Observer Program

Baptist Health offers aspiring and current professionals a chance to gain invaluable, hands-off experience by shadowing our dedicated physicians and staff as they provide patient care. Designed for individuals looking to explore a career in medicine or deepen their understanding of a specific specialty, our program allows you to observe firsthand the daily operations of a leading healthcare system. The duration of the observership is at the discretion of the sponsoring clinician and can last between 1 day and up to 4 weeks. It is open all year to anyone over the age of 16 who meets the criteria listed below. If you are a visiting physician, click here.

An observership is a voluntary experience that does not constitute employment, compensation, medical education or any training leading to academic credit, licensure or board certification. Baptist Health will not issue grades or written evaluations for this program. For information on student rotations for academic credit, click here.

To complete an Observership at Baptist Health, please follow the steps outlined below.

1. Step 1

   • Find a Sponsor

     Before completing the online application, observers must have confirmed a sponsor, such as a Baptist Health employee or medical staff member, including physicians.

     • If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, please complete the International Eligibility Form, and follow the steps outlined on the document, prior to beginning the Observer Program application process. 
     • Visit baptisthealth.net and in the search bar, enter the name of the department, specialty, or provider you are interested in observing to obtain their contact information. For physicians, use Find a Doctor.
     • While many Baptist Health providers enjoy teaching interested individuals about medicine, there is no guarantee or obligation for providers to take on observers. Please be polite and give the potential sponsor plenty of time to set up the observership, as well as the right to refuse.

     Once the sponsoring clinician has accepted your observership, they are required to sign the Sponsor Approval Form*.

2. Step 2

   • Collect Required Documents

     The following documents are required as part of the application process. Please be sure to download and complete any required forms before proceeding to fill out the application:

     1. Sponsor Approval Form* Sponsor Signature(s) Required.
     2. Baptist Health Supplemental Health Form (Vaccinations, Flu and TB Verifications) Clinician Signatures Required.
     3. Health insurance
     4. Government-issued Photo ID
     5. Proof of current or upcoming enrollment with student name (Class schedule or unofficial transcripts)
     6. Confirmation of Successful Level 1 Background Check OR a clearance letter from a police department from your county of residence, either within 1 year (Only for 18+ Applicants)

     INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS (Non-US citizens/Residents): Applicants are required to complete the International Eligibility Form and submit it to the International Department. Applicants must receive approval from the International Department prior to submitting the Observer application
3. Step 3

   • Submit Application

     The electronic application can be found below. Applicants will be prompted to upload the above documents as part of the process.

     Applications are required to be submitted a minimum of 15 business days prior to the intended start date. This gives our office the opportunity to review and process your documents in a timely manner, particularly if we need the applicant to provide updated or missing documentation.

4. Step 4

   • Pay the Administrative Fee

     A non-refundable administrative fee must be paid to Baptist Health upon acceptance of your application.

     A link for electronic payment will be emailed from Observer@baptisthealth.net based on the following:

     • High School Students: Waived with proof of enrollment
     • Undergraduate or Graduate Students and Residents: $150
     • All other applicants: $450
     • Additional fees may be collected at the discretion of the receiving department that the observership experience will take place.
5. Step 5

   • Receive Clearance

     Once your application is approved by our office, you will receive a clearance email from AcademicClearance@BaptistHealth.net confirming your Observer experience. If an administrative fee is due as part of your application process, you will receive clearance within 3 business days of making your payment.