Clinical Experiences After Scribing

[ShidaM]

I'm currently in a scribing job and am looking to move on in a month or so after I hit about 300-350 hours. I like my job but the hours are inconsistent (clinic where doc travels frequently) and ScribeAmerica doesn't pay well.

What kinds of clinical experiences don't require a lengthy certification and provide a good experience?

Also, would quitting a scribe job after a few (about 4) months look bad?

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[klever]

Medical Assistant is cool if you find an outpatient clinic that's willing to hire you with no certification!

 

[Round786]

Medical Assistant is cool if you find an outpatient clinic that's willing to hire you with no certification!

I’ve heard that clinics will frequently try to make uncertified MAs into glorified clerks, and give them very little clinical responsibilities. This very thing is happening to the uncertified MAs at my clinic right now! The certified MAs do the injections, vitals, imaging, etc., while the uncertified MAs schedule or at most, take HPIs. There are some stories on here about how uncertified MAs are taught procedures by the doctor, but I doubt that’s the norm. (Maybe I am wrong about this)

I personally want to become an EMT. It only takes a summer to earn the certification, it’s likely the most hands-on clinical experience a trad premed can get, and it can be done in a volunteering capacity.

 

[Round786]

I'm currently in a scribing job and am looking to move on in a month or so after I hit about 300-350 hours. I like my job but the hours are inconsistent (clinic where doc travels frequently) and ScribeAmerica doesn't pay well.

What kinds of clinical experiences don't require a lengthy certification and provide a good experience?

Also, would quitting a scribe job after a few (about 4) months look bad?

How is your doctor’s perception of you? If they are supportive of you, It would be a waste to quit now; you could maybe get a LOR from the doctor.

 

[klever]

I’ve heard that clinics will frequently try to make uncertified MAs into glorified clerks, and give them very little clinical responsibilities. This very thing is happening to the uncertified MAs at my clinic right now! The certified MAs do the injections, vitals, imaging, etc., while the uncertified MAs schedule or at most, take HPIs. There are some stories on here about how uncertified MAs are taught procedures by the doctor, but I doubt that’s the norm. (Maybe I am wrong about this)

I personally want to become an EMT. It only takes a summer to earn the certification, it’s likely the most hands-on clinical experience a trad premed can get, and it can be done in a volunteering capacity.

Yea, EMT is cool too! I've seen it also where clinics actually delegate some responsibilites to the uncertified MA's. Unfortunate you have found one like that!

 

[ShidaM]

How is your doctor’s perception of you? If they are supportive of you, It would be a waste to quit now; you could maybe get a LOR from the doctor.

I think he likes me well enough. I don’t get in his office much since it’s small, so I interact with him when we are walking to another building to see a patient, during lunch, after we see a telemed patient etc. He does answer a lot of my medical school/ medicine questions and explain his thought process when treating patients.

I plan on asking him to write me a letter at the end of this month/ sometime next month depending on how I feel ab it and how soon I can find another clinical job.

 

[LizzyM]

Most schools do not need or want a letter from a physician. Most of the letters are not helpful to adcoms. DO schools do like to see a LOR from a physician and prefer letters from DOs.

 

[ShidaM]

Most schools do not need or want a letter from a physician. Most of the letters are not helpful to adcoms. DO schools do like to see a LOR from a physician and prefer letters from DOs.

Do you mean to say that physician letters aren’t really that helpful or letters in general? Are letters just a box to check?

Also, the Dr I work for is a grad from a school that would be towards the top of my list, is that in any way an advantage?

 

[LizzyM]

Most of the med school admissions committees don't find letters from physicians to be helpful in making admission decisions except, perhaps, if you are employed full-time by the physician and even then it can depend on whether they know the physician and hold him in high regard. This even includes members of our own faculty.

The school graduates about 100 physicians per year meaning there are ~2,000 physicians running around who graduated 10-30 years ago (prime practice years). The fact that a letter writer is part of that pool of docs who graduated from the school doesn't make a bit of difference.

 

[ShidaM]

Most of the med school admissions committees don't find letters from physicians to be helpful in making admission decisions except, perhaps, if you are employed full-time by the physician and even then it can depend on whether they know the physician and hold him in high regard. This even includes members of our own faculty.

The school graduates about 100 physicians per year meaning there are ~2,000 physicians running around who graduated 10-30 years ago (prime practice years). The fact that a letter writer is part of that pool of docs who graduated from the school doesn't make a bit of difference.

I understand, thanks for answering!

So would it look bad to adcoms if I quit my job after 3-4 months and started over at another clinical position? I feel like I’ve gotten a good amount of experience and want to try something else

 

[LizzyM]

Generally, you want to stay at a specific job for a year (with summer jobs being an exception - and academic year jobs sometimes being just 8-9 months ) before quitting and working elsewhere.

The problem with leaving after a few months because you are dissatisfied with the hours and wages is that you could end up at a job that is really toxic and you'll want to leave after 3 months -- or you get laid off after a few months -- and then you've got two very short term jobs on your record.

 

[superdesperate]

There ought to be more to life than just what you think med schools will think of you. If you're unhappy with your current job, then quit. You got enough hours and its not like its near the start of a new cycle so youll have time to rack up more hours at a new job.