7 hours in. Inbox is stacked. You're mentally writing SOAPs while rechecking vitals.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly what medical scribes were created to fix.

They don’t diagnose. They don’t prescribe. But they do take one big thing off your plate: clinical documentation.

And for many clinicians, that trade-off is what keeps them going.

Let's break down who medical scribes are, what they actually do, and where the job is headed.

What is a medical scribe?

At its core, a medical scribe is your clinical documentation partner.

They follow along during patient visits (either in person, virtually, or through a live audio feed) and create the clinical note while you focus on the patient.

They’ll handle the history, labs, exam, plan — and update the EHR while you stay focused on the patient.

What a scribe does depends on your setting — and your pace.

• Emergency departments rely on speed:  Medical scribes keep up with fast-paced visits, constant status changes, and real-time orders.
• Primary care needs depth: Scribes document detailed conversations, chronic care management, and the small-but-important things that are easy to miss.
• Specialty clinics come with their own rhythms: In orthopedics, it might mean capturing procedure details. In psych, it’s documenting complex histories. In GI, it’s prepping notes with scope results and post-op summaries.

Their job? Lighten your cognitive load so you're not switching hats every 10 minutes.

It’s not about writing everything down. It’s about knowing what matters clinically, and shaping the note accordingly.

Why are medical scribes important?

It’s no secret that EHRs, for all their potential, have made daily work harder for many clinicians.

According to a time-motion study, doctors spend only 27% of their time with patients.

The rest? EHRs and desk work. It’s not just inefficient. It’s unsustainable.

Burnout’s rising. Job satisfaction is tanking. And most docs still spend their evenings catching up on notes they didn’t have time to finish.

Medical scribes help. They take documentation off the clinician’s plate, freeing up time for direct patient care—and for life outside the clinic.

A randomized controlled trial found that working with a scribe led to:

• Higher physician job satisfaction (OR = 10.75)
• Less time charting (OR = 86.09)
• Improved chart quality and accuracy
• No drop in patient satisfaction

Here’s the methodology if you’re curious:

Bottom line? Scribes don’t just save time. They help you feel like a clinician again.

The 3 types of medical scribes

Not all scribes sit in the room anymore.

As clinical workflows evolve, so does how scribing gets done.

Today, there are three main types of scribes, each with their own strengths (and trade-offs).

1. In-person scribes

This is the traditional model: the scribe stands or sits beside you during the visit, listening, documenting, and updating the EHR in real time. They're a quiet second set of hands — charting as you go, in sync with your pace.

In-person scribes are most common in emergency departments and high-volume specialty clinics, where speed and constant updates are the norm.

They’re great at catching nuance, adapting fast, and syncing with your style.

But there are trade-offs: in-person scribes often require more training, closer supervision, and cost more to retain. High turnover is common — many are pre-med students cycling through before their next step.

2. Virtual scribes

Virtual scribes are connected remotely, either joining a live encounter via audio/video feed or reviewing a recording afterward. They work from anywhere—and that flexibility makes them more scalable and more affordable for many practices.

Virtual scribes don’t need a desk. Or a chair. They also remove the “extra body” from the exam room, which can be more comfortable for both patients and clinicians.

But they also rely on stable tech setups and solid communication. If the audio’s unclear or the workflow’s inconsistent, things can slip.

And like in-person scribes, quality depends heavily on training.

3. AI Scribes

This is where the game changes.

AI scribes (sometimes called ambient scribes or digital scribes) don’t rely on human typists at all. They use speech-to-text and machine learning to listen during visits and generate structured clinical notes automatically.

→ The scribe listens passively and delivers a draft note, often within seconds of ending the visit.

→ Clinicians still review the final output, but AI scribes are already helping thousands of providers save hours a day, reduce after-hours charting, and focus more on the patient in front of them.

Tools like Freed, for example, generate SOAP notes in your own style and adapt over time based on your edits.

Minimal learning curve. Maximum impact.

→ Recommended Reading : 7 Real-Life Medical Scribe Note Examples

What’s it Like to Work as a Medical Scribe?

It's definitely a crash course. You’re moving quickly, interpreting complex clinical language, and documenting in real time.

But you also get a backstage pass to real-world medicine.

You watch expert clinicians work through diagnoses. You learn the flow of a real patient visit. You start to pick up on the nuance that textbooks don’t teach.

