Need Advice About Keeping Scribe Job...

[Nick_Nov]

So here's my story:

I was recently hired by Scribe America and today was my last day of floor training. My feelings so far about the job are that it seems like it could potentially be a great opportunity to get medical experience and will also look great when applying to med school. However, I have some major issues and need to ultimately make the decision of whether I should keep this job or not.

My first issue is that after my last day of training, I still don't feel 100% about my charting abilities. Essentially, I fear and suspect that there are things that I was not exposed to in our charting system that I will not know how to use when it comes to being by myself.

A part of the reason why I don't feel confident after my last shift is the doctors I have worked with. In particular, one that I had two shifts with that is by far the worst. He moves from patient to patient so quickly, sometimes even before they have a chart in system, to the point where you might be 3-4 charts behind and he is still ready to quickly move on. Not to mention, he is extremely rude and a bully to scribes. When he gives you his note he talks at rapid speeds. You cannot understand him in the least. He is one of three doctors altogether who similarly put a huge burden on scribes and treat them extremely poorly. I have yet to work with the other two.

My next concern is the way the shifts work. This does depend on the doctor, but in general they do not allow you to take a break. Some may not allow you to eat food. This might mean that in an 8-10 hour shift, you must go without food and possibly water. Also, we are required to do two overnight shifts a month, which could possibly mess up your sleeping habits (which could be particularly detrimental to my studies).

This brings me to my next point: I don't want to sacrifice my GPA or studying for the MCAT with this job. In the end, I could probably attain the same clinical experience by shadowing (that would allow for a lot less of being a slave driven typist).

Anyways, I could go on and on. I'd like to get peoples' opinion of what I should do. Do you think this is worth keeping? I'm sure in time --idk how much time-- I might get better at the job. However, I know that if I have to work with one of these unprofessional and rude doctors, I will be putting myself under a lot of unnecessary stress as an undergrad student. In fact, I doubt I will be able to chart efficiently at all if I work with the doctor I described.

Most friends I've asked about this have said to stick with it. I seem like a quitter to most, I suppose, if I choose not to. However, I don't want to jeopardize my health, grades, or sanity for a *possible* benefit, so maybe I just need to keep my own priorities in mind and quit?

Please lend me your advice.

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[Holmwood]

One bad experience should not dismiss you from continuing to pursue any job.

Furthermore, you doubting your charting abilities may be attributed to the fact that you were not able to keep up with the doctor you mentioned.

If you feel dissatisfied, then perhaps you may be able to work for another hospital instead? Scribing is an excellent opportunity and physicians love having them.

If you feel that you might have to leave scribing altogether (due to schedule conflicts), think about some experiences you can take away from scribing.
-Any memorable patients?
-Any interesting diseases?
-Can you suggest improvements for the treatment of scribes/personnel based on your experience working in a hostile environment (as well as relevant experience to support it)?
etc etc.

The point I'm trying to make is that you should try to make the best out of your current situation.

 

[plainandsimple]

I began scribing a few months ago and I don't think I felt 100% in my abilities after my last day of bedside training either. However, the lead scribes said I could always text them if I had any questions while on shift and there is always at least one other scribe working simultaneously so I could ask him/her questions. The providers are also typically very helpful and understanding with new scribes. Over time, you should feel more comfortable and confident in your abilities, but it is okay to be worried or overwhelmed initially because there is a steep learning curve.

The lead scribes that I work with are extremely considerate and understanding so they don't assign "difficult" providers to new scribes until we gain more experience and become faster. Also, they said that if we have a problem with any of the providers, we can let them know and they won't assign us to him/her, which is reassuring. We have a few providers who are known to work fast and talk fast or mumble, so new scribes don't work them while starting out. Can you talk to your lead scribe(s) about not working with the physician that you mentioned?

I understand your concern for not having time to eat/drink during shifts with certain providers because I feel that way too when it's busy. I usually always have a handy water bottle to sip water when there are a few seconds of downtime. I also carry granola bars and easy to eat snacks so I can quickly eat something when I have time. At first, when you're starting out, charting takes longer because you're still new and might have to occasionally Google spellings of differentials, but once you get faster and familiar with the system, you will have more downtime to eat/drink. Most providers understand that you have a required food break during 8-10 hour shifts so you just need to ask them if you can take a break if there is a brief lull. A few providers don't eat during shifts or never take a break so I know it can be hard to find time to eat, but if you say you really need to eat, then I think they understand that we're there to help them, not be their slaves.

