Medical Records

[Dartmouth2005]

A job working essentially as a medical records clerk really won't help my application much, right? I handle HIPAA requests and release records. Some subpoenas too.

One friend said that this job would allow me to speak competently as to the importance of medical records in the real world, in workers comp, and in drug litigation. Also, I know some of the grimier work in medicine.

Any thoughts sdners?

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[halethsonofhama]

It will help you gain a better understanding of how the healthcare system works, which can impress some people at interviews. But clinical work will always be better.

If you can find a way to eventually turn this job into clinical, then go for it (I was hired for records but then was trained as an MA 2 months later- helped out a bundle).

 

[TexasPhysician]

Won't help much. If anything it will show that you are good at time management by holding down a job + school + whatever.

 

[Dbate]

It will help you gain a better understanding of how the healthcare system works, which can impress some people at interviews. But clinical work will always be better.

If you can find a way to eventually turn this job into clinical, then go for it (I was hired for records but then was trained as an MA 2 months later- helped out a bundle).

What is a MA? I currently work in a medical office, in a secretarial capacity, and I would prefer to get a job that has more clinically relevance.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Medical Assistant I assume

 

[Dbate]

Medical Assistant I assume

What exactly do they do and how do you become one?

 

[senorsquishie]

Every little bit helps, but as with any EC is it what you make of it.

 

[RynoTheGuy]

A job working essentially as a medical records clerk really won't help my application much, right? I handle HIPAA requests and release records. Some subpoenas too.

One friend said that this job would allow me to speak competently as to the importance of medical records in the real world, in workers comp, and in drug litigation. Also, I know some of the grimier work in medicine.

Any thoughts sdners?

I too worked in as a records clerk in the Radiology Dept. for a while (3 years while in undergrad), and it actually was extremely helpful (contrary to what some have said above) as it gave me a tremendous amount if insight into not only how the medical system works "behind the scenes", but it also gave me a huge amount of respect for the secretaries and other clerical staff that make up a medical team. I mentioned this throughout my interviews and in other areas of my application and it helped because of the perspective that it had given me. Mentioning things like this is a way to turn a clerical position into a great help on your applications. While clinical experience and actual patient exposure is a must, and if you had a choice between the two I would absolutely take clinical over clerical, but the clerical side taught me quite a bit and was extremely beneficial in my interviews as it was brought up a few times and I was able to share my insights that I had gained - and it I humbly admit it impressed the ADCOM. which is always a good thing

 

[Dartmouth2005]

I too worked in as a records clerk in the Radiology Dept. for a while (3 years while in undergrad), and it actually was extremely helpful (contrary to what some have said above) as it gave me a tremendous amount if insight into not only how the medical system works "behind the scenes", but it also gave me a huge amount of respect for the secretaries and other clerical staff that make up a medical team. I mentioned this throughout my interviews and in other areas of my application and it helped because of the perspective that it had given me. Mentioning things like this is a way to turn a clerical position into a great help on your applications. While clinical experience and actual patient exposure is a must, and if you had a choice between the two I would absolutely take clinical over clerical, but the clerical side taught me quite a bit and was extremely beneficial in my interviews as it was brought up a few times and I was able to share my insights that I had gained - and it I humbly admit it impressed the ADCOM. which is always a good thing

Not much exposure to physicians or patients here. Mainly, I gather docs from patients charts that are going to be used in litigation to defend multinational corporations.