up sitting on the floor of a locker room for a few hours doing my own school work while listening to Mozart blast from a portable speaker. The last time I was able to get into the OR, but only because one of the other “shadows” backed out. <br><br>It was a complete waste of time and I felt like a total outcast. How is any of this a good learning experience?