I don't know how many shifts you're working per week, but I think scribing is manageable with school/studying for the MCAT. I can't say from personal experience, but several other scribes that I work with have been able to do it. I have shadowed previously and I think scribing is a much better experience in comparison. That said, scribing is not for everyone because our group does tend to lose a small percentage of new scribes during/after the bedside trainings.

I don't think I fully addressed all your concerns because this post might get really long, but I'm happy to answer any questions via PM. There also other scribing-related threads that discuss how to become more efficient as a scribe that might be helpful.

 

[mehc012]

So here's my story:

I was recently hired by Scribe America and today was my last day of floor training. My feelings so far about the job are that it seems like it could potentially be a great opportunity to get medical experience and will also look great when applying to med school. However, I have some major issues and need to ultimately make the decision of whether I should keep this job or not.

Cool. Let's go through this.

My first issue is that after my last day of training, I still don't feel 100% about my charting abilities. Essentially, I fear and suspect that there are things that I was not exposed to in our charting system that I will not know how to use when it comes to being by myself.

Alright. First things first: this may surprise you, but absolutely nobody expects you to be 100% on your charting abilities right out of training. That's why these jobs ask for commitment...it will take a month or more of working before you really get into a groove, and even then there is a ton to be learned. If this is one of your big concerns, try to set that aside...it's normal.

A part of the reason why I don't feel confident after my last shift is the doctors I have worked with. In particular, one that I had two shifts with that is by far the worst. He moves from patient to patient so quickly, sometimes even before they have a chart in system, to the point where you might be 3-4 charts behind and he is still ready to quickly move on. Not to mention, he is extremely rude and a bully to scribes. When he gives you his note he talks at rapid speeds. You cannot understand him in the least. He is one of three doctors altogether who similarly put a huge burden on scribes and treat them extremely poorly. I have yet to work with the other two.

This comes with experience. You will learn ways to chart more quickly, fill in the blanks when you miss a word, when to ask what, and how to streamline things. Again, this is totally normal. Well, except the bully part (though I would argue that "difficult to work for" and "fast" ≠ "bully"). First, as you gain proficiency, you will not find his rapidity to be as alarming. Second, one thing I have noticed with many of the docs I work with is that you do not get treated with respect until you earn it. You are on probation until you have demonstrated that you can make a good chart, consistently. Now, ideally of course, they would treat you with respect from the beginning, but often it never shows until you impress them.
Remember, it is not the doctors' jobs to make your job easy. It is your job to make theirs easier. The best docs will realize that the way in which they work can affect your performance and adjust accordingly, but you cannot go into this expecting your convenience to be foremost in anyone's mind. You are the bottom of the totem pole...your hard work and low priority is the price you pay for awesome experience.

My next concern is the way the shifts work. This does depend on the doctor, but in general they do not allow you to take a break. Some may not allow you to eat food. This might mean that in an 8-10 hour shift, you must go without food and possibly water. Also, we are required to do two overnight shifts a month, which could possibly mess up your sleeping habits (which could be particularly detrimental to my studies).

8-10 hours is just not that long. You can easily go 8-10hrs without food, or if you can't...bring some. Keep snacks in your pocket. Bring a water bottle. You'll be fine. Furthermore, learning how you respond to this sort of pressure and schedule - the irregular hours and overnights coming up frequently, etc - is one of the valuable aspects of scribing. You WILL have to do so in residency and as a physician. If you can't do it, best to learn now, eh?

This brings me to my next point: I don't want to sacrifice my GPA or studying for the MCAT with this job. In the end, I could probably attain the same clinical experience by shadowing (that would allow for a lot less of being a slave driven typist).

You absolutely cannot get the same clinical experience by shadowing. Maybe you could shadow enough to look good on paper, but you will not learn even 1/1000th of what you could have scribing.
By all means, don't sacrifice your GPA, but a few shifts a week really shouldn't hold you back on that front.

