Observer Program

Shadowing opportunity for students and professionals to observe Baptist Health clinicians engaging in patient care.

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.

Step 1
- 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*.
Step 2
- 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:
  Sponsor Approval Form* Sponsor Signature(s) Required.
  Baptist Health Supplemental Health Form (Vaccinations, Flu and TB Verifications) Clinician Signatures Required.
  Health insurance
  Government-issued Photo ID
  Proof of current or upcoming enrollment with student name (Class schedule or unofficial transcripts)
  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
Step 3
- 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.
Step 4
- 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*
  Working Professionals not enrolled in school: $450*
  Additional fees may be collected at the discretion of the receiving department that the observership experience will take place.
  *Updated fees for applications submitted on or after July 1, 2025
Step 5
- 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.

Baptist Health Office of Academic Affairs

Program Administrator

Baptist Health Office of Academic Affairs

786-467-2633

Observer@BaptistHealth.net

Eligibility Requirements and Application Schedule

Our program attracts, educates, and retains exceptional healthcare talent to serve the South Florida community. Program participants will be trained in the Baptist Health Way with a focus on quality, inclusion, compassion, and collaboration.

Eligibility Prerequisites

Participants must be aged 16 or older as of the start of the program

Application Requirements

Complete program application
Baptist Health Supplemental Health Form (vaccinations, Flu and Tb verifications)
Sponsor Approval Form
Health insurance
Government-issued photo ID
Proof of current enrollment with student name (Class schedule or unofficial transcripts)
Confirmation of Successful Background Check within 1 year (Only for 18+ Applicants) or Non-US Citizen/Resident: Letter of support from sponsor, academic institution, or employer.

International Applicants

International Eligibility form (Non-US Citizens/Non-US Residents)
Letter of support and good standing from current academic institution or employer (Non-US Citizens/Non-US Residents)

Acceptance and admission to the program is contingent on submission of all requested materials and meeting all eligibility requirements as determined by the program.

Application Timeline

Where do applicants go to apply?
Please download and complete any required forms before filling out application
Application
When are applications accepted? All year
When are candidates matched/notified of acceptance? Within 2 weeks of receiving a completed application
When does the program start? All year

Application Forms

Please download and complete any required forms* below before proceeding to the online program application.

*Required Forms

Supplemental Health Form

Sponsor Approval Form

International Eligibility Form

References & Guides

Observer Handbook

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