PaMike Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 Greetings everyone! New forum member here. So I am currently about to enter my 4th year in my undergraduate Biology degree and I plan to start applying to several PA schools after I take my GRE and gain some good HCE/PCE hours under my belt. Also to note, I live in a very large city (San Antonio, Texas) and there is a large amount of our population that primarily speaks Spanish, and I only know elementary Spanish. Right now my two main focuses are to either become a Medical Scribe or to become a Medical Assistant to get my foot into the field. I was wondering what are the main Pros/Cons of these two occupations and how comparable they will be in useful experience to put me ahead of the crowd. If I become a Medical Scribe, it would likely be through ProScribe and they would most likely put me in the Emergency Department with a commitment to 20 hrs/week for the first 6 months, which I find can be doable on the weekends as I am a full time student. The job I choose would be my first time undergoing any type of health care experience. Let me know what you guys think, anything at all helps and I look forward to hearing from all of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thePAway Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 Definitely medical assistant. Many programs do not count scribing as PCE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia5827 Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Yes ma 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACrankset Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 There is no question of the two MA is the better option. The only thing a scribe will get you is being able to write a good note. Which is important but you will become proficient in PA school. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burritobenito Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Could just do the part time ER scribe gig first, then go MA after when you have more time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karebear12892 Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 PA Mike, I'm sending you a PM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FromMic2Meds Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 Idk, other than drawing blood, the medical scribes at my job do just as much or more than the MAs. If anything, the MAs are left with grunt work half of the times (stocking, cleaning, etc).0 Ofcourse, every state/setting has its own scope of practice for those positions so maybe in TX, there are no scribing positions like the one I’m in which render MA as the only viable choice. I’m a medical scribe in NYC and I can say my job has been such a great liaison into hands on medical practice. I take vitals, document HPI/Med hx/ROS, perform CLIA waives rapid tests (strep, mono, flu, UA, UCG), perform EKGs, all whilst working alongside awesome physicians that teach us and expose us to things they find will help us. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted July 1, 2019 Administrator Share Posted July 1, 2019 On 6/25/2019 at 10:11 PM, PACrankset said: There is no question of the two MA is the better option. The only thing a scribe will get you is being able to write a good note. Which is important but you will become proficient in PA school. I wouldn't dis scribing. The former scribes I've precepted as PA students have done a fabulous job of writing notes, and won me over to the value of scribing as pre-PA experience. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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