Anyways, I could go on and on. I'd like to get peoples' opinion of what I should do. Do you think this is worth keeping? I'm sure in time --idk how much time-- I might get better at the job. However, I know that if I have to work with one of these unprofessional and rude doctors, I will be putting myself under a lot of unnecessary stress as an undergrad student. In fact, I doubt I will be able to chart efficiently at all if I work with the doctor I described.

You will get better - I'd bet 1 or 2 months, depending on how many shifts, before you feel really comfortable. 4 or 5 before you're considered good by the docs
The doctor you describe is not atypical, and will not be atypical at any stage in your training. Neither will the stress. It's really, really, not that bad.

Most friends I've asked about this have said to stick with it. I seem like a quitter to most, I suppose, if I choose not to. However, I don't want to jeopardize my health, grades, or sanity for a *possible* benefit, so maybe I just need to keep my own priorities in mind and quit?
Please lend me your advice.

Give yourself some credit. Your health and sanity should not be so fragile that a few rude bosses or some overnight shifts destroy them...if so, you're in trouble down the road.
You haven't mentioned what else you have going on, but barring any other huge commitment, it is perfectly possible to ace your courses and scribe. Almost every scribe employed is doing so. Again, give yourself some credit here.

 

[Rinya]

Okay for some background, I've worked for ScribeAmerica for three years. They've been the most flexible employer ever as far as scheduling around classes, studying for MCAT, etc. I maintained this job part time during semesters when I took a minimum of 18 credits a semester. I've been a trainer for the last two years and this has been the most amazing, educational experience ever. So...addressing your points:

So here's my story:

I was recently hired by Scribe America and today was my last day of floor training. My feelings so far about the job are that it seems like it could potentially be a great opportunity to get medical experience and will also look great when applying to med school. However, I have some major issues and need to ultimately make the decision of whether I should keep this job or not.

My first issue is that after my last day of training, I still don't feel 100% about my charting abilities. Essentially, I fear and suspect that there are things that I was not exposed to in our charting system that I will not know how to use when it comes to being by myself.

You will not feel 100% about your charting abilities for at least a couple months, if not more. That's just the fact of it. This job is very intensive and it has a steep learning curve. In the two years I've trained, I've trained a large number of people, and not a single one of them felt confident in charting abilities until at least two-three months past their training days. SA policy training days simply aren't enough to make you a master at it, and you shouldn't expect that.

Excellence with scribing comes from working with all the different doctors, always ALWAYS asking for constructive feedback, and doing your best each day. The people who I see that put the effort into it do steadily improve. You will feel like you suck for the first month or so, but there is no way to get around that and it's not a reason to quit. Let the trainers and your managers evaluate your improvement and work with you to improve your skills. That's what they are there for. For instance, after we finish training for the initial floor training days, we let the scribe work on his/her own for about two weeks, monitoring physician feedback, and then shadow them for a shift in order to see where they really are at (some doctors are too nice to complain!) and evaluate any weak points for further training. Maybe your branch has something like that.

A part of the reason why I don't feel confident after my last shift is the doctors I have worked with. In particular, one that I had two shifts with that is by far the worst. He moves from patient to patient so quickly, sometimes even before they have a chart in system, to the point where you might be 3-4 charts behind and he is still ready to quickly move on. Not to mention, he is extremely rude and a bully to scribes. When he gives you his note he talks at rapid speeds. You cannot understand him in the least. He is one of three doctors altogether who similarly put a huge burden on scribes and treat them extremely poorly. I have yet to work with the other two.

Okay...you need to develop thicker skin and earn the respect of the docs, especially before calling them a bully. I don't doubt that they say stuff that you perceive that way but remember. You are there to make their job easier. They are paying to have you there. Plus, they are in the middle of seeing how many patients, ordering labs, keeping the patients straight, and making sure radiology is done in a timely fashion, etc etc. They have quite a bit going on and our 3-4 charts behind when we have the notes to fill in is not a big deal by comparison. When I started there were two docs who were notorious for being more difficult to work with but when they see you putting in definite effort, trying your best, and NOT goofing off/chatting with everyone, you will slowly earn their respect and they will start to look forward to working with you and maybe even request you. Every doc here moves from patient to patient quickly. That's just part of the job and the ER atomosphere. If you are having trouble keeping up with the speed in which they dictate or list things off to you, develop a system of abbreviations that you can type faster.
For instance: If the doc is saying "Patient was seen here in the ED a week ago with abdominal pain. The patient is currently undergoing a workup for Crohn's disease." Then write out "Pt seen week ago abd pain. workup Crohn's ongoing" or something like that. The key is take shorthand notes detailed enough that you can go back through and fill in the blanks.

