How do I observe within a hospital/clinic?

I've always been interested in the medical field but there are so many options I would like to be able to get in and observe the couple I've narrowed it down to. Sonography and Nursing. Does anyone know if this is allowed and if so, how I would go about doing it? Any help would be MUCH appreciated! Thanks ahead of time. :)

This is an excellent question. With the HIPAA patient privacy laws, it is not as easy to "shadow" a health care professional as it used to be in the past. I would try to talk to a nursing supervisor and see if you can spend a day with a nurse. You might have to clear this with the hospital personnel department and you may even need a badge. If you are interested in sonography you should do the same - especially if you are near an outpatient imaging center - call the center and see if you can shadow. If these options don't work - contact the directors of the nursing or sonography programs you are interested in and explain that before you apply you would like to see the fields first hand - they may have some educational contacts for you! Good luck!

Hey I'm in the same boat only wanting to get into medicine after i graduate. The best thing to do is to phone and write to places where extra help is appreciated - I did a weeks work experience helping out in a nursing home. I was also able, by phoning up hospitals switchboards to get a weeks observation in a hospital though we weren't given choices of departments. I've also sat in on a baby clinic at my local GPs just by chatting to the receptionists. Finally, i haven't done it myself but if you were wanting to get into nursing you could try find a temporary or part-time job as an auxillary nurse as you don't need any qualifications and it's pretty hands on! Good luck.