Part-Time Scribe vs. Medical Startup Job

[thedude777]

Hey everyone,

So I have the opportunity to do one of these two jobs this summer and forwards. Both require about 20 hours per week and I am currently still in college so it wouldn't be possible for me to do both while handling classes and other extracurriculars. I'm just wondering which you think would be more beneficial to do?

I am leaning towards the medical startup company simply because it involves math and data analysis, which are interests and skills of mine, it's a small company so I would have a better chance at getting close to the boss and getting a rec letter, and it pays quite a bit better than scribing, which certainly doesn't hurt haha. This job also has more flexible hours than scribing, and I think it would look a little more unique.

However, I know that scribing would be a good source of clinical experience. I have some clinical experience up till now - about 100 hours of shadowing across 5 specialties (although not exactly evenly distributed across specialty) and 20 volunteering in a free clinic and giving patients waiting for appointments surveys. Would what I have, and assuming I will add more hours of both (especially volunteering) by the time I actually apply, be enough? Or do you think I should take up scribing?

Thanks for any answers!

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[hopefulERdoc251]

Does the startup give you any clinical experience (like patient exposure ect)?

 

[thedude777]

I'm not 100% sure yet as I'll get more details in the next few days, but I don't think so.

 

[thedude777]

Bump - any other advice?

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I have some decent insight into medical startups, and how to address them in your application. Once you get more info about the expected roles of the position you are applying to, feel free to PM me to discuss.

 

[PreMedTex]

I can personally attest to scribing and give you any information you would like to know about it. I currently scribe in the ED and it has been a phenomenal opportunity as I have over 700 hours of clinical exposure. Im not familiar with medical startups but I do know that adcomms take clinical exposure very seriously and have been told by various sources scribing was a key point in their interviews.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

I too am a scribe and can say the same as above^. If you don't have significant patient contact (outside of shadowing), then I would strongly suggest you go with scribing because that'll be invaluable experience + easy LOR's and connections. But as adcoms have posted here, it is becoming more of a commonplace and isn't as unique as it once was. But moreover, it's what you make of the experience that can be transformative so it is still advantageous imho.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Ok so, 100 hours of shadowing is not going to cut it in terms of clinical experience. You absolutely need more experience volunteering/working in a clinical role. If you are not planning on fulfilling this in some other way, then scribing is a great path. If you have other ideas for continuing to develop your clinical experience (such as devoting more time to the free clinic you volunteered at) then the startup might offer your some unique experiences that help set you apart from other applicants. I also don't know how much time you have until you will be applying, 1 year, 2? From what you have told me, it seems like this startup could definitely hold some interesting value that you could use in your secondary essays/etc, however, scribing may be the best option for you currently due to your need for clinical experience.

 

[thedude777]

Thanks for the replies! As of right now, I am planning to apply next summer (after junior year). If it means anything, our premed advisor said that what I do at the clinic itself is fine for clinical experience, it's more about spending more time there. I agree that I currently have a low amount but I will definitely continue to volunteer there this summer and forwards, if I don't take up scribing, and increase my hours and experience by quite a bit.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

our premed advisor said that what I do at the clinic itself is fine for clinical experience, it's more about spending more time there.

While that might be true here, generally what you do is important. Your work should be meaningful (at least to you) and not just busy work to run up the clock. This will be apparent in the experiences you are able to write about in secondaries/PS and discuss in interviews.

 

[thedude777]

As of right now, it's generally greeting patients who come in and providing them with a survey on their experiences with the clinic so far, explaining how the survey works, and so on. I enjoy getting the chance to talk to patients, which I don't really get with shadowing, but I guess it isn't as meaningful or significant as working as a scribe or EMT or anything like that. However, after I spend a little bit more time volunteering there, I'm planning to email the person in charge of volunteering and ask him if I could possibly scribe as a volunteer (the clinic has a few people who do that) or help out in a more significant way.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

As of right now, it's generally greeting patients who come in and providing them with a survey on their experiences with the clinic so far, explaining how the survey works, and so on. I enjoy getting the chance to talk to patients, which I don't really get with shadowing, but I guess it isn't as meaningful or significant as working as a scribe or EMT or anything like that. However, after I spend a little bit more time volunteering there, I'm planning to email the person in charge of volunteering and ask him if I could possibly scribe as a volunteer (the clinic has a few people who do that) or help out in a more significant way.

Sounds like a good plan, and sounds like you still have some time left to figure it out. Another tip is to always be considering/pursuing multiple options. Don't put all your hope into securing a more meaningful position at your current clinic only to be disappointed 5 emails and 5 months later, it's good to be putting out feelers for other activities you may want to participate in.

 

[thedude777]

Thanks for all the advice again! The town I go to school in is pretty small unfortunately, and I don't have a car as of now so I only have a few options with regards to clinical experience. But do you think that my current role at the clinic is ok, even if I theoretically could not get a more significant position? Or would you say that scribing would be much better?

 

[PreMedTex]

Honestly in my opinion, you seriously lack in clinical exposure and the free clinic volunteer work does not sound like it is going to convince adcomms that you have enough exposure to have a good idea of what you are getting yourself into with medicine. Then again I don't know what your EC's, MCAT, GPA's, or any other aspect of your application looks like. You cant go wrong with scribing as far as exposure goes.
Is this medical startup a limited time opportunity? Could you perhaps scribe for 6 months - a year and come back to the startup?

 

[thedude777]

Honestly in my opinion, you seriously lack in clinical exposure and the free clinic volunteer work does not sound like it is going to convince adcomms that you have enough exposure to have a good idea of what you are getting yourself into with medicine. Then again I don't know what your EC's, MCAT, GPA's, or any other aspect of your application looks like. You cant go wrong with scribing as far as exposure goes.
Is this medical startup a limited time opportunity? Could you perhaps scribe for 6 months - a year and come back to the startup?

Dang. Well, thanks for letting me know! I guess my premed advisor was being a little too generous haha. Unfortunately, I think it is in the sense that if I were to quit now, it's such a small company that they would recognize me if I tried to apply again and say no. I guess my plan for now is to email the volunteer coordinator at the clinic; if there's no luck there, then I will most likely go with scribing or otherwise, maybe volunteering at the local hospital.

 

[PreMedTex]

Hey man no problem. I hope everything works out for you, really. Just don't give up whatever you do!
Best of luck to you!

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

if there's no luck there, then I will most likely go with scribing or otherwise, maybe volunteering at the local hospital.

Final note here: this is what I am talking about, you have no obligation to wait to see if it "works out" before you send out an email requesting info on volunteering to the local hospital, other opportunities, etc. Parallel processing.

 

[thedude777]

Final note here: this is what I am talking about, you have no obligation to wait to see if it "works out" before you send out an email requesting info on volunteering to the local hospital, other opportunities, etc. Parallel processing.

That's definitely true. And thanks so much to both of you for all the advice!