What Does a Medical Scribe Do? If you’re interested in going into the medical field, then a scribe job is a great option. Scribes do a variety of tasks, such as writing down patient histories and their current medical conditions. A lot of people don’t know about this role and what it entails. We’ll talk about what exactly medical scribes do, the typical duties of one, who becomes a scribe and why you should take that job if you want to go into medicine.
Role of a Scribe
- Scribe: A scribe is a medical assistant who takes notes and documents patient information during a patient visit.
- Nurse: A nurse is an RN or LPN who works in collaboration with physicians, physician assistants, and other health care professionals to provide nursing care for patients.
- Doctor: An MD or DO provides medical diagnoses and treatment for illnesses or injuries through the practice of medicine.
- Medical Assistant (MA): MSAs are healthcare professionals who perform administrative duties under the supervision of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), physician assistants (PAs) and doctors.* Transcriptionist: A transcriber records medical dictation by listening to it on audio recording equipment while typing it onto paper.* MedScribe Scholar Program * The Academy of Medical Scribes, Inc., also known as AMSci * AMSci offers two levels of certification—Certified Medical Scribe Specialist (CMS) and Certified Clinical Medical Scribe Specialist (CCMS)* AMSci has over 1,000 certified scribes in more than 30 states
Who Becomes a Scribe
You should be a good writer, communicator and organizer to become a scribe. A medical scribe has to maintain logs on new patients and their conditions, write down important things the doctor says during rounds or surgeries and keep track of patient care activities. It is also important that you pay attention to detail. You will be writing down vital signs during the course of each day such as blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate etc., so it is important that you get them right!
Scribes should have strong problem solving skills because sometimes there may not be enough room for all of your equipment in certain areas (e.g., operating rooms) or something breaks which could disrupt your workflow (e.g., printers).
Benefits of Being a Scribe
Medical scribes are a valuable addition to the medical field, especially for young people looking to gain experience on a career path that interests them. The following are some of the benefits of being a scribe:
- Learn about the medical field. Being a part of a healthcare team can provide valuable insight into what it’s like working as an M.D., nurse, pharmacist or other type of medical provider in different settings—from hospitals to clinics and even research facilities.
- Learn how to work with doctors. Scribes spend most of their time shadowing physicians and learning from them one-on-one—but they also get exposure to other members of the team who teach them more about teamwork, communication skills and other elements that make up modern medicine today.* Learn how to work in a hospital setting or clinic environment.* Learn how to work with patients.* Learn how to work with nurses.* Learn how to interact with other medical staff members (i.e., phlebotomists).
Steps to Becoming a Scribe
If you’re interested in becoming a scribe, there are several steps you can take to increase your chances of success. Start by gaining experience in the medical field. If you’re already working as a nurse assistant or an HHA (Home Health Aide), that’s great! Keep building on your skills and knowledge base until you have enough experience to become certified as a scribe.
Next, get yourself some training by taking an online course on scribing. This will include instruction about what it takes to be successful at this job, as well as tips for how to find work after completing the coursework. You also may be able to partner with local hospitals in order to gain firsthand experience scribing for them first-hand before deciding whether or not this is really what you want to do full time. By doing these things, who knows? Maybe one day soon we’ll see television shows about real life medical assistants whose jobs consist entirely of being real life medical assistants!
Where You Can Find a Job as a Scribe
If you’re looking for a job as a scribe, there are many options.
- Hospitals, clinics and private practices are the most common places to find work as a scribe. Your best bet is to start by scanning online job boards like Indeed or Glassdoor, which often list medical scribe jobs in your area.
- If you want more hands-on training before applying for jobs and interviews, consider enrolling in an accredited medical scribe training program with coursework focusing on everything from human anatomy to transcription skills. Many programs also offer certification as part of the curriculum so that students can show potential employers proof of their knowledge and experience with minimal effort on their part (and yours).
- Organizations like the American Association of Medical Scribes offer information on certifications available through various organizations across North America; they also provide tips on how best acquire those certifications before applying for any positions where such credentials may be required (e.g., hospitals).
Medical scribes are good career options for people interested in the medical field
If you are interested in working in the medical field, becoming a medical scribe might be a good option for you. Medical scribes work with physicians and other healthcare professionals to help them deliver high-quality care to their patients. As a medical scribe, you will have the opportunity to learn both about medicine as well as how companies operate. This can give you valuable skills that will help prepare you for many jobs within the healthcare industry or even elsewhere!
