Session 136

Note: Since this recording, Elite Medical Scribes has become part of Scribe America.

Our guest today is Bailey, a medical scribe recruiter at Elite Medical Scribes. Bailey is in-charge of finding students to fill scribe positions. In this episode, we talk about what a scribe is, what they do, who makes a successful scribe, what this company is looking for, and all that jazz. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, Elite Medical Scribes is located in 27 states where they focus more regionally.

Now perhaps you will find out from this episode why being a scribe is one of the best premed experiences that you can have. Not only will you get paid, but you get exposure to the medical field and some physicians as well as start building relationships and finding mentors.

Working with Elite Medical Scribes:

Elite Medical Scribes is hiring individuals looking to get into the health care field and get more hands-on experience.

They work closely with college advisers.

What is a scribe?

• A doctor’s assistant, working closely with medical providers to maintain and create the patient’s medical record and documentation.
• A scribe keeps track of labs and radiology records.
• Scribes allow physicians to focus solely on the patient with fewer distractions from the EMR (electronic medical record) system.

What makes a good scribe?

• Passion for the medical field
• Can handle stressful situations well
• Eager to learn
• Highly motivated, attentive, and paying attention to detail
• Very confident

Other qualifications a good scribe will have:

• Past experience (volunteering)
• Membership in organizations and status
• Classes they’re taking

Good candidates for becoming a scribe:

• Premed college students
• All candidates who want to get their foot in the door (including adults)

Possible scribe settings:

• ER
• Orthopedic location
• Outpatient locations
• Operating rooms

Training required for being a scribe:

• 11 online modules (discussion calls with trainers)
• 5 onsite one-on-one progressive trainings

The hardest part of being a scribe:

There is a big learning curve, and you need to be able to handle stress. But being a scribe will likely help you to find shadowing opportunities.

Is being a scribe good for medical school applications?

• Being a scribe gets you quality clinical experience working with a physician.
• Scribing can help you build a network of medical providers early, to get shadowing opportunities and letters of recommendation.
• You might find physician mentors you can keep for a lifetime.
• Overall, being a scribe is an excellent step to take on your path toward medical school.

Advancement opportunities for scribes:

• T-scribe position (full time)
• Implementation specialist (entails traveling across the country, with paid travel and accommodation)

If you want to find out how to become a scribe, check out Scribe America.

Links and Other Resources

• Check out my Premed Playbook series of books (available on Amazon), with installments on the personal statement, the medical school interview, and the MCAT.
• Related episode: The Struggle with Consistency in Shadowing and Volunteering
• Related post: Premed Clinical Experience: Shadowing vs Volunteering
• Need MCAT Prep? Save on tutoring, classes, and full-length practice tests by using promo code “MSHQ” at Blueprint MCAT (formerly Next Step Test Prep)!