My next concern is the way the shifts work. This does depend on the doctor, but in general they do not allow you to take a break. Some may not allow you to eat food. This might mean that in an 8-10 hour shift, you must go without food and possibly water. Also, we are required to do two overnight shifts a month, which could possibly mess up your sleeping habits (which could be particularly detrimental to my studies).

Get used to the going without food because that is definitely the truth. We have 8 hour shifts here, and I think I could by this point scientifically correlate that bringing a large lunch/snack with you to work leads to never getting a chance for a break. I generally carry snacks in my pocket or run to the vending machines while the doc is suturing or something. But honestly, you don't really notice. It's usually so busy that the time flies by and I don't even notice if I haven't eaten. Quite honestly, 8-10 hours isn't too long. Grab water from the ice machine if you are thirsty, and eat some of the saltines/graham crackers that they have all over. Often scribes and techs live off these crackers for shifts. If you can't go without a break for 8-10 hours, how are you going to do in residency?

As far as overnights, they can be a ton of fun. Try at least one, I'd recommend. Check with your project manager/chief scribe about your schedule, because at our location if we have enough people covering the overnights, then they don't require anyone to work x amount of them per month. We've only enforced that rule once in the last three years and that was when there was a mass exodus of scribes leaving for med school and a shortage of staff. But again...practice for residency. I worked a Wednesday overnight about 6 weeks in a row the semester I took 21 credits. Soon as I got off work at 7 or 8, I went to class from 8:30 to 6 pm, then home to sleep. It's not ideal but it definitely can be done.

This brings me to my next point: I don't want to sacrifice my GPA or studying for the MCAT with this job. In the end, I could probably attain the same clinical experience by shadowing (that would allow for a lot less of being a slave driven typist).

I have learned much more scribing than shadowing. You literally are involved in every aspect of the patient's encounter, and the physician involves you in the medical decision making, lab and radiology interpretation...it's basically paid shadowing and if you consider it slave-driving then it will be. But it's been an awesome job for me from day one. Also, your charting skills keep improving and that is helpful in your future.

Anyways, I could go on and on. I'd like to get peoples' opinion of what I should do. Do you think this is worth keeping? I'm sure in time --idk how much time-- I might get better at the job. However, I know that if I have to work with one of these unprofessional and rude doctors, I will be putting myself under a lot of unnecessary stress as an undergrad student. In fact, I doubt I will be able to chart efficiently at all if I work with the doctor I described.

Most friends I've asked about this have said to stick with it. I seem like a quitter to most, I suppose, if I choose not to. However, I don't want to jeopardize my health, grades, or sanity for a *possible* benefit, so maybe I just need to keep my own priorities in mind and quit?

Please lend me your advice.

Definitely stick with it. You cannot expect to be perfect after 5 training shifts. I haven't seen a single person in 3 years who ever did that. This job is by far worth it in the long run. You get far better, more valuable experience than you could get shadowing. I know you mentioned some of the docs are hard to work with but this is life. Any other job will have difficult people to work with. The difference here is that you will learn a massive amount of information pertinent to what you want to do with your life. Most doctors I've encountered are so appreciative to have scribes that even if they are more gruff at first, earn their respect, show them you're doing your best, and they will help you improve, and teach you anything you want to know. You'll have docs like this as attendings someday when you're an intern or resident.

My location was very flexible with school schedules and such once you proved that you were a good employee. I was able, for instance, to work just one shift a week or even every two weeks during my second to last semester of undergrad.

This has been the best experience for someone who wants to go to med school. I highly recommend sticking with it. It is truly rewarding and the relationships you make with the doctors are valuable. Talk with the chief scribes if you need to, as far as scheduling, but you will be so glad you stuck with it!

 

[Planes2Doc]

This brings me to my next point: I don't want to sacrifice my GPA or studying for the MCAT with this job. In the end, I could probably attain the same clinical experience by shadowing (that would allow for a lot less of being a slave driven typist).