How To Become a Medical Scribe
Congratulations! You’ve decided to become a medical scribe. Not only is this an emotionally rewarding position that allows you to help others and gain valuable insight into patient care, but it also looks great on your resume for when you apply to medical school. Still, before you sprint toward the exam room and start writing down notes, there are a few things you need to know. Becoming a scribe requires more than just the ability to spell “acetaminophen” correctly (for future reference, that’s how you spell acetaminophen). To ensure your training process goes smoothly, here’s what I wish I knew before starting my career as a medical scribe.
Become familiar with medical terminology
You’ll need to become familiar with medical terminology. Medical terminology is a language all its own, and one that’s used by many different fields, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary science.
Medical terminology is used to describe symptoms and procedures in the field of health care. It’s also used for communication between medical practitioners and other professionals working in healthcare settings such as hospitals or clinics so that everyone understands each other when communicating about patients’ conditions.
Develop strong communication skills
Communication skills are essential to being a good scribe. You will need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with your patients, as well as other members of the healthcare team. To develop this skill, you can practice writing down exactly what patients say (including nonverbal cues) and then repeating it back in your own words. You should also strive to use clear, concise language when talking with patients.
You may find that some aspects of communication come naturally for you; however, others might require some additional work on your part. If this is the case for you, consider taking a course or reading up on effective communication strategies before beginning medical scribe training!
Be a quick typist
Being able to type quickly and accurately is a huge part of being a medical scribe. If you can’t type fast, it can be difficult to keep up with the doctor’s dictation. You also need to be able to type without errors. So make sure your workstation or computer has a keyboard that feels natural and comfortable for you, and make sure that your desk is set up ergonomically so that there aren’t any other factors causing issues with your hands or wrists while you’re at work.
If you want to practice typing speed, use an online speed test tool (like this one). This will help give you an idea of whether or not your current speeds are sufficient for this career path.
Get in touch with your empathetic side
The most important skill to develop as a medical scribe is empathy. You’ll work with patients in all stages of their illnesses and treatments, and it’s crucial that you be able to relate to them on a basic level. When a person is experiencing pain or discomfort, they need someone who understands that experience and can help them cope with it. This means listening closely and carefully to what patients tell you about their experiences, feeling those emotions yourself if necessary, then finding the right words or actions that convey your understanding of what they’re going through at any given moment.
Write thank-you notes to preceptors who informed you about their experiences as scribes
>Once you’ve completed the program, it’s important to write thank-you notes to your preceptors who informed you about their experiences as scribes. These thank-you notes should be handwritten and sent in the mail. While it’s acceptable to email a note, sending a handwritten card is more personal and shows that you value their time and professionalism.
In your note, mention how much they’ve taught you and how grateful you are for their help, but also offer specific examples of what they taught or helped with so that they know exactly what impact their actions had on your life and career goals!
For example: “Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with me today! I learned so much from our conversation about patient care standards in hospitals across America.”
Consider working as a scribe part time or as an intern, so you can test out the experience without a full commitment
Working as a scribe part time or as an intern is an excellent way to get your feet wet. As you gain more experience, you can decide if you want to continue working in this field full time.
Interview with potential employers or preceptors to gain insight into the job and its requirements
Interview
Before you accept a position, take time to interview the person who will be your preceptor. This is a great opportunity to ask about the job requirements, work environment and any other details that may be helpful in making your decision. Here are some questions you can ask:
- What are the job perks? (i.e., flexible schedule)
- How is the work-life balance? (i.e., do they offer flexible hours)
- Can I get help finding housing near my new location?
Becoming a medical scribe is not an easy process, but it’s a good way to learn about the medical field and test whether you want to work in it
If you’re interested in the medical field, becoming a medical scribe can be a great way to get your foot in the door. The job will give you experience with all aspects of healthcare, and it’s possible that you’ll find that being an RN is right for you.
On the other hand, if being a teacher or counselor sounds like more fun than working as an RN, then moving into education may be more up your alley.
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you a better idea of what it takes to become a medical scribe, as well as the benefits that come with this job. If you’re considering becoming a scribe, we recommend reaching out to local hospitals or physicians to see if they have any open positions available. You can also reach out to your state’s medical board or hospital association for more information on how to get started on your career path!
