Scribe Scaries: Why I Chose to Scribe?
+ What You Do As a Scribe, Pros/Cons of Scribing, Where to Apply, and Favorite YouTubers
How do you find valuable information to help you win the case? “You keep pressing until it hurts.” Despite this quote coming from an egomaniac A&M attorney, Harvey has a point. In my pre-med journey as well as overall life, this approach has held true.
I’ve found that whenever a particular experience, social interaction, relationship, or probing question elicits a strong, uncomfortable emotion from me, it often isn’t because it’s “bad” or “wrong.” I’ve learned through experience that it’s a large signpost telling me “HEY! You could potentially grow in this area!” Not to sound like a David Goggins stan who promotes pain at all costs because immoderate philosophies like that do rub me the wrong way. I’m trying to say that our minds CAN tell the difference between “bad pain” like being mistreated, overworked, or on the verge of burnout vs. feeling outside of our comfort zones. When I feel a sense of anxiety, dread, avoidance of responsibilities, or fear of asking a question I deem to be too dumb, that can tell me that there are underlying weaknesses and limiting beliefs present.
Beginning to scribe in the emergency department (ED) was one clear sign for me. I wanted to get more clinical experience before applying to medical school, so I applied to be a medical scribe through ScribeAmerica since getting trained costs no money and offers a flexible schedule. Throughout the online educational portion of the training, I felt confident since like most students I felt very comfortable in the academic setting consisting of lectures and knowledge-based exams. The nerves started ramping up once I was ready to start in-person training at my specific hospital’s ED. I realized I had many limiting beliefs that fueled my nerves. I went down a rabbit hole searching for “new scribe advice” on the internet and I kept getting confronted by how difficult scribing is in the beginning. I would love to say that I compartmentalized these comments and went into my in-person training with no worry in my mind, but if I’m being honest I let it get to me. Luckily, I did have amazing scribes who trained me in the first couple of shifts and met equally friendly doctors.
A new reality set in when I realized the steepness of the learning curve I would need to overcome to start scribing solo, so unfortunately my anxiety and fears did not go away after I completed all my training. There were also a couple of external reasons influencing these feelings, but regardless I realized the main reason I felt unsure of myself when going into my first solo shift was due to my perfectionism and fear of failure. I had to teach myself to look at this new experience of scribing in the ED as an opportunity to tackle the long-term struggle of perfectionism that impacts many areas of my life. I pressed when I decided to try something new and apply as a scribe. I realized it hurt where I pressed and took it as a sign that this is in fact what I need to pursue, explore, and grow in.
Research says…
A peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Education and Health Promotion states early clinical exposure “forms a crucial part of the initiation into medicine, smoothens the transition from layperson to student physician, provides them an opportunity to bring social relevance and contextualize basic science learning…” (Tayade & Latti, 2021).
An article in the BMJ states a similar sentiment that early experience in clinical and community settings “boosted students' confidence, motivated them, gave them satisfaction, and helped them develop a professional identity. By helping develop interpersonal skills, it made entering clerkships a less stressful experience” (Littlewood, et al., 2005).
Clerkships are the medical specialties third-year medical students rotate through to get experience in different types of medicine and get evaluated by the physician(s) they work with throughout the rotation.
What Do You Do As a Medical Scribe?
“A Medical Scribe is essentially a personal assistant to the physician; performing documentation in the EHR [Electronic Health Record], gathering information for the patient's visit, and partnering with the physician to deliver the pinnacle of efficient patient care.”
It’s become more universally acknowledged that there is a severe administrative burden on physicians, physician assistants/associates, and nurse practitioners. Scribes exist to lighten that burden and complete the majority of the documentation on a patient’s medical care. Although scribes usually exclusively work with physicians (MDs and DOs), the burden impacts almost everyone on the care team.
Scribes use electronic medical/health record (EMR/EHR) software to document patient care. The most commonly used software is EPIC. In the software, the scribe will state why the patient is visiting the ED/clinic, their symptoms, the physical exam performed by the physician, the assessment/plan, and any follow-up or discharge notes.
Scribes DO NOT administer care to the patient, so NO taking vitals of the patient, giving medications, or explaining the care plan to them.
Pros/Cons of Scribing
Pros:
Flexible schedule (especially in the emergency department)
EMR/EHR documentation practice
Interact with physicians and other members of the care team
Not on your feet as much as MAs and other clinical experience jobs
Learn A LOT of medical terminology
Will usually have free time in between patients to foster relationships with the medical provider
Can work part-time or full-time (good for students!)
Cons:
Very reliant on the physician’s work style and communication capabilities (so if your doctor is super detailed, stern, and picky you need to adjust accordingly)
Tough learning curve when learning medical terms for the first time (but worth the struggle!)
Like most jobs, your chief scribe and other fellow scribes can make or break your experience
At least 1-year commitment (which is pretty common for clinical jobs)
Usually pays minimum wage (varies by state)
If you want to apply using Scribe America like I did, check out these links (choose based on your location):
Manhattan, NY - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226196-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Washington DC - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226345-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Baltimore, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226326-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Bel Air, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226525-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Bethesda, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226759-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Silver Spring, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226554-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Rockville, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-244669-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Columbia, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-244671-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Easton, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226763-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Waldorf, MD - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226714-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Arlington, VA - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226452-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Reston, VA - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226813-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Pittsburgh, PA - https://jobs.scribeamerica.com/us/en/careers/US-226739-en-Medical-Scribe?source=eref&rid=657266
Email me (beza@prehealthscaries.com) if you want a referral link to a different location!
Other Clinical Experience Opportunities:
MA (Medical Assistant)
EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)
CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) ← especially for PA schools
Physical Therapy Assistant
Phlebotomist
Ending Note: I want to reiterate the importance of taking on challenges and going outside of your comfort zone, not simply to get into medical or PA school, but to grow as a person. Regardless of your path in life, you will gain the most satisfaction from overcoming each intentional challenge you put yourself through. This philosophy is often connected to stoicism, which although flawed, I take a lot of inspiration from. “A person who has never been challenged, who always gets their way, is a tragic figure. They have no idea what they are capable of. They are not even close to fulfilling their potential.” - Seneca