Being a medical scribe gives you an opportunity to work firsthand with various medical practitioners. You work closely with doctors and nurses, which is an added advantage especially if you are a pre-med student looking to pursue a career in medicine. It also gives you a competitive edge against other qualified candidates.
As a medical scribe, you will be assisting medical practitioners in both clinic and hospital settings document patient information and progress into an electronic medical record. You will be trained to perform other tasks such as preparation of charts, making documentations into the EMR system as well as assisting in consultations and making referrals.
If you are still debating whether or not this is for you, below are reasons why you should apply to become a scribe sooner rather than later.
- You learn whether or not medicine is the right field for you
Medical scribes shadow doctor, nurses, and other medical practitioners. They are have firsthand exposure to the medical world. Furthermore, practicing medicine is career that requires certain skillsets that not every Tom, Dick or Harry is cut out for.
As a pre-med student, being a medical scribe will help you decide if you are making the right decision. This is an opportunity to experience what is in store for you after medical school and minimize the chances of you dropping out and wasting hundreds of dollars in student loans.
- You gain medical school experience
No matter the field you decide to pursue a career in, experience in the particular field is an added advantage.
Medical schools receive thousands of applications every year despite of the limited slots available. As a medical scribe, you will have hours of clinical experience and communicating this to the university you want to join will show that you are dedicated and are built to succeed in your particular medical field.
- You will get mentorship and also network
In any job setup, working closely with different people allows you to build lasting relationships. As a medical scribe, you will be spending most of your time at work with various successful doctors, surgeons, and nurses. Some of them will mentor you to great heights.
Additionally, spending time with them also gives you a networking opportunity. These networks will come in handy after you are done with your medical degree and need a letter of recommendation. Due to your past interactions, they will be happy to write you one, which will be a big boost in helping you secure a great job.
- You will get hands-on learning
There is a reason why the education system incorporates both oral and practical learning. Medical scribes learn a lot by simply observing their assigned medical practitioner. Some medical scribes will learn how to perform some simple medical procedures, others learn which symptoms call for which medicals tests, while others learn how to deal and talk with the patient’s family.
Also, they will learn various medical terminologies, something that poses one of the greatest challenges for students in med school.
