Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Job Shadowing
Má rcio Padilha
Spring/2010
Job Shadowing 2
JOB SHADOWING
On April 29, 2010, I had the opportunity to job shadow Dr. David Reed Hadlock. A
besides being a Certified Medical Review Officer, Certified Correctional Health Professional,
Certified Addictions Professional and DUI Evaluator. He has his own private small-size
practice, geared to Women’s Health, Family Practice and Addictions Medicine, at 496 Shoup
With six examination rooms, four of which are equipped for different gynecological
and obstetrical procedures, the facility is well-structured, clean and organized. The staff is
made up of the Doctor, one Registered Nurse, two Certified Nursing Assistants and an
Office Manager, all of whom are professional yet relaxed, friendly and welcoming. Both
CNA’s and the office manager function as the patients’ first contact, both on the phone and
in person, into the office. As usual in these practices, the patient is called in by the CNA who
urine analysis screening panel for a number of common drugs and inventories the patient’s
substance abuse since their last appointment. Although the RN also carries out these
functions, her presence is intended to provide monitoring for walk-in acute detox patients
who, in light of the condition, do not necessarily schedule appointments, but rather just
Doctor Hadlock runs a voluntary drugs and alcohol detox program and is one of two
physicians in the area who can provide opioids detox, which, as per federal regulations,
must be achieved via Suboxone (buprenorphine) which, while demonstrating the depth of
Job Shadowing 3
his training simultaneously affords him a guaranteed share of the local addiction business.
On the flipside, as an independent practitioner, Dr. Hadlock stands to take any loss should a
client default in payment or file for bankruptcy. Detox clients are referred in by word of
mouth, professional counselors and other medical professionals, who, in addition to the
surprise, the patients, upon knowing of my intent to become a Drugs and Alcohol
issues to me and allowed me to take part in their treatment session. Whereas three of the
four patients seen were conscientiously engaged positively in their treatments, one was
defiant and, as such, demonstrated denial, reframing and rationalizations, all negatively
impacting the outcome of the treatment. For the one patient in question, the doctor held a
family session where he requested that the patient submit to a greater level of care or
accept prompt discharge. Despite no paperwork increase, the doctor exceeded by far the
time allotted for this patient’s consultation in order to covey that no rationalizations would
justify the intermittent use of an assortment of drugs other than the primary drug of choice
and that the drug screening tests were accurate despite the patient’s denial.
Although the financial rewards are evident, I do not believe that one would provide
such services without an intrinsic component of altruism at some level because the nature
This job shadowing experience is not within the scope of practice I seek to obtain,
but it is congruent to the nature of the business I want to get into. Having the opportunity
Job Shadowing 4
to be an integral part of someone else’s treatment was very interesting as it brings the
academics to life in the form of hands-on practice. Despite the fact it will not bear an impact
to the outcome of this class, I have left my contact information with Dr. Hadlock, who has
agreed to call me to come back in and observe different detox proceedings, i.e. alcohol
detox, opioid detox and so on, and I am looking forward to the experience.