Many former scribes say it was the best pre-med experience they could’ve had.

"This position is not only about bettering your medical terminology, it's also about getting that confidence... learning those skills that are going to be crucial for you." — Aysan Goodarzi, Premed scribe with ScribeAmerica

And now, with remote and AI-assisted roles growing, scribes can also build valuable digital health skills. This is the kind of experience that will matter in the future of medicine.

How to Become a Medical Scribe

You don’t need to go to medical school to become a scribe. But you do need to be sharp, fast, and comfortable in a clinical environment.

Most scribes are pre-med or pre-PA students, but the path is open to anyone who can learn the terminology and keep pace in real time.

Here’s what the process typically looks like:

1. Finish High School (or Equivalent)

First, you’ll need a high school diploma or GED. Most employers will expect this as a basic requirement, especially since you’ll be handling sensitive patient data.

Some hospitals may prefer or require at least one year of college, especially for academic or specialty settings. But for many private clinics and remote scribe companies, strong English skills and typing speed matter more than degrees.

💡 Pro Tip: If you're still in high school and interested in medicine, volunteering at a hospital or shadowing a doctor can help you stand out when applying later.

2. Build a Foundation in Medical Terminology

You’ll be writing down what physicians say as they say it. That means you need to understand the language of medicine — quickly and accurately.

You’re not expected to know everything. But you do need to:

• Recognize common abbreviations (e.g. “HTN” for hypertension, “c/o” for complains of)
• Understand basic anatomy and directional terms (like “proximal” vs. “distal”)
• Know names of common medications and conditions (e.g. metformin, GERD)

Many scribe companies offer crash courses, but you can also self-study:

• Watch YouTube videos on clinical shorthand and medical notes
• Use free apps or flashcard decks (like Anki) for spaced repetition
• Take a short online course on medical terminology from Coursera or Udemy

3. Take a Training Program (Optional, but valuable)

Most scribes start through one of two paths:

1. Apply directly to clinics or hospitals with on-the-job training
2. Apply through third-party companies that train and place you

If you’re going with option B, here are some of the most popular providers:

• ScribeAmerica (largest employer of scribes in the U.S.)
• ProScribe
• Aquity Solutions
• ScribeConnect
• Helix Scribe Solutions

These companies offer structured training that usually lasts 2–4 weeks and covers:

• EHR systems (like Epic, Cerner, Meditech)
• Note templates (SOAP, H&P, discharge summaries)
• Legal compliance (HIPAA, proper documentation etiquette)
• Specialty-specific workflows (ED vs. ortho vs. psych)

Some end with a practicum or exam before placing you with a doc.

Alternatively, you can find independent online certifications (from AHDPG or The CPMS program) if you're applying directly and want to strengthen your resume. These are especially helpful if you're targeting remote scribe roles.

Note: training moves fast. But if med school’s in your future, scribing is better prep than any lecture hall.

4. Choose a Specialty that Matches Your Goals

Medical scribe roles aren’t one-size-fits-all. You can choose between fast-paced, high-volume environments or slower, more detailed ones depending on your strengths.

Here are some common options:

‎Some employers will let you rotate across specialties. Others will keep you in one domain long enough to master it.

5. Apply Early & Expect a Learning Curve

Scribe roles fill up fast, especially near the start of academic semesters when pre-health students are scrambling to add clinical hours. If you’re aiming for a role tied to a teaching hospital or major health system, apply early.

Once you’re hired, the first 2–4 weeks are usually intense.

You’ll be:

• Adapting to your physician’s speech style and pace
• Learning real-world clinical flow (far more chaotic than textbooks)
• Managing documentation while staying out of the way

Most scribes shadow for a few shifts before handling notes on their own. You won’t be thrown into the deep end—but you will be expected to learn fast.

Essential skills to become a successful medical scribe

You don’t need a white coat to thrive as a medical scribe — but you do need a sharp eye, fast fingers, and the ability to think like a clinician in training.

Here’s a breakdown of the core skills you’ll need on the job:

1. Typing speed and accuracy

You’ll be writing in real time, often while the doctor is still mid-sentence.

Shooting for 70+ WPM? Good. Clean and quick is the name of the game. But more importantly, they want someone who can keep up without constantly pausing or backtracking.

