Working As a Medical Scribe-Summer 2017

Lately, I have been reflecting on how thankful I am that I was presented with the opportunity to work as a medical scribe this past summer. I knew that I needed clinical experience for my medical school applications, but I had never considered scribing simply because I was unfamiliar with what it was or how to go about finding a scribe position. I vividly remember being surrounded by all of my friends that were accepting internships and jobs last Spring and I felt so frustrated after being rejected from many clerical and minimal patient care positions at local hospitals. I was worried I would get stuck lifeguarding or working in the food industry, until I came across an ad by ProScribe on Indeed.

I applied for the job that was posted from Dayton, OH.  45 minutes from home was not a big deal for me because I felt lucky to find a position in a hospital environment that required no previous experience working in healthcare. I applied for the job, received a Skype interview, and the rest is history. I found out that the position was not located in Dayton, but was located in Sidney, OH which is approximately 1 hour from my house. I was nervous about dealing with the commute so early in the morning, making 8 hour workdays even longer than they should be. I almost revoked the position, but then I remembered an important lesson that I had learned during my first year at Ohio State: when an opportunity strikes, take it. This lesson comes with heavy digression, obviously no one can accept all opportunities that come their way! But something inside me was telling myself to try the position out because it could be one of the most valuable experiences of my undergraduate career.

Valuable doesn’t do this experience justice. I adjusted to the commute fairly easily and made it worth it by celebrating the end of each work week by stopping at Chik-Fil-A on the commute home. I was exposed to what medicine is truly like firsthand. I was able to witness healthcare and medicine in real-time, and I truly grasped the reality of life as a physician. This ER staffs mostly travel ER doctors, and because of this, I was able to work with a lot of different physicians from different backgrounds. I learned so much about the elements of a patient chart, the typical approaches to common chief complaints, the normal values for vitals and metabolic panels, and what life as a physician is truly like.

The lingering question is, did it meet my expectations? Do I still want to be a doctor? If anything, this experience enhanced my decision. I say YES to medical school and to medicine over and over again, with no hesitation. I remember becoming tearful during my commute home one evening because of how excited I am to be a doctor. I cannot wait to eventually be the person serving others through medicine, and being a person that is awarded immediate trust with a patient’s wellbeing. I cannot thank ProScribe and the team at Wilson Health Memorial Hospital enough. I know that my memories and experiences there have shaped me into the kind of doctor that I aspire to be.

One thought on “Working As a Medical Scribe-Summer 2017

  1. The author describes the scribing experience as “valuable beyond measure.” They highlight that working in the emergency room allowed them to witness healthcare and medicine in real-time, providing insights into the daily life of a physician. They had the opportunity to collaborate with various physicians from diverse backgrounds, gaining knowledge about patient charts, common chief complaints, vital signs, and metabolic panels.
    “Curious about the unsung heroes of healthcare? Dive into our blog on our website to uncover the fascinating world of medical scribes and their vital role in patient care.”
    https://www.scribe4me.com/Are-Virtual-Medical-Scribes-Really-Worth-the-Cost.php

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