And... This is enough reason not to do the job! There is nothing more important than your GPA and MCAT! If you screw these up, then you'll never become a physician. A good majority of current medical students have never done entry-level clinical jobs, and they are doing okay. Wouldn't you rather be a medical student than not?

Remember, the pre-med process isn't supposed to be some happy meaningful journey. It's not about what you learn. It's about checking the right boxes to get you into school, because that's the ultimate goal of being pre-med. It's a means to an end. No one wants to be a professional pre-med or a professional medical student. They want to become a physician! You have the rest of your life to learn about all these things you would as a scribe (oh, and in much greater detail), and will learn all of your clinical steps from the very BEGINNING in medical school. If the skills from entry-level clinical jobs were crucial to success in medical school, then it would be a requirement.

The clinical job wars gets me the most flak on this site. It's a very biased perspective. You have people on here who have done these jobs and will swear their lives on it. I mean, they put in a very serious commitment, and it must be insulting to some extent when I say that the jobs are either pointless or not worth doing. I'm not here trying to insult anyone. I'm just trying to steer people in the right direction, because the advice on SDN is biased. For example, you usually hear from the people who were good at juggling everything, and are either still pre-med, or made it into medical school. But you don't hear from the many people who bit off more than they could chew, and the clinical jobs ended up destroying their grades and or MCAT. I know people who this personally happened to, and saw some big posters in the past who suddenly stopped posting. Now if a clinical job killed the chances for an SDN member, do you think they would keep posting? Do you think that they would tell their story and tell people why they shouldn't do clinical jobs? I doubt it. I think they are more likely to throw in the towel, choose a different path in life, and never post on here again.

In the end, clinical jobs are dime a dozen. They won't set you apart. They won't help your application to a level which you'd like considering the commitment you'd put into them. They can easily impact your grades and MCAT in a very negative way. This will kill you for medical school. The money you make is pocket change compared to future earnings, and is a drop in the bucket compared to failing the pre-med process or having to do a $50,000 SMP to save your ass. Sure, you might see some cool meaningful things as a scribe, but you have an entire lifetime to see these as a physician. Oh, and you won't be behind in any way. In my clinical medicine course, you can't tell the difference between people who had previous work experience, and those who haven't.

You said you can attain the same clinical experience shadowing. Not entirely true... That's what volunteering is for. But it's by far the best deal in town. Four hours a week, check the box, and done! Remember, it's not about the clinical experiences you actually get. It's about the clinical experiences that ADCOMs think you get. And most importantly, ADCOMs only want you to see what the clinical environment is like and know that it's for you. They don't care about you learning specific skills of any kind. That's not what the "clinical experience" for medical school is about. It's a means to an end, and this is your one shot. Since you've brought up your academics, this means that your sixth sense is going off. It's telling you not to do it! If you heard about all the stories of people who were screwed by their clinical jobs (which you'll never hear on SDN), then you'd clearly make the right choice. You know what the right decision is, so make it.

 

[HinduHammer]

As a former chief scribe and trainer, I agree with planes 2 doc with the caveat that I would stick with it long enough to get a recommendation letter before quitting. If that's not gonna be possible quit now and cut your losses. What you don't want is an experience that is too short to list on am as and that a los negatively affected your academics. Last fall when I was doing 18 credits, 3 jobs including ascribing and volunteering I was about ready to go crazy, and my health also suffered.

 

[mehc012]

And... This is enough reason not to do the job! There is nothing more important than your GPA and MCAT! If you screw these up, then you'll never become a physician. A good majority of current medical students have never done entry-level clinical jobs, and they are doing okay. Wouldn't you rather be a medical student than not?

Remember, the pre-med process isn't supposed to be some happy meaningful journey. It's not about what you learn. It's about checking the right boxes to get you into school, because that's the ultimate goal of being pre-med. It's a means to an end. No one wants to be a professional pre-med or a professional medical student. They want to become a physician! You have the rest of your life to learn about all these things you would as a scribe (oh, and in much greater detail), and will learn all of your clinical steps from the very BEGINNING in medical school. If the skills from entry-level clinical jobs were crucial to success in medical school, then it would be a requirement.

