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Medical internship vs medical scribe

The differences between medical interns and medical scribes can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a medical internship and a medical scribe. Additionally, a medical internship has an average salary of $50,843, which is higher than the $30,045 average annual salary of a medical scribe.

The top three skills for a medical internship include patients, patient care and vital signs. The most important skills for a medical scribe are patients, medical terminology, and excellent organizational.

Medical internship vs medical scribe overview

Medical InternshipMedical Scribe
Yearly salary$50,843$30,045
Hourly rate$24.44$14.44
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs127,69280,035
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

What does a medical internship do?

When it comes to a medical internship, one of the primary duties is to attend to the patients' needs while under a more experienced physician's supervision. During this period, the medical interns must rotate in various fields of specialties or departments for exposure. Aside from learning and observing, there are also instances when medical interns are required to produce necessary reports and documentation, communicate with patients and families, and take part in more challenging cases.

What does a medical scribe do?

As a medical scribe, their main responsibility is to follow a physician's daily work and do charting of patient encounters in real-time by accessing their medical electronic health record (EHR). It is their duty to make sure the patient schedules are followed, generate referral letters for physicians and manage and sort medical documents within the EHR. Medical scribes can be held as data custodians, medical assistants, and nurses to focus on patient in-take and care throughout clinic hours. In addition, they manage patient flow through the clinic and increase productivity to cater to more patients.

Medical internship vs medical scribe salary

Medical interns and medical scribes have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical InternshipMedical Scribe
Average salary$50,843$30,045
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $77,000Between $23,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MABoston, MA
Highest paying stateNew YorkMassachusetts
Best paying companyTakeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.Boston Medical Center
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between medical internship and medical scribe education

There are a few differences between a medical internship and a medical scribe in terms of educational background:

Medical InternshipMedical Scribe
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorHealth Care AdministrationBiology
Most common college--

Medical internship vs medical scribe demographics

Here are the differences between medical interns' and medical scribes' demographics:

Medical InternshipMedical Scribe
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 24.9% Female, 75.1%Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.2% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 50.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between medical internship and medical scribe duties and responsibilities

Medical internship example responsibilities.

  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Room patients, vitals, schedule, injections, clia waive tests, womb care ,
  • Learned how to triage patients and make sure they are ready for the doctor to see.
  • Organize and fill patient medical records, telephone triage, schedule appointments, and provide patient education.
  • Organize, prep, and assist patients in putting on heart monitors for EKG and heart rate readings in the lab.
  • Assist physicians in taking blood pressure, EKG, ultrasound, measuring heart beat and recording all vitals in physical examinations.
  • Show more

Medical scribe example responsibilities.

  • Manage sensitive and confidential materials such as patient health records following HIPAA regulations.
  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Rotate in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, orthopedic surgery, and burn medicine departments
  • Transcribe patient orders including laboratory tests results, radiology test findings, medications, allergies.
  • Utilize PC and LIS to enter and retrieve patient data, includes verifying orders and retrieving results using HIPAA compliance.
  • Perform Phlebotomy procedures on patients.
  • Show more

Medical internship vs medical scribe skills

Common medical internship skills
  • Patients, 34%
  • Patient Care, 10%
  • Vital Signs, 6%
  • Surgical Procedures, 4%
  • Surgery, 4%
  • EKG, 3%
Common medical scribe skills
  • Patients, 18%
  • Medical Terminology, 17%
  • Excellent Organizational, 10%
  • Physician Assistants, 8%
  • Emergency Medicine, 6%
  • HIPAA, 4%

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