💡Pro tip: Speed matters. Use free tools like Keybr or 10FastFingers to sharpen your typing before day one.

2. Medical terminology & clinical understanding

You need to understand enough to:

• Spell medications and conditions correctly
• Recognize standard acronyms (e.g. SOB = shortness of breath)
• Know the difference between “HTN” and “hypoTN”

This includes anatomy, physiology, pharmacology basics, and common lab/imaging tests.

3. Strong listening & comprehension skills

Physicians talk quickly. Patients often ramble. Your job is to extract the key clinical facts (the who, what, when, and why) without getting lost in the noise.

This means:

• Filtering out irrelevant details
• Spotting red flags or must-document elements (like “no known drug allergies”)
• Following complex conversations while typing at full speed

4. Attention to detail

Scribe work is all about accuracy.

You’re creating a legal document that clinicians, billing teams, and insurance providers will rely on. A missed decimal, wrong dosage, or misheard diagnosis can have real consequences.

That’s why attention to detail matters more than speed. A great scribe balances both.

5. Time management & prioritization

Every note has a deadline. Some charts need to be completed during the visit. Others must be closed by the end of the day.

You’ll often be juggling multiple patients, multiple templates, and multiple pending edits.

To succeed, you’ll need to:

• Stay organized
• Know which notes need immediate review
• Keep track of pending labs or consults

6. EHR navigation & tech savvy

Scribes work inside electronic health records (EHRs) like Epic, Cerner, or athenahealth. If you’re not comfortable using tabs, dropdowns, or digital templates, it’ll slow you down.

Many scribe companies train you on EHRs — but it helps to have a basic comfort with digital workflows and note-taking platforms.

Bonus points if you’ve worked with medical dictation tools or AI scribes like Freed.

The evolution toward AI scribes

AI scribes are a complete rewrite of how documentation gets done.

They follow the conversation — and deliver a clean, structured SOAP note before you've even left the room.

Tools like Freed, for instance, are trained on medical conversations and adapt to each clinician’s preferences over time. Early users report spending less time on the EHR, finishing charts faster, and feeling less drained by end of day.

And it’s not just anecdotal.

According to a 2024 study at Emory Healthcare, after just 60 days of using ambient AI:

• 71% of clinicians said it met their documentation needs (up from 42%)
• 58% reported higher productivity
• 35% said they’d recommend it to their peers

Here’s a G2 review from Freed user.

In an AMA with The Permanente Federation, Dr. Brian Hoberman offered a glimpse into where medical scribes are headed:

“A couple generations from now, physicians will practice differently in ways we can’t even fully imagine today. Ambient lets people turn their attention to the things that humans are best at — instead of banging out a note while trying to listen to someone.”

Of course, AI scribes aren’t flawless. They still require human review and occasional edits, especially in complex cases.

But the direction is clear: documentation is becoming faster, smarter, and more clinician-friendly.

AI scribes don’t make you choose between speed and nuance. You get both — without the burnout.

The best tools give you both.

For clinicians juggling packed schedules, inboxes, and admin overload, that kind of support is important.

The future of scribes: not obsolete, just evolving

So where does that leave human scribes?

The short answer: the role is evolving, not disappearing.

Bottom line: AI isn’t killing the scribe role. It’s redefining it, and opening new doors for those ready to evolve.

In many clinics today, AI scribes and human scribes are working side by side. Some systems use humans to review or edit AI-generated drafts. Others blend models: AI handles simple visits, humans handle complex cases. And in some practices, traditional scribes still run the show all by themselves.

But over time, AI will likely handle (as the technology evolves) more of the heavy lifting, especially in high-volume or standardized settings.

That doesn’t make human scribes obsolete. It changes the shape of the job.

Scribes who understand clinical flow, EHR systems, and digital documentation tools (including AI) are now positioned for roles like:

• AI scribe reviewers, helping fine-tune output and ensure accuracy
• Clinical documentation specialists, overseeing note quality across teams
• Workflow analysts or digital health assistants in tech-forward practices

For pre-med students, that means learning to work with AI, not being replaced by it.

You can still get that front-row view of medicine. But today, the most valuable scribes are those who can bridge the clinical and digital worlds. If you’re tech-savvy and adaptable, you’ll stay relevant.

Whether you're a physician looking for support or a future scribe eyeing your next step — the way we chart is changing. And that change is worth paying attention to.