A medical scribe is a profession that has gained popularity in recent years. Some that will apply or have already applied for medical school take up being a medical scribe while still in college or during their gap year. As a medical scribe, you can gain valuable experience in the health care field while also earning extra income.
Duties of a Medical Scribe
A medical scribe follows physicians and works alongside them as they perform their daily responsibilities. The primary focus of a medical scribe is to help improve physician productivity by helping the physician focus on decision-making and patient care. Some of the basic duties of a medical scribe include:
- Note Taking
- Writing Up Medical Charts
- Assisting With Patient Traffic and Flow
- Obtaining Medical Records
- Review Systems
- Documentation
Working as a medical scribe can help prepare you for both medical school and undergraduate work. You gain invaluable real-life experience while also learning a great deal about physiology, anatomy and more. The knowledge you obtain while working as a medical can be directly applied in the classroom and far beyond.
New scribes are typically hired in the spring months of March or April and will generally work until the fall in September or October. Few scribes are typically hired during the winter, but it’s a good time to begin inquiring about potentially open spots and availability.
The length of training is generally dependent on the way individual practices function. After orientation, you will go through and learn all the processes employed by the health care facility. This can usually take anywhere from 8-10 sessions, but you are generally compensated for the time it takes to train. Once training is complete, you will be cleared to scribe without supervision.
Medical scribing is laden with benefits and open opportunities should be explored by any prospective or current medical student.