Have you heard of a medical scribe? They are one of the hidden heroes of healthcare who work behind the scenes to ensure that all important details are recorded during a patient visit. Today, we are going to tell you how to become a medical scribe and why you should want to become one.
If you’re looking for a new career path and want to consider the medical field, medical scribe jobs might be the right choice for you.
In this article, we take a closer look at this role, tracking the benefits of the job, the skills required, and companies hiring in this field.
What does a medical scribe do?
Medical scribes record what doctors and other healthcare professionals say in real time during clinical encounters with patients, either in person or virtually.
This role requires in-depth knowledge of medical terminology and anatomy, excellent communication skills and fast, accurate typing abilities.
Typical daily tasks of a medical scribe include:
- Listen to and record medical interactions between healthcare professionals and patients in real time.
- Appropriately records patient history, assessment, treatment plan, and follow-up instructions in the EHR (Electronic Health Record).
- Follow HIPAA regulations to ensure privacy of sensitive patient information.
- Access laboratory and radiology results for healthcare providers.
- In some clinics, medical scribes may help code medical diagnoses and procedures.
- Some companies offer medical transcription services by having the medical scribe listen to an audio file, but this is rare.
Medical scribes work in a variety of settings, including medical facilities like hospitals and clinics, and at home. Work shifts vary depending on the work environment.
If you work for a private practice that operates from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, you’ll typically work those hours. However, if you work in a hospital, the hospital is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which means your work schedule may be unpredictable.
What is the difference between a medical scribe and a medical transcriptionist?
Although medical scribes work in real time with healthcare professionals, medical scribes have a more independent role.
Their job is to transcribe audio-recorded medical reports into text, which doesn’t require any interaction with patients and only limited interaction with medical staff.
How much do medical scribes make?
According to data provided by Salary.com, the average salary is $19 per hour, or $39,520 per year.
Medical scribes don’t make a lot of money, but they have a lot of flexibility in working full-time, part-time, PRN (if needed), or working from home.
Some companies offer in-house training and benefits to full-time employees.
Is it hard to become a medical scribe?
Before you learn how to become a medical scribe, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re a good fit. Most medical scribe jobs require training, but there are some key skills you need to be successful in this role.
- Time Management: This is a fast-paced profession, and you will need to work with many healthcare providers to provide accurate documentation. Typing ability is required: Most medical records clerks will need to type at least 40-60 WPM (words per minute).
- Attention to detail: Your records reflect the health of your patients and must be accurate. You need to listen to what is being said and enter it accurately and quickly.
- Tech Savvy: You will be working on a computer using EHR software, so you must be computer savvy and familiar with basic to advanced programs, as well as the ability to adapt to a variety of programs and software systems.
- Bedside Manners: You’ll need to demonstrate empathy and patience when interacting directly with patients, and provide clear instructions as you may be helping them with paperwork.
- Good communication: You’ll be communicating with many different departments and medical professionals, so it’s crucial that you can write electronic medical records clearly and concisely, with no errors in spelling or grammar. Being bilingual is an advantage, as many companies require bilingual medical transcriptionists.
What are the benefits of working as a medical scribe?
If you’re weighing the pros and cons to see if this job is right for you, here are some of the main benefits of working as a medical scribe.
Gaining medical experience
There are many different medical specialties and salary structures within the healthcare industry. If you are looking to get your foot in the door or pursue a career in healthcare, learning how to become a medical records clerk is a good place to start.
You can work alongside doctors or remotely. This is a great opportunity to work in a medical setting with little or no experience. This experience may open up further possibilities, such as clinical experience.
Reduce stress
Compared to many other medical professions, the job of a medical scribe is low-stress. You’ll mostly work behind the scenes and focus on administrative tasks and documentation rather than patient care.
Free
Being a medical scribe is one of the unique healthcare jobs that allows you to work remotely. Working from home means flexible hours and work schedules. Once you have a private workspace that respects patient privacy, you’re ready to get started.
High demand
And yes, medical records clerks are in high demand! Federal law requires that healthcare providers use EHRs to store patient medical data. However, many physicians have difficulty staying focused on filling out the EHR while also providing care to patients.
That’s where medical scribes come in: filling out paperwork while clinicians focus on their patient encounters.
What training do I need to become a Virtual Medical Scribe?
There are several options for becoming a medical scribe.
Some companies offer in-house training. All you need is a high school diploma or GED equivalent, good communication skills, a typing speed of 40-60 WPM, and a passion for the healthcare industry.
However, workplaces often give preference to students pursuing a healthcare-related career track (interest in medical school), those with EHR certification, or those with healthcare-related work experience (such as medical transcriptionists or medical assistants).
Keep in mind that to qualify for this role, you will need to be familiar with medical terminology and human anatomy, and will usually require training, education, or work experience in the medical field.
You can also take an online training course that will teach you the basic skills and education to become a certified medical scribe. CareerStep is a leading healthcare training provider that is recognized in the industry. Their medical scribe training can be completed online in a few months, although it can take up to eight months to complete the course.
