What is a Medical Scribe?

The healthcare industry offers workers the opportunity to be involved in making a real difference to people’s lives, helping, in some small way, to improve the standard of care that they receive during what are often some of the most difficult moments of their lives. You don’t have to qualify as a doctor in order to undertake work that is of enormous value both to patients and to the industry as a whole.

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Working as a medical scribe is just one of the many careers in healthcare, which offers long-term, rewarding employment. Surprisingly, for a job with so many perks and opportunities, relatively few individuals have heard of a medical scribe, fewer still have a firm grasp on exactly what it is that a medical scribe does. They fulfil an important role in assisting doctors with their duties and this article outlines what a medical scribe is and why it is a career worth considering.

What is a Medical Scribe?

Medical scribes are an important cog in the machinery of modern medicine. Traditionally it has been the goal of physicians to focus their attention during appointments on the patient and their symptoms, however with the many modern record keeping requirements, including the Electronic Health Record (EHR), a physician’s attention can never really be fully on their patients. The goal of introducing a medical scribe into the mix is that the doctor can once again be focused on their patients without getting bogged down in clerical work.

Essentially, a medical scribe is much like a courtroom stenographer, their job is to note down what is said at an appointment between the doctor and their patients, and in doing so, allow doctors to keep accurate records without sacrificing the quality of care that they deliver.

Reasons to Become a Medical Scribe

There are a number of reasons why it is worth considering work as a medical scribe, especially for those who are hoping to one day pursue a career as a doctor, or another role involving direct patient contact. Taking on medical scribe jobs will provide you with opportunities to work alongside professional, experienced physicians and to learn directly from them. Being a medical scribe is an excellent springboard to launch yourself into a long-term career in the healthcare industry. The experience you will gain from being part of a qualified physicians day-to-day work is invaluable. You should also consider formally studying to qualify as a physician yourself as you will do so from the strongest possible position.

What are the Requirements to Become a Scribe?

The requirements for becoming a medical scribe are lower than they are for many other jobs in healthcare, this makes it an ideal role to take on while studying for a university degree. Generally, you will need to have at least a high school diploma, but those with an existing college degree, or who are currently studying for one, are preferred.

Working as a medical scribe is an excellent way to gain some experience in the healthcare industry, working alongside existing physicians in order to learn from them while also assisting them with their duties.