Information for Sponsors

Health care professionals are often approached by individuals looking for career exploration opportunities. In the case of job shadow or job observation requests, the individual is seeking out an opportunity to observe a provider in the course of their daily activity. This experience is “hands off” meaning the observer cannot participate in any part of patient care – they are there to simply observe. Associates who agree to provide an observation opportunity for someone are called “sponsors.”

Job shadows are typically short in duration ranging from 4 to 8 hours. Longer observations can occur at the discretion of the sponsor. Individuals who seek out job shadow opportunities are often students looking to gain better understanding of a certain health care profession or to fulfill an application requirement for a specific health care program.

At Ascension WI, job shadows are permitted so long as the observer meets the outlined requirements. Those seeking an observation experience must first find their own sponsor – resources related to finding a sponsor can be found on the Finding a Sponsor page. Once the observer has identified a sponsor they will submit an application. A member of the Ascension WI team will reach out to the listed sponsor to confirm they have agreed to the job shadow experience. The sponsor and observer will work directly to arrange the date, time, and other details of the observation.

Job shadowing is an important tool for health care career exploration and is vital for pipeline development. To ensure you are providing a quality experience for observers, consider these tips:

• When contacted about serving as a sponsor, make sure you understand the goals of the observer. Consider whether or not you can provide an experience that will help the observer to meet those goals.
• Determine if the observer is looking to experience a more typical “day in the life” of someone in your field, or if they are looking to experience something more specific (a certain type of procedure or equipment, for example)
• If you agree to be a sponsor, be sure to communicate any important information to the observer including: where to meet, what to wear (if specific attire is needed), and any other logistics.
• If you are unable to serve as a sponsor, it can still be very helpful to provide the individual with suggestions on other providers to contact who would either be more appropriate or available.
• Feel free to reach out to Student Affiliations at studentexperiences@ascension.org with any questions or concerns.