The clinical job wars gets me the most flak on this site. It's a very biased perspective. You have people on here who have done these jobs and will swear their lives on it. I mean, they put in a very serious commitment, and it must be insulting to some extent when I say that the jobs are either pointless or not worth doing. I'm not here trying to insult anyone. I'm just trying to steer people in the right direction, because the advice on SDN is biased. For example, you usually hear from the people who were good at juggling everything, and are either still pre-med, or made it into medical school. But you don't hear from the many people who bit off more than they could chew, and the clinical jobs ended up destroying their grades and or MCAT. I know people who this personally happened to, and saw some big posters in the past who suddenly stopped posting. Now if a clinical job killed the chances for an SDN member, do you think they would keep posting? Do you think that they would tell their story and tell people why they shouldn't do clinical jobs? I doubt it. I think they are more likely to throw in the towel, choose a different path in life, and never post on here again.

In the end, clinical jobs are dime a dozen. They won't set you apart. They won't help your application to a level which you'd like considering the commitment you'd put into them. They can easily impact your grades and MCAT in a very negative way. This will kill you for medical school. The money you make is pocket change compared to future earnings, and is a drop in the bucket compared to failing the pre-med process or having to do a $50,000 SMP to save your ass. Sure, you might see some cool meaningful things as a scribe, but you have an entire lifetime to see these as a physician. Oh, and you won't be behind in any way. In my clinical medicine course, you can't tell the difference between people who had previous work experience, and those who haven't.

You said you can attain the same clinical experience shadowing. Not entirely true... That's what volunteering is for. But it's by far the best deal in town. Four hours a week, check the box, and done! Remember, it's not about the clinical experiences you actually get. It's about the clinical experiences that ADCOMs think you get. And most importantly, ADCOMs only want you to see what the clinical environment is like and know that it's for you. They don't care about you learning specific skills of any kind. That's not what the "clinical experience" for medical school is about. It's a means to an end, and this is your one shot. Since you've brought up your academics, this means that your sixth sense is going off. It's telling you not to do it! If you heard about all the stories of people who were screwed by their clinical jobs (which you'll never hear on SDN), then you'd clearly make the right choice. You know what the right decision is, so make it.

Honestly, if they can't keep their grades up and work a few shifts a week, they're in trouble anyway. If they can't put up with doctors who are focused on their priorities instead of OP's happiness, maybe med school isn't right for them. If they can't pull an overnight now and then or work a hard 8-10hrs, or figure out how to bring a damn granola bar? Maybe it's time to reconsider. How's that for an educational experience? Sounds like a great money-saver to me

 

[Nick_Nov]

Honestly, if they can't keep their grades up and work a few shifts a week, they're in trouble anyway. If they can't put up with doctors who are focused on their priorities instead of OP's happiness, maybe med school isn't right for them. If they can't pull an overnight now and then or work a hard 8-10hrs, or figure out how to bring a damn granola bar? Maybe it's time to reconsider. How's that for an educational experience? Sounds like a great money-saver to me

It's more than *working a few shifts and keeping up grades.* I have already held a job during school and managed to pull of a 4.0 GPA. I can probably still manage to do it but its the question of...DO THE PROS OUTWEIGH THE CONS? Why would I voluntarily make it harder on myself to attain a good GPA and do well on the MCATs? I know residency and medical school aren't a piece of cake either, but both of those are ONE thing at a time. Its the GPA and MCAT score that medical schools are really worried about, not if I was a scribe.

Also, I can figure out how to bring a granola bar with me. My point about the no break wasn't meant to be that big of a deal...it was just another con to the added list. That's all.

Finally, there is no reason why a doctor should treat me like a slave driver. I know that they are "focused on their priorities," as they should be, but this doesn't mean that they cannot assist the person who is following them around, typing furiously at their beckoned call. This makes your point about med school completely irrelevant. I want to be a doctor, and a good one that understands that collaboration and caring about people are two key characteristics that make a great doctor. This doctor and some of the others I've heard about are the exact opposite of what I want to become. I know that I can succeed in medical school without this job.

 

[Nick_Nov]

Thanks everyone (except the last extremely rude response) for the advice. I know it's probably normal to feel a bit shaken up and overwhelmed when you are new. However, like I mentioned, I know I could probably get better eventually but then I question the real value of the job. I can't stop thinking that for a whole lot of work, I am really not getting all that much out of it. Sure, I might be developing relationships with doctors but that can be done elsewhere.

