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In your opinion, which would be better experience?
In your opinion, which would be better experience?
In your opinion, which would be better experience?
Scribe. You get lots of contact with both patients and physicians. Boom. As an MA the physician might not even know your name.
I have been working as a scribe for several months alongside a physician, and right across from my desk is our MA. From the differences in my job from the MA's, I would choose being a scribe, hands down. The MA's job focuses more on administrative work such as ordering tests/scans, coding, scheduling, bringing patients in/out, etc. If you're interested in that work, that's fine. However, my work focus a LOT more on scientific and clinical knowledge/application and having the problem-solving mindset of a physician, and my work actually directly assists with the diagnoses. I also seem to spend more time with the patient than the MA does. In general, MAs make more because they are an established position in health care with an actual degree (which will take you more time to obtain if you're willing to do that), but scribes will have a whole lot more directly-related experience that they can talk about during medical school interviews. Thus, I think a scribe position will have a better change of getting you into medical school. If you want a ton more details, shoot me a PM.
How being a scribe assist in the diagnosis? Do you have relevant medical knowledge to do that? I am just wondering
It's obvious which one more premeds have done.
Scribing is a good option. They are both variable and it largely depends upon the facility.
MA will almost always pay more, though, because it's a position generally employed by the hospital system itself (assuming you're in a hospital-based position); whereas Scribes are generally through a physician's group or a physician management company, which means that a large cut of your pay (from the group's perspective) is actually taken by the management company. When I worked as a Scribe, we all made $10/hr without benefits (no pay raise for experience). The MA position I currently hold pays about $14/hr with benefits (and, of course, pay adjustment for experience).
I would say that working as an MA and Scribe teach one different things. They are both quite helpful in understanding classes like Physio better and make connections....
As I work with the doctor in interviewing the patient and record the histories and physical examination findings, but he makes me pay particular attention to the symptoms and signs that are key to the differential diagnosis.
Many scribe companies will teach you relevant medical terminology and knowledge. My job is somewhat unique because I didn't go through a scribe company. I went straight to the doctor and learned everything I needed to know from him on the job. I also had some previous medical knowledge from my master of science in medical sciences.
But you do bring up a valid point that it depends on your job description. So for anyone considering either a scribe or MA, I would look intently into the job description and make sure that he or she will be working very closely with the physician and having to do a good amount of clinical work. However, I think the scribe position is more geared towards pre-meds, is a quicker way to getting clinical experience, and establishes that mentor-apprentice relationship as that of an attending and the resident. MA will take longer to obtain (1-2 years?) and I'm not sure if people are willing to wait that long. MA also is a more permanent career path.
This isn't true. I make more as a scribe and I've only been working for a few months. I also have awesome benefits and will get a raise after each yearly evaluation. Another scribe at my hospital has been working for 4 years and makes $20+ an hour.
Question for all you scribers --
I am interested in becoming a scribe as well, but the local company requires you to work three 8-hour shifts a week. Honestly, that seems like a lot to me. Do you guys work that much? If so, is it worth it? Can you do other ECs and keep your grades up? My ECs are currently about 20 hours a week, and I cannot imagine more than doubling that amount to take on scribing.
Any insight would be lovely
You're right, that is a lot. Generally, part time means 2 shifts, at anywhere from 15-20 hours/week. I wouldn't do 25+ hours unless it's my gap year, I really need the money, or I'm taking very few classes and I'm not that busy with other stuff.
That's much more reasonable. If this company allowed 16 hours a week instead of 24, I'd totally do it. But trying to do, when all is said and done, 45 hours of ECs along with 21 hours of class a week (not to mention studying, which ends up taking at least 15 hours a week).. No thanks I'll get enough of that in med school / residency, thankyouverymuch.
It's just sad, because being a scribe seems like such an amazing experience.
Question for all you scribers --
I am interested in becoming a scribe as well, but the local company requires you to work three 8-hour shifts a week. Honestly, that seems like a lot to me. Do you guys work that much? If so, is it worth it? Can you do other ECs and keep your grades up? My ECs are currently about 20 hours a week, and I cannot imagine more than doubling that amount to take on scribing.
Any insight would be lovely
How does working for a national scribe company work? I've read websites and they tell almost nothing. How long is training and is it online or in-class? Does one typically work at one hospital, or multiple hospitals in a general region? Do they pay for relocation?
This isn't true. I make more as a scribe and I've only been working for a few months. I also have awesome benefits and will get a raise after each yearly evaluation. Another scribe at my hospital has been working for 4 years and makes $20+ an hour.
Oh and you have to invest quite a bit of money just to become an MA. The MA programs here are about 18 months long as a full time student and expensive. I was paid for my training as a scribe which took about 6 weeks full time. Plus I was paid travel time back and forth from the training location.
I work very closely with the doctors. They go out of their way to show me things or explain. They do not do this for the ER techs who work in our ED.
