Shadowing

by Weike Wang

From the award-winning author of Chemistry comes a sharp and poignant short story that follows a young medical student working in clinical research and grappling with the realities of a future in her chosen field.

To become a doctor someday, every student must complete a certain number of hours in clinical research, volunteering, and shadowing. There are algorithms to this stuff, to building the perfect résumé for admission to the perfect doctoral program. With this goal in mind, a young pre-med student earns a coveted role in a study about diet and its effects on the human heart, replacing another Asian-American woman from the same school and on a similar college track. The doctor in charge—a middle-aged woman who’d built her career at some of the most elite medical institutions in the country—is erratic and overbearing at first, but her quirks and habits become clearer as the time goes on. Faced with the stark realities of the doctor’s life within and outside of the lab, the student must take stock of her ambitions and her own place in the world

©2020 Weike Wang (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC

Genres: Audiobook, Short Stories, Fiction, American, Asian Literature

Audible Audio

First published December 10, 2020

About the author

Weike Wang is a graduate of Harvard University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry and her doctorate in public health. She received her MFA from Boston University. Her fiction has been published in or is forthcoming from Alaska Quarterly Review, Glimmer Train, The Journal, Ploughshares, Redivider, and SmokeLong Quarterly.

Reviews

[Cheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short, 39 minutes long, audible story about a young Asian-American female pre-med student who earns a spot in a medical study of diet and the effects of diet on the heart. The doctor she ends up working for, also a woman, is middle-aged, and seems to be more than a little overbearing.

I have no medical training, but know it’s a grueling period of time. This seems more like a hazing ritual to me. I can’t really relate as someone hoping for a career in medicine, but I can relate to the horrible boss theme of this.

Unfortunately, there's so little substance to this and the ending was....I can't remember.

Yawn.

[Phoenix Perpetuale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but a reasonably engaging story, soft female voice narration. I have greatly enjoyed it. Shadowing is excellent listening.

[Hali Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. I mean, I did. It was like listening to your cooler-and-smarter-than-you friend bitch about how pre-med was going. It was fun. But then, it just ended? And I was all, "...go on." Because she hadn't made a point with that last bit of information. But now I'm like, "Maybe she did, and I just missed it, because I am the stupid one of the pair," so she gets a pass there, but now my proverbial feathers are ruffled and I feel the same kind of uncomfortable you'd feel when you're out at the park and enjoying the sunlight when you wonder... *did* you lock the door? What about that candle in the bedroom?

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“…when I was interviewing, every interviewer was a man. One asked me to open the window knowing full well the window was locked, and I struggled to open that window for the entirety of my interview…”

An interesting insight but I did not understand the delivery and point of it at all… I listened to it several times to be sure that I wasn’t missing the ‘aha’ moment but no, this did not drop and possibly could have been better conveyed to me as a bullet point list. I’m keen to try another to be sure, but not sure whether this is an author for me

[Lanie J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think i missed the plot?

[Moniqa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quit halfway through because of dull, meandering story with repeat casual and deliberately hateful fatmisia from the main character.

[بدور · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was confusing & pretty boring for a 40-min audiobook

[Angel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pre Med Intern diary. Not very interesting and just ends incomplete.

[Gemington · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: manipulation, abuse of subordinates, Asian stereotypes

This short story about job shadowing in medical research was incisive. The main character is a Harvard grad cultivating her application to medical school. The things she learns are more about social foibles and excessive cleaning than medicine. Her NIHR-grant holding boss distrusts her, comes gradually to rely upon and abuse her, and then does not write a letter to support her file. It’s a very quick snapshot of multi-generational women relationships in a profession dominated by white men.

It wasn’t inspiring but I really liked Joan is Okay and was t ready for it to end.

[Tahlia Malpas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shadowing by Weike Wang was an interesting listen that I ultimately finished, but it didn't fully resonate with me. The writing is sharp and precise, and the premise is compelling, but I found it hard to connect deeply with the characters or the story.

It's thoughtful and well-crafted, and there are moments that land, but overall, it felt more like an intriguing exercise than a truly immersive read. I'd recommend it for readers who appreciate introspective, experimental narratives, but it wasn't my favourite.

[Paul Ataua · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very short audiobook (39 minutes) following a young medical student as she shadows a doctor as part of her study requirements. Had it been any longer than 39 minutes, it would have ended up as a DNF. There were just a couple of very brief moments when I thought the author might be saying something of interest, but they were very brief moments and nothing came out of them.

[A V · Rating 2 out of 5]

With strong overtones of the model minority, we follow an Asian-American woman as she earns a coveted role shadowing an eccentric doctor, a middle-aged woman who’d built her career at some of the most elite medical institutions in the country.

[Samneang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story about a med student who has to do clinical research to get her degree and ends up working for someone who macro manages and is very temperamental.
.
This book shows the horrible side of being a med student. While becoming a doctor is an aspiration for many, the dark side involves being belittled, jealousy and rivalry between old doctors, and some crazy work stuff. This reminded me of what my friend goes through working in a science lab. It was an ok short story. I cringed a lot for the character but wasn’t impressed with the story.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

It might be eye-opening to someone thinking about going into the medical field. The realities that many students face when their advisor, mentors, etc. can treat you like an indentured servant with little to no recourse if things go badly.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this while doing some light cleaning. It was a short read about a med student doing lab work for a doctor. It was interesting but sounded like water cooler talk about the boss. The narrator had a nice soft voice but I really didn't get the main point of the story.

[RatGrrrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well Observed, if Abrupt

A vivid and wonderfully performed story about a clinical research student and their frustrating experience. Like so many of the Audible Original Story Collection, it does end incredibly abruptly. Otherwise it is great.

[Hilal Tunçkol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was about a doctor who was working on dieting and effect of it on heart conditions. I had nothing to do with medical studies, so this story could be extremely relatable and I wouldn't know it.

But from a story-telling stand point, this was brşng and felt disconnected.

[Arryanna Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hilarious

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short story that I think too many of us can relate too starting out in our careers.

[Lenka Příplatová · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short autobiographical story about doing research and trying to get in a med school. Enjoyable and well written, but way too short and without much drama or personal development.

[Ali Lopez ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer]

Listened to on 12/16/2020, but not counted in reading challenge

[Hailey Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story. Great Audiobook to play in the background while you study or do chores. The writer is very witty, and I loved the bond her and her mentor developed by the end.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short autobiographical story. I have put the author’s other books on my ‘to read’ list.

[Tika Sampract · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging short story that I wish was longer. More of a character study-

[Ann Bickle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story felt like it ended in the middle of the story

[Akshay Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short engaging story.
Well narrated and interesting quick read.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting. Short read but a god one

[Jesper Baunsgaard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unlikeable through and through, not worth listening to, even sped up