What is a medical scribe?
A medical scribe documents the patient's entire medical record, including reason for visit and physical exam findings. The scribe works as a team with the resident doctor and nurse to ensure that documentation is efficiently recorded such that more time can be dedicated towards patient care. As part of the UVA Medical Scribe Program, a scribe can work in the Emergency Department as a part-time student worker or as a full-time job in a medical clinic in a variety of specialties such as Orthopedics and Cardiology.
What made you decide to engage in this clinical opportunity?
Before I became a scribe, I was an Emergency Department Clinic and Lobby Liaison Volunteer. While I volunteered at the hospital, I loved interacting with patients and learning more about the layout of the hospital; however, I wanted more experience in learning about patient care and how to track imaging results. Furthermore, I wanted to get more involved in the Emergency Department to learn if medicine was the right path for me.
What does your experience in this position consist of? Can you describe a typical day?
When I enter the Emergency Department, I introduce myself to
the resident doctors and let them know that I will be scribing for them.
Whenever the doctor signs up for a patient, I follow them into the patient’s
room and take notes on the patient’s pertinent medical history and reason for
visit. After I leave the room to document the results on a computer, the doctor
will dictate the physical exam findings to be included in the patient’s chart.
Each patient is very unique and presents to the emergency department with a
distinct background story.
As a medical scribe, I am required to work for about 12-16
hours for a minimum of 2 years after hire. In addition, I’m required to work
during the entirety of the first summer after hire. Shifts can range between
4-8 hours long and the hours are very flexible based on academic schedules. The
shifts can be anytime between 7AM-12AM any day of the week.
What distinguished this opportunity from other options you might have pursued?
As a medical scribe, I am present for the patient-doctor
interview and directly learn from the patient about their current symptoms and
ailments. Even though I am unable to directly participate in patient care, I
learn how doctors combine laboratory and radiology results to present the best
course of treatment for the patient. In addition, I learn how to organize a
patient’s information in a chart to include the pertinent medical history and
other background information crucial for patient care, skills that are
essential to master during medical school.
What is challenging about scribing?
One challenging part of scribing involves learning how to write
certain aspects of the patient’s chart from their voice. Additionally, every
patient is different and occasionally some patients present to the ED with a
complicated medical history. It’s important to include all pertinent
information in the chart such that if another doctor opens the chart one year
later, they will know why the patient presented to the ED then. Furthermore, it
is challenging to balance the time commitment per week with my schoolwork,
exams, and extracurricular activities. To manage my work, I create a calendar
every month with my work interspersed with my scribe shifts to ensure I have
enough time to study for exams as well as dedicate enough time to the
program.
How did you determine whether to scribe or engage in another experience such as working as an EMT or medical assistant?
As an EMT, you safely transport the patient directly from the
scene to the hospital. En route, you can administer some anesthetics and drugs
to alleviate some symptoms of the patient while taking basic vitals. As a
medical assistant, you learn many administrative tasks such as filling out
patient’s medical records and scheduling appointments. Instead of learning solely
about the medical record of the patient, a medical assistant learns more about
the bookkeeping and business aspects of the clinic or hospital. On the other
hand, a medical scribe focuses solely on filling out the patient’s medical
record and tracking lab/imaging results. As a medical scribe, I am present for
a versatility of cases in an emergency room, ranging from a sore throat to a
cardiac arrest.
Why do you recommend this opportunity for other UVA grads?
As a medical scribe, I’ve gained great clinical exposure from
the atmosphere of an Emergency Room and the versatility of patients that
present to the ER. I’ve learned basic medical terminology and a variety of
common diseases from all major organ systems due to the extensive training
period during the first few months after becoming hired. Most importantly,
scribing has reinforced my career goals of practicing medicine as I love
working as a team with nurses and other doctors. I truly enjoy the high-paced
environment of the ER; it is challenging, yet rewarding.
How does the application project work?
There are two rounds for part-time undergraduate
students and 4th year students during January and August every year.
The application involves submitting an unofficial transcript, resume, and
answering a few essay questions. After a few weeks, invitations for interviews
are announced and offers are emailed out soon afterwards. The next application
round will open in January 2018.
Find updates about UVA Scribe Program hiring on the UVA Medical Scribe Program Facebook page.