Upon completion, you will be prepared to take the Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) exam and can enter the workplace immediately upon completion.
More information on training and the Medical Scribe Certification Exam can be found here.
Where can I find remote jobs?
If you want to work from home as a medical scribe, there are plenty of legitimate companies to consider. We’ve listed a few below, but you can also consider job board sites like FlexJobs (which reviews job postings for legitimacy), Indeed, and LinkedIn.
If you use the latter, make sure to check the legitimacy of the job advert as major job sites are often filled with scammers and imposters posing as real companies. Check the job advert on the company’s website and make sure emails from the company include the company’s domain name.
For more fraud prevention tips, check out this post.
First, try out some of the medical scribe jobs below.
1. Atreon
Athreon is hiring part-time and full-time medical scribes based in the United States. To qualify for a Virtual Medical Scribe position, you must have medical scribe training or at least 6 months of experience. Athreon offers competitive wages and benefits to full-time employees.
2. Deep Scribe
DeepScribe is hiring part-time and full-time telemedical scribes. To apply, you’ll need a high school diploma, a typing speed of 40 WPM, an Apple computer (their software is compatible with Apple computers), and a wired or Wi-Fi connection with a download speed of at least 5.0 Mbps.
These are independent contract positions. DeepScribe offers three-hour shifts, flexible schedules, and paid training bonuses. According to Glassdoor reviews, the average hourly rate for an experienced medical scribe is $15.
3. iScribe Health
iScribeHealth hires virtual medical scribes for $11 per hour. After 30 days, you’ll be paid for each chart completed. There isn’t much information on the qualifications required, but they do provide training for the first 30 days.
4. Proscribe
ProScribe is hiring bilingual (Spanish/English) virtual scribes in the following states: AL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KY, LA, MS, NC, ND, NH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, WI, WY. To apply for these positions, you must have a high school diploma or GED, be able to pass a background check, have excellent communication skills, have a typing speed of 45 WPM, and be tech savvy.
ProScribe offers paid training ($11-16 per hour). Preference is given to job seekers who have completed medical college courses and have knowledge of medical terminology. ProScribe offers ample opportunities for advancement and full-time positions come with benefits.
5. Vesta Healthcare
Vesta Healthcare is offering remote bilingual medical scribe positions. Applicants must be certified as a medical assistant or medical scribe and have two years of experience. These positions require the ability to work evenings and weekends.
6. Vity
Vituity is hiring experienced medical scribes to work from home. These positions are full time and come with benefits. We also have in-person positions that provide training for these roles, but require a one-year commitment. The average hourly rate for a medical scribe at Vituity is $18.
7. Scribe America
Scribe America strives to give its telehealth scribes an active role in the medical field, working side by side with healthcare professionals. The company emphasizes that this is not a management role, but an essential component of delivering quality healthcare.
The company has over 3,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada, with many remote positions available. Pay ranges from $10 to $15 per hour, with higher salaries for experienced and bilingual candidates.
To qualify as a medical scribe here, you need to work at least two shifts a week, commit to a one-year contract, and be able to type at least 50 words per minute.
8. Scribe X
If you have further career goals in the healthcare industry, such as becoming a doctor or nurse, Scribe-X may be the perfect choice for you.
They place emphasis on providing training and hands-on experience to students, which will be a great advantage in your future applications. As a medical scribe, you will essentially be offered a mentorship position where you will learn from both patients and doctors.
The company hires remote transcribers with up to 30.5 hours of paid training. Hourly rates range from $11 to $17 per hour based on experience level, location, and time commitment. Bilingual transcribers can earn an additional $1 per hour.
Other benefits you’ll get when you join the team include:
- GRE/MCAT Fee Refunds
- After 12 months of employment, you will be eligible for the 401(k) program
- paid holiday
- Access to employee wellness programs
- Letter of recommendation
- Healthcare plan rebates (up to $150 per month)
- Rated 3.1 stars on Glassdoor.com
9. IKS Health
IKS Health brands itself as a “medical scribe solution” that aims to reduce the burden on physicians through highly trained remote medical scribes (that’s you!). The company employs 14,000 people worldwide, with career opportunities available in the US, Canada, Australia and India.
The medical scribe position requires a great deal of responsibility, working 8-10 hours per shift, at least three shifts per week. To qualify, you’ll also need to complete a scribe training program. This position comes with all the equipment you need to do the job, as well as a variety of employee benefits.
How to Become a Medical Scribe: Conclusion
If you’re looking for an entry-level work-from-home job in the medical field and enjoy data entry work, becoming a medical scribe could be your calling. With multiple options for breaking into the industry, you can start working from home as a scribe relatively quickly.
Although the pay isn’t high, learning how to become a medical scribe is rewarding. There’s room for growth and advancement. Maybe this career will spark your interest in other medical jobs, such as nursing or medical coding and billing, both of which offer remote work in their fields.
Originally published on September 7, 2022. Content updated September 2024.