I have been working as a scribe for several months alongside a physician, and right across from my desk is our MA. From the differences in my job from the MA's, I would choose being a scribe, hands down. The MA's job focuses more on administrative work such as ordering tests/scans, coding, scheduling, bringing patients in/out, etc. If you're interested in that work, that's fine. However, my work focus a LOT more on scientific and clinical knowledge/application and having the problem-solving mindset of a physician, and my work actually directly assists with the diagnoses. I also seem to spend more time with the patient than the MA does. In general, MAs make more because they are an established position in health care with an actual degree (which will take you more time to obtain if you're willing to do that), but scribes will have a whole lot more directly-related experience that they can talk about during medical school interviews. Thus, I think a scribe position will have a better change of getting you into medical school. If you want a ton more details, shoot me a PM.
It all depends on your job description. I am an MA and have done a lot clinic work: EKG, assisting surgeons in minor procedures, lumbar punctures, phlebotomy, chieft complaint and vitals signs... Etc. I don't do administrative work, I only deal with patient care.... To the OP, I would say whatever gives you the most exposure to treating a patient.
Think of scribing as a medical apprenticeship, and then it'll make sense that it's the better choice.
I honestly don't think I would have gotten in this cycle if I didn't have 1000+ hours in the ED so far as a scribe. Working as an MA or a tech looks better on PA school apps which require hands-on patient care.
Think of scribing as a medical apprenticeship, and then it'll make sense that it's the better choice.
I honestly don't think I would have gotten in this cycle if I didn't have 1000+ hours in the ED so far as a scribe. Working as an MA or a tech looks better on PA school apps which require hands-on patient care.
I don't feel it's the number of hours you accrue, but the learning experience you take from it.
Hands-on patient care is good for any medically related application.
In your opinion, which would be better experience?
Just applied to 3 diff scribe companies. Hopefully I'll hear something back from one. Seeing as most of these scribe organizations seem to be separate from the hospitals themselves, would there be any benefit in trying to contact the hospitals directly regarding scribing? Or is my only hope to find and apply to all the scribe companies I can?
Just applied to 3 diff scribe companies. Hopefully I'll hear something back from one. Seeing as most of these scribe organizations seem to be separate from the hospitals themselves, would there be any benefit in trying to contact the hospitals directly regarding scribing? Or is my only hope to find and apply to all the scribe companies I can?
This is, by far, the exception and not the rule. I am actually looking at creating an extension program of an existing ED Scribe program that would place Scribes in Drs' offices in the local area in a dual MA-Scribe role to help ease the burden of gov't regulations requiring physicians' offices to adopt EMR/EHR systems (which are known to GREATLY reduce efficiency -- to the point where they suggest taking no more than 3 pts/doc/day for the first few months and then slowly easing back toward 60-80% of the pre-EMR/EHR pt load/doc). Looking at the market, using Scribes in an intern-role, we could easily fill positions by paying $8-10/hr (which is a selling pt for us in getting docs on board with using Scribes instead of registered MAs). On the other hand, the MA market would require us to pay upwards of $13/hr starting.
Sure, to become an RMA takes ~18 mos, but no one said you had to become an RMA to work as an MA. Other credentials can often take the place of an RMA with far less training time (e.g., EMT-B + IV training). It all depends upon the needs in your area. I got a job floating as an MA with my EMT, some ED Tech experience, and other relevant experience. I get paid well and never had to spend money or time on an MA course....
Scribe. You're going to be essentially shadowing but getting familiar with all of the conditions, tests, treatments, discharge instructions. It's much more than being an MA taking vitals and giving shots (and everything in between)
I worked in the ER in high school as a transporter and scribes are literally just notepads. The notion that scribes are even familiar (besides a basic idea) with what the doc is doing treatment/diagnosis is simply misguided
HAHAHA
I can write a decent differential diagnosis and predict almost every patients course of care after just 1 year. Sure, when I started I didn't know ANYTHING (what's a CVA?), but this job truly teaches you medicine from the doctor's view. An attending told me that we're more ready to actually take care of people than most interns fresh out of medical school.
HAHAHA
I can write a decent differential diagnosis and predict almost every patients course of care after just 1 year. Sure, when I started I didn't know ANYTHING (what's a CVA?), but this job truly teaches you medicine from the doctor's view. An attending told me that we're more ready to actually take care of people than most interns fresh out of medical school.
Jajaja, a scribe, who has not finish undergrad, more ready to take care of patients than an intern MD who has taken step 1 and 2 of the medical licensing process????
HAHAHA
I can write a decent differential diagnosis and predict almost every patients course of care after just 1 year. Sure, when I started I didn't know ANYTHING (what's a CVA?), but this job truly teaches you medicine from the doctor's view. An attending told me that we're more ready to actually take care of people than most interns fresh out of medical school.
An attending told me that we're more ready to actually take care of people than most interns fresh out of medical school.
Scribe. You get lots of contact with both patients and physicians. Boom. As an MA the physician might not even know your name.
Jajaja, a scribe, who has not finish undergrad, more ready to take care of patients than an intern MD who has taken step 1 and 2 of the medical licensing process????