Scribe Position Application Timeline

[Svenson]

Hi all,

I'm looking to enter a scribe position for my gap year, starting in early June 2015 and ending around August 2016 when I enter medical school. I was wondering if anyone could speak from experience and let me know the best time to apply for these positions. I don't want to apply too early and have to tell them I can't start yet. I found this thread already discussing this, but I figured more opinions couldn't hurt. If they accept me, is training something I can do wherever (is it online)? I would be working in my home state, not where I go to school.

On a side note, if a company (like ScribeAmerica) says they have a one year full-time commitment, does that year start when training starts? I would be worried about training taking too long. If I don't actually start until sometime in August, I may not be able to fulfill the entire commitment.

EDIT: If anyone could also list scribe companies they know, that'd help out a lot. My state is not the largest, so I don't think there are too many operating there. So far I know ScribeAmerica and Elite Medical Scribes are and PhysAssist and CEP are not.

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Svenson]

Any ideas?

 

[kevinsword91]

In my opinion, you should apply anywhere between February through May with the knowledge that earlier is probably better. Companies anticipate an exodus of veteran scribes from May through August and will be looking to fill these positions.

Training will vary by company. Mine(a small scribe company in MN with <40 scribes) did a combination of online and on-the-job, but I really found the online stuff to be less helpful. It helps if you come into the job with some prior knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology. My ER research experience also helped too. I had one week of training before being on my own, but I know I had an shortened training due to staffing issues(since nearly all the veteran scribes had left).

I wouldn't worry about the one-year technicality. If you start in June you should be able to leave the next June if you wanted.

 

[mehc012]

Hi all,

I'm looking to enter a scribe position for my gap year, starting in early June 2015 and ending around August 2016 when I enter medical school. I was wondering if anyone could speak from experience and let me know the best time to apply for these positions. I don't want to apply too early and have to tell them I can't start yet. I found this thread already discussing this, but I figured more opinions couldn't hurt. If they accept me, is training something I can do wherever (is it online)? I would be working in my home state, not where I go to school.

On a side note, if a company (like ScribeAmerica) says they have a one year full-time commitment, does that year start when training starts? I would be worried about training taking too long. If I don't actually start until sometime in August, I may not be able to fulfill the entire commitment.

EDIT: If anyone could also list scribe companies they know, that'd help out a lot. My state is not the largest, so I don't think there are too many operating there. So far I know ScribeAmerica and Elite Medical Scribes are and PhysAssist and CEP are not.

Thanks

I would apply early - most applications have somewhere for you to put 'earliest availability' or 'expected start date'. I mean a few months early. Then, I'd resubmit an app once you are in town and ready to go, to 'nudge' anyone who may have reviewed your app, liked it, but put it aside after seeing the start date.

It can take a long time to get a position. Took me months to hear back from anyone at all, and then I got 2 hits within a week (from SA and EMS - the ones you have -no less!)

Training for ScribeAmerica, at least, is all in-person. However, it's paid, and it counts towards your commitment. As a side note, while I think that quitting ahead of contract is generally a dick move, turnover in scribing is high and they really have no way to regulate it. At my location, most people lasted only a few months. The manager didn't seem surprised or upset that the contract was almost never carried out (I was one of the few to stay my entire promised time). Staying for 11mo and a bit is unlikely to cause any uproar.

 

[Pacna]

In my opinion, you should apply anywhere between February through May with the knowledge that earlier is probably better. Companies anticipate an exodus of veteran scribes from May through August and will be looking to fill these positions.

Training will vary by company. Mine(a small scribe company in MN with <40 scribes) did a combination of online and on-the-job, but I really found the online stuff to be less helpful. It helps if you come into the job with some prior knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology. My ER research experience also helped too. I had one week of training before being on my own, but I know I had an shortened training due to staffing issues(since nearly all the veteran scribes had left).

I wouldn't worry about the one-year technicality. If you start in June you should be able to leave the next June if you wanted.

I'd second the above. Strangely, I was also a scribe in MN (though I think for a bigger organization).

I would go so far as to say that if you don't get a scribe job by the end of June, your chances are very low that you'll get one at all. I started looking at the end of May, and one of the companies told me it would be months before I would even be considered for an interview given the amount of applicants they had already received.

Scribing is awesome! It gives you a fantastic perspective on how little/much the information you learn in M1 matters clinically!

 

[Svenson]

most applications have somewhere for you to put 'earliest availability' or 'expected start date'

Thanks, I did not realize this. And thank you to everyone else who added their input. I am planning to begin applying this week.

 

[quiethours]

I also applied for positions last June, and they finally called me for an interview in November. By that time, my plans had changed, and I couldn't commit at all to scribing. So I think it's a really good idea to apply early!

 

[MedNation907]

My advice: what everyone else said about applying early + have a back up plan in place. Something, anything.

I worked for Elite Medical Scribes in Ohio. The experience is definitely worth the work to land a spot, but I applied in February (did all of my online training and bi-weekly conferences) and wasn't until August that I started working. And during that time I wasn't told anything lol like I was half expecting some indication of when I would start working but it wasn't until I called that I learned there were no open spots. By that time it was too late to look into other options but luckily a spot opened up and was given to me.

Of course experiences are completely different depending on area/company but having options is always a good thing.

 

[Svenson]

Thanks, what would you guys suggest as good alternatives for a gap year? The only things I can really think of are cliche things like volunteering at hospitals or working as a lab tech.

 

[mehc012]

Thanks, what would you guys suggest as good alternatives for a gap year? The only things I can really think of are cliche things like volunteering at hospitals or working as a lab tech.

Cliché has got nothing to do with it. Find something that works for your degree...if that's a lab tech position, it's a lab tech position, and then you can do things like volunteering at hospitals to get some clinical exposure since your job doesn't provide it.