Want to quit scribing after 6 months

[ThisIsNotMyRealName2]

I'm a reapplicant who's been working as an ED scribe for about 6 months now. I'm fine with the work itself and really like most of the doctors I work with, but the management is atrocious and that alone makes me want to quit.

I've been offered a volunteer medical assistant position with high chances of it becoming a paid position at a private practice with more direct patient contact, better work hours, and probably higher pay. I actually don't even care that much about the pay if the medical assistant experience will be more beneficial for my application than the scribing experience.

My question is whether it would look bad on my application if I quit scribing after only 6 months, or would it be okay as long as I don't have any large gaps in my experience where I don't do anything for 2-3 months?

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[hopefulERdoc251]

Few things:

1) BS administration will be something you find quite often throughout your medical career.
2) If you do quit, do it in such a way that doesn't antagonize your boss/higher up's/physicians that might write you a LOR. Remember - if you put this on AMCAS/AACOMAS, you *should* write your boss's information in the event that schools want to contact them. Last thing you want is getting shafted like that
3) If you do leave, you can spin it as you found a better job that provided you with more direct patient contact as an MA compared to a scribe

 

[ThisIsNotMyRealName2]

Few things:

1) BS administration will be something you find quite often throughout your medical career.
2) If you do quit, do it in such a way that doesn't antagonize your boss/higher up's/physicians that might write you a LOR. Remember - if you put this on AMCAS/AACOMAS, you *should* write your boss's information in the event that schools want to contact them. Last thing you want is getting shafted like that
3) If you do leave, you can spin it as you found a better job that provided you with more direct patient contact as an MA compared to a scribe

Thanks for your response.

1) Yeah, but at least not for minimum wage and at a better work environment, depending on specialty.

2) I've told them that 6 months is the earliest possible date that I'll be leaving even before I started, so hopefully they'll think that's a good enough notice. I'm not worried at all about the physicians, not too worried about manager A, but I am kind of worried that manager B, the incompetent one, might be vengeful. I didn't put that person's contact on my AMCAS though because manager A is higher up anyway. Hopefully that will be enough.

3) That's how I've been spinning it on secondaries that ask me about my plans/changes.

 

[tunicaexterna]

Scribing was, bar none, the worst job I have ever had. Working with the physicians was enjoyable but the pay and the administration were awful.

If you do quit, make sure that your backup plan is solid and also make sure that you give the amount of notice that they want (IDK what company you are with but mine requested several months notice of leaving the company)

 

[Catalystik]

3) If you do leave, you can spin it as you found a better job that provided you with more direct patient contact as an MA compared to a scribe

It's hard to imagine you'd have more patient contact as an MA than as a scribe, unless you tele-scribed from a distance. But you'd certainly be likely to have more meaningful patient interaction as an MA.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I actually don't even care that much about the pay if the medical assistant experience will be more beneficial for my application than the scribing experience.

2) My question is whether it would look bad on my application if I quit scribing after only 6 months . . .

1) I think their value would be about equal in terms of making you an appealing candidate.

2) No, a 6-month experience won't "look bad." Your reason for leaving, if asked, is satisfactory.

 

[dial1010usa]

Before you leave get a LOR from DR. The doctors usually don't care if there is a valid reason why you are leaving.

 

[ThisIsNotMyRealName2]

Before you leave get a LOR from DR. The doctors usually don't care if there is a valid reason why you are leaving.

Yeah, I'll probably try to contact them before I have to leave, although I'm not entirely sure if I'll see them before I leave.
The thing is though, I've already applied to schools and sent in secondaries to most of them with a committee letter. Would it be okay to send in multiple additional LORs later in the cycle, or will adcoms be more annoyed by it?

 

[Mad Jack]

I'm a reapplicant who's been working as an ED scribe for about 6 months now. I'm fine with the work itself and really like most of the doctors I work with, but the management is atrocious and that alone makes me want to quit.

I've been offered a volunteer medical assistant position with high chances of it becoming a paid position at a private practice with more direct patient contact, better work hours, and probably higher pay. I actually don't even care that much about the pay if the medical assistant experience will be more beneficial for my application than the scribing experience.

My question is whether it would look bad on my application if I quit scribing after only 6 months, or would it be okay as long as I don't have any large gaps in my experience where I don't do anything for 2-3 months?

You're gonna love residency. No one will care if you switch jobs though, do what you like.

 

[all things possible]

Just let em know you'll be moving on to something else and chuck them dueces.

 

[Doc_Ock]

I used to be a scribe. It's nowhere near as glowingly looked upon as the companies would like you to believe, and management tends to treat you like cattle. There are other ways to get healthcare experience and letters of rec. Don't do something you hate.

 

[Coltuna]

As someone who's scribed in 2 medical settings, I can vouch for the provider-dependent joy of the job. There have been a few docs I've worked with who've seriously made me consider quitting many times.