Medical Scribe vs Transcriptionist: What’s the Difference? | ScribeAmerica

Key Points

• Medical scribes and transcriptionists are both important roles in healthcare administration but have distinct responsibilities.
• Medical scribes document patient-physician interactions in real-time, while transcriptionists work with recorded audio.
• Both professions require knowledge of medical terminology and attention to detail, but they differ in work environment and flexibility.

Both medical scribes and medical transcriptionists are among the top healthcare administration jobs. While their duties and responsibilities might seem similar, there are some key differences between these two professions. In this article, we will discuss medical scribes vs. transcriptionists and how they are different. Want to learn that? Then read this comparison!

Why Do We Confuse a Medical Scribe vs Transcriptionist?

While there are several differences between medical scribes and medical transcriptionists, they are often mistaken as the same profession. It is so because they are similar on many levels. Both of these jobs are in healthcare administration and require a similar set of skills.

Both medical scribes and transcriptionists are required to have extensive knowledge of medical terms. Additionally, they need to pay close attention to detail and be able to work with new technology. The two professions also cooperate with healthcare professionals and deal with documentation. So, why do we even discuss medical transcriptionists vs. medical scribes?

Medical Scribe vs Medical Transcriptionist -The Key Differences

There is actually quite a difference between a medical scribe and a medical transcriptionist. The former prepares documentation in real time during a physician’s examination of the patient. The latter, on the other hand, works with recordings.

Medical scribes need to be able to extract crucial information from everything said between the patient and the doctor. This means that they need to have an intense focus. They also should be able to type quickly and multitask – pick the new important information while typing down the previous one. Finally, medical scribes usually work in the physician’s office, though it is possible to become a virtual scribe, which is among the best medical jobs for remote work.

Medical transcriptionists usually work remotely. Since they work with recording, they do not need to have such good listening skills as medical scribes. However, they still need to be able to type quickly if they desire to be efficient. Moreover, since they do not perform their tasks in real-time, they might have much more flexibility when it comes to working hours. This also means that it’s a job that is easy to incorporate into a tight schedule, characteristic for pre-med students.

 

Quick Comparison - Medical Transcriptionist vs Scribe

Here is a quick visual comparison of medical scribes vs. medical transcriptionists:

	Medical Scribe	Medical Transcriptionist
Field	Administrative	Administrative
Location	Usually onsite, but might be remote	Usually remote, but might be onsite
Document preparation	In real-time	Based on recordings
Knowledge of medical terms	Extensive	Extensive
Working hours	Based on when patients come to the doctor’s office	Flexible

 

Which Role Is Better for Your Career Path?

If you're deciding between working as a medical scribe vs medical transcriptionist, the right choice depends on how hands-on you want your clinical experience to be. A medical scribe offers real-time exposure to patient interactions and clinical decision-making, while a transcriptionist role focuses more on document accuracy and flexibility. Both roles provide valuable entry-level experience in the medical field, but if you're looking for direct clinical exposure and a stepping-stone toward medical school, exploring medical scribe opportunities may be the better fit. You can browse open positions here: View Medical Scribe Jobs.

The takeaway

While medical scribes and medical transcriptionists have many similarities, there are some key differences between these two professions. The former need to be present physically or virtually in the physician’s office during the examination, while the latter work based on recordings provided by the doctor. Nevertheless, both of these jobs have their pros and cons, and still should be greatly appreciated as an opportunity to gain experience before getting into the medical school.

After reading this article, we suggest checking: How to Prepare for a Medical Scribe Interview?