Knowing what a medical scribe does, you might contemplate whether this job is difficult. On one hand, these professionals are not doctors, but on the other, they need to cope with the complexities of medical documentation. So, what’s the truth? Is being a medical scribe hard and stressful, or perhaps it’s a fairly easy job? We will answer these questions here, so read on if this topic sparks your interest.
What Exactly Should You Know About Being A Medical Scribe
The best way to answer whether being a medical scribe is hard is to take a deeper look at the everyday work of this profession. The things that we mention truly speak volumes about the difficulty of being a medical scribe. So, what should you know?
- They need to type fast – While this is a required medical scribe skill, many beginners find it extremely difficult to keep up with the pace, especially when shadowing their more experienced colleagues. However, it’s worth mentioning that with time this becomes less of a problem, to an extent that some scribes claim to have “too much free time”.
- Tight schedule – A scribe’s schedule is often tied to the one of the physicians. This might mean working 9-5, or being on 10-12 hours long shifts if it’s the emergency department. Plus, they often need to work on weekends and night shifts.
- Development opportunities – While medical scribing is an excellent profession for increasing the chances of getting into medical school, further career development depends highly on the company you’re working with. Some of them offer a limited number of opportunities, while others, like ScribeAmerica, have a wider choice of career paths – you can become a local site manager (chief scribe), account manager, or move over to TA/HR. Thus, when opting to become a scribe, you should pay attention to what your employer offers in terms of a future career.
- It can be rewarding – Medical scribes observe everything that happens, and while they don’t participate in examining and treating patients directly, they still can feel their gratitude. This is especially true for those working in emergency rooms, where the effects are usually visible quite quickly. Add to that the vast amounts of knowledge that they gather (since most are pre-med students), and you get a truly satisfying experience.
- They might observe or experience violence or harassment – Healthcare violence is still a major problem in society. As professionals working in hospitals, it should not be surprising that medical scribes may also witness or experience it. However, as stressful as it is, this has one benefit – they may get first-hand experience on how senior physicians or nurses handle such situations and be better prepared for their time as doctors.
So, Is Being a Medical Scribe Indeed Hard and Stressful?
Based on the things that we enlisted, the answer is: that it may be so. As with any job including contact with other people, medical scribes may end up in stressful situations. To add to that, the learning curve is high, meaning that the first months may be truly difficult and exhausting. However, with time, they learn how to get their job done quickly, and may focus fully on gaining precious healthcare experience and building the first valuable connections with medical professionals.
Did you like this article? You may also read: Is It Hard to Get a Medical Scribe Job?
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