Working as a medical scribe is a great opportunity. It can help you get accepted into medical school, gain experience in the medical field, and observe the work of a physician from a close distance. In this article, we will focus on one particular aspect of a medical scribe’s work – the dress code. What do medical scribes wear – do they wear scrubs? Learn this by reading our article!
Is there a unified dress code for medical scribes?
There is no unified requirement for what medical scribes should wear. Whether medical scribes do wear scrubs or not, depends purely on the company they are hired by and the type of medical facility they work in. In some cases, they are indeed required to wear scrubs, while in others business casual clothes are enough.
When do medical scribes wear scrubs?
Medical scribes usually wear scrubs when they work in hospitals. They might be exceptions from this tendency, yet this is the most common situation. While medical scribes do not perform any tasks directly with the patients, they still are close enough that they might need scrubs. Additionally, since most hospital staff members wear them, the medical scribes would simply stand out if dressed otherwise.
What do medical scribes wear instead of scrubs?
In places like a doctor’s office, medical scribes usually wear a bit less hospital-like clothes. In most cases, they opt for a business-smart outfit, though it might depend on their employer. Some medical scribes, however, go even further than business-smart cloths or scrubs.
There are situations when you can see a medical scribe wearing a white coat. It is usually the initiative of the scribe themselves. By wearing a white coat, they want to underline their professionalism and engagement in the job. However, this behavior also has its downsides.
While showing professionalism is overall good, we need to remember why medical scribes do not wear scrubs at every medical facility. This is often so, because such an outfit would create an impression that they are medical professionals, while in reality they perform medical administration jobs. The patients could be confused and seek help from the scribes, who are not trained to perform clinical tasks.
What should medical scribes pay attention to apart from the outfit?
While medical scribes won’t usually engage directly with the patient, they will be present during the physician’s evaluation. This means that they have to look clean and neat. A hospital experience will often be stressful for the patients, thus the scribe has to evoke positive feelings through professional looks.
The takeaway
Do medical scribes wear scrubs? This depends on where and for which company they work. Sometimes they do wear scrubs, but usually it’s business-casual clothes. They might even wear white coats. Despite their outfit, they need to keep a neat appearance at all times. This will create more trust in the patients and alleviate the effects of hospital stress.
Found this article interesting? Then we invite you to read: How to Get a Job as a Medical Scribe?