Also, I'm not really worried about the no food thing. I've already adapted to that, but it was just an added *con* to my list of pros and cons.

In the end, I'm still torn about what I should do. I could choose to stick with it, but it might be a horrible mistake. I have an extremely busy schedule during school, balancing volunteering once a week downtown, commuting to school Mon, Wed, Friday, tutoring a freshman biology course, taking piano lessons, and doing research with a professor. Also, I worry about next semester when I may only have the weekends off. This means I won't have much time besides what I have left during the week after classes to study. And again--like I said before-- I'll still be needing to study for the MCAT that I'll be taking in June. I'm not saying it can't be done--I signed up for the job after all-- but I thought it would be more rewarding and didn't think the workload would be this extreme. At this point I will probably give it a couple more shifts, before I make the decision to quit. Also, I really don't ever see myself getting to the point of being good enough to work with the hardest doctors we have. My trainer I was working with could barely keep up the pace and she has a lot more experience than me.

 

[mehc012]

It's more than *working a few shifts and keeping up grades.* I have already held a job during school and managed to pull of a 4.0 GPA. I can probably still manage to do it but its the question of...DO THE PROS OUTWEIGH THE CONS? Why would I voluntarily make it harder on myself to attain a good GPA and do well on the MCATs? I know residency and medical school aren't a piece of cake either, but both of those are ONE thing at a time. Its the GPA and MCAT score that medical schools are really worried about, not if I was a scribe.

Also, I can figure out how to bring a granola bar with me. My point about the no break wasn't meant to be that big of a deal...it was just another con to the added list. That's all.

Finally, there is no reason why a doctor should treat me like a slave driver. I know that they are "focused on their priorities," as they should be, but this doesn't mean that they cannot assist the person who is following them around, typing furiously at their beckoned call. This makes your point about med school completely irrelevant. I want to be a doctor, and a good one that understands that collaboration and caring about people are two key characteristics that make a great doctor. This doctor and some of the others I've heard about are the exact opposite of what I want to become. I know that I can succeed in medical school without this job.

Sorry, the granola bar comment was out of line...but I meant it on the rest. If having to work hard in a demanding environment is this much of a con for you, there is more to consider than the actual scribe job itself.

I gave you a far more detailed, and somewhat less rude response above, but the more I sit here and re-read your complaints, the worse it sits with me. The fact that 'talking quickly and seeing a lot of patients' is, in your initial response, equated with bullying and slave driving is just ludicrous. Scribing is ENTIRELY about enabling the doctors to do just that. It is the only reason they pay you, or anyone, to do that job.
Honestly, the entire post reads like a whine festival...you clearly want to quit, so I don't know why you're asking. You included absolutely no 'pros', so sorry if it wasn't immediately apparent that you wanted help balancing the pros and cons.

So, yes, quit the job, focus on school, do other things, go to med school. But also consider seriously readjusting your expectations before you hit intern year (at the latest). My point about med school is not completely irrelevant, because even though you don't plan to be that kind of doctor, you are going to be trained by so many various physicians, and you can bet that some of them will be equally unfocused on making your life more enjoyable.

 

[Nick_Nov]

Its more of a rant fest but thanks for your input. I know life is tough and I'll have to work with difficult people (I've already had to deal with many people like this in the past...professors, previous bosses, etc). I just question whether its worth voluntarily subjecting myself to that when its not necessary at this point. Also, just to clarify, it wasn't the seeing patients quickly that I equated with bullying. I didn't get too specific about what the doctor said to me during the shift that I equated with that term.

 

[Nick_Nov]

Sorry, the granola bar comment was out of line...but I meant it on the rest. If having to work hard in a demanding environment is this much of a con for you, there is more to consider than the actual scribe job itself.

I gave you a far more detailed, and somewhat less rude response above, but the more I sit here and re-read your complaints, the worse it sits with me. The fact that 'talking quickly and seeing a lot of patients' is, in your initial response, equated with bullying and slave driving is just ludicrous. Scribing is ENTIRELY about enabling the doctors to do just that. It is the only reason they pay you, or anyone, to do that job.
Honestly, the entire post reads like a whine festival...you clearly want to quit, so I don't know why you're asking. You included absolutely no 'pros', so sorry if it wasn't immediately apparent that you wanted help balancing the pros and cons.

So, yes, quit the job, focus on school, do other things, go to med school. But also consider seriously readjusting your expectations before you hit intern year (at the latest). My point about med school is not completely irrelevant, because even though you don't plan to be that kind of doctor, you are going to be trained by so many various physicians, and you can bet that some of them will be equally unfocused on making your life more enjoyable.

Its more of a rant fest but thanks for your input. I know life is tough and I'll have to work with difficult people (I've already had to deal with many people like this in the past...professors, previous bosses, etc). I just question whether its worth voluntarily subjecting myself to that when its not necessary at this point. Also, just to clarify, it wasn't the seeing patients quickly that I equated with bullying. I didn't get too specific about what the doctor said to me during the shift that I equated with that term.

 

[mehc012]

Its more of a rant fest but thanks for your input. I know life is tough and I'll have to work with difficult people (I've already had to deal with many people like this in the past...professors, previous bosses, etc). I just question whether its worth voluntarily subjecting myself to that when its not necessary at this point. Also, just to clarify, it wasn't the seeing patients quickly that I equated with bullying. I didn't get too specific about what the doctor said to me during the shift that I equated with that term.

Fair enough...the way it was worded left me with a different impression, sorry. I have run into a few semi-toxic doctors...there was one whose shifts I always dreaded as I felt that I was regarded as less than a person. However, that turned out to be the primary example of what I was getting at in my first post: they treated me like dirt until I showed that I could do a good job, and now they do me favors and give me food. I still have less respect for them because of the way they acted initially, but I no longer dread those shifts (and in fact prefer them, despite the speed!) I have seen that more than once at the hospital...you are treated like a nobody until boom! Suddenly you're upgraded to a new tier. It's weird.

Planes2Doc has a point when he states that you would probably be fine with volunteering instead, and if you are that miserable, go that route. However, where P2D and I have always differed is that I find the path at least as important (if not more so) than the destination. I dislike taking the easy way when there's a more interesting one. There are definitely some downsides to scribing...personally I saw these as a good thing because I figured that if I could put up with all the crap (many of which resemble the downsides inherent in the medical profession and/or the training) without the perks of respect, salary, directly helping people, etc., and still enjoy my job, that was a sign that I was suited for it.

Even without that, though, it was worth it to me for those times when I get the doc talking about suture technique on facial lacerations, the management of an aortic dissection (α vs ß blockers, ideal blood pressures, when surgery is indicated), or when they get super excited about a rare neurological disorder that walks in the door. It is worth it to me when I realize that I can write up a good chart, pull medical records from a different hospital, glance at a CBC and know if anything is off, track down an elusive surgical consult when nobody admits to being on call, describe the rhythm off a monitor or EKG in a couple seconds, tell when a CXR is off (not usually how, but that it is), gather the supplies for most bedside procedures, anticipate what to surreptitiously stuff in my pockets when I hear a trauma is coming in, describe the central line procedure to a patient in spanish (which I could barely remember how to speak before relearning it via tons of practice in the hospital). I've seen more chest tubes, central lines, code blues, intubations, IOs, and LPs than some of my MS3 friends. I'm starting to understand what to look for in a bedside US (actually was able to see the pericardial effusion last week...usually they just look like Rorschach drawings to me). I have been in the cath lab during an emergent case, the OR multiple times, etc, just from getting to know the consulting docs I call and from bugging my docs to go followup on previous patients (well, also we had to emergently intubate someone in the cath lab once because they kept waking up and screaming...the cardiologist politely requested that we get our butts over there STAT). I've held the US for an LP and for many central lines, held the patient's hand during chest tubes and centrals, been asked for (and given) my advice on which procedure to have, pushed the button on an electrocardioversion, and held a gallbladder in my hands. There is a room in the hospital with shelves upon shelves of interesting textbooks which I can sit in for hours after my shifts and just...read, because it's fascinating. These things don't come all at once - they're mixed in with 80 cases of the sniffles, 35-patient days, endless charting, and always, always, being 3 charts behind. But they make it worthwhile to me. Whether that is true for you is not a question I can answer.