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Nicole Redquest, Chief Scribe and our April Scribe of the Month!
Lindsey Lyons showing her #scribepride in Tulum, Mexico!
What’s New?
Some of our Syracuse scribes enjoying a team outing! Want to be in the next newsletter? Email photos to your CSM or blog@iamscribe.com.
Lindsey McGregor showing her #scribepride at Mount Haleakalā in Maui, Hawaii.
Rebecca Ackley and Dr. Marian Bednar are featured in WFAA’s news story, Scribes helping doctors return to basics. “I wouldn’t want a physician coming in and worrying about the documentation in the back of their mind, worrying about clerical things. I want them to care about me and my care,” said Ackley. Read the full story at www.wfaa.com. Page 2
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Connect the
Docs Winner
A big congratulations to our last Connect the Docs winner Nathalia Urbina from the St. Joseph Hospital team in Syracuse, New York! Nathalia has been a scribe with us since July of 2013 and has been the Chief Scribe since 2014. She is considering attending PA school in the future. When asked what she loved most about scribing, she said, “It has helped me see what a career in medicine is really about. Scribing has given me the chance to get in-depth medical experience both on the clinical and administrative side (through being a chief scribe) which is something I would not have dreamed of experiencing until much later in my career!�
Introducing our new employee referral program, Phys It Forward! To refer someone, please email recruiting@iamscribe.com. The first winner will be announced in July!
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THE HOUSE THAT PHYS BUILT On May 6th, PhysAssist took on the challenge of building a home in Fort Worth as part of Trinity Habitat for Humanity’s inaugural Blitz Build. This involved our corporate employees contributing their time (blood, sweat, and tears) to build a home in under two weeks! Over the course of seven days, the team had specific daily direction and tasks to complete in order to reach our construction goal. It was important to stay on schedule and the Phys team worked extremely hard each day to ensure we met our goals for our construction leaders.
On May 16th, PhysAssist participated in a celebratory dedication and blessing of the home for the new owners. Present at the celebration were Fort Worth dignitaries, the Fort Worth Police Department, Trinity Habitat leadership, sponsors, volunteers, homeowners, and many members of the neighborhood. Projects such as this could not be accomplished without the help of many, many people who volunteer their time and energy. It is a truly worthy endeavor to strengthen our local community and make Fort Worth an even better place to live!
“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDING HOMES, BUT TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES” Trinity Habitat for Humanity exists to build and renovate high quality, affordable housing; advocate on behalf of those in need of decent housing; and serve as a partner and catalyst to create healthy and sustainable communities. It is not just about building a home but transforming communities through both the Build a Home and Preserve a Home projects. In particular, the Hillside neighborhood project will continue for the next 5-6 years as Trinity Habitat works with the community to transform this neighborhood by building 70-80 new homes and restoring other homes that have fallen into disrepair. Page 4
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A HUGE thanks to all of our employees who are making it possible to change lives and the landscape of our community.
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Medical School: Tips for Applying and Interviewing Maria Petrozzi
As a scribe, you’re already one step ahead of the competition when it comes to getting into medical school. However, understanding what admissions boards are looking for is a crucial element of success. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the sometimes confusing medical school application and interview process:
APPLYING: 1. Apply Broadly • Don’t limit yourself! Give yourself lots of options by applying to multiple schools. Remember, very few people get into every school they apply to, so it’s best to cast a wide net.
2. Apply Early • Collect your materials, unofficial transcripts, documents, etc., before the applications open to make it easier (and faster!) to enter information on the application. • Research the varying submission deadlines, any secondary applications, and any specific requirements for each school.
3. Budget Your Time Wisely • School transcripts can take up to three weeks to arrive, so request them well in advance. • When requesting recommendation letters, give writers about two months to complete them. • Write your essays early and allow plenty of time for others to review and critique your work.
INTERVIEWING: 1. Be Professional • Dress to impress - wear business attire. • Shake hands with your interviewer(s) when you meet and again at the end of the interview • Be aware of your body language during the interview. Don’t fidget and be sure to maintain good eye contact.
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2. Research The Program • Review information before going into the interview and know specifics about the program • Be sure you know your schedule and where your interviews are being held to prevent any stress on the day of your interview
3. Be Honest • Don’t shy away from flaws in your application openly discuss them and talk about how you’ve recognized these weakness and worked to improve them
4. Ask Questions • Be prepared to ask your interviewer questions and be creative (don’t just ask about the strengths and weaknesses of the program)
5. Follow Up • Thank your interviewers for their time with follow-up communication • Make it unique and mention one thing you discussed/learned during the interview • A hand-written note is much more impressive than an email
A Few More Words of Advice: • Take it one step at a time. When you look at everything you have to do, it can seem very overwhelming. Break up your tasks into manageable pieces and set realistic goals and timelines for yourself. • Budget for the expense. Applying can get pretty pricey between regular applications and fees for secondary applications. This doesn’t even include costs associated with official transcripts or other processing fees, so plan accordingly. • Don’t give up! You have gained great experience as a scribe with PhysAssist, and will already be a step ahead of the competition!
Already Been Accepted? We want to hear from you! Share your experiences and advice with current and former scribes on the blog! Email us at blog@iamscribe.com
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SCRIBES OF THE MONTH Weston Krauss - Scribe
MAY
Team: AZ - Mesa, Banner Baywood Reason for Nomination: “Wes displayed the urgency needed in the ED; however, he managed to do so while maintaining a calm demeanor that made me feel at ease thereby allowing me to perform my best.” What made you want to become a scribe? “The combination of thoroughly observing the practice of medicine, providing assistance to the physician, and ultimately helping the patient was enough for me to know that this is what I wanted to do.” What would be your dream vacation? “My dream vacation would be traveling all throughout Italy. The culture and history of Italy is so rich and the geographic landscapes are very beautiful.”
Kristina Sit - Chief Scribe Team: MO - St. Louis, Mercy Hospital Reason for Nomination: “Kristina is an awesome scribe and also works extremely hard to make sure the team is working together. She is always giving positive encouragement to everyone.” What made you want to become a scribe? “Before graduate school, I wanted to acquire more clinical experience and work in a medical environment where I could re-affirm my decision to pursue a career in medicine. ” If you weren’t going into Medicine, what else would you be interested in? “I always thought it would be cool to open a quaint local coffee shop that sells fair trade coffee, allergy friendly baked goods, and displays local art. One can dream!”
Monica Perez - Trainer, Scribe Ambassador II Team: FL - Hollywood, Memorial Regional Hospital Reason for Nomination: “Monica is a very driven individual who is always striving to do better for her and others in any way possible.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I wanted to see how the medical profession has both negative aspects such as death but can have incredible positive aspects such as saving a life during a near death experience.” How do you prefer to spend your free time? “I prefer to go out to the movies with my husband. We go twice a week to the movies if we are able to since we are both so busy. I also love to cook!”
Vinnie Yanga - Scribe
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Team: TX - SA, Methodist Children’s Hospital Reason for Nomination: “You won’t see him at work without a smile. He is an excellent scribe and an outstanding coworker!” What made you want to become a scribe? “You get to see up-close both the good and the bad, but ultimately the reality of medicine (and life).” What are your future career aspirations? SUMMER 2015 “My future aspirations include serving in the medical field as a physician.”
Abraham Nguyen - Chief Scribe and Trainer Team: TX - Fort Worth, Texas Health HEB Reason for Nomination: “Abe has been very welcoming and helpful since I was transferred to HEB. He cares for all of us a lot, not just professionally, but personally too.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I primarily became a scribe for the medical experience to put towards my medical school applications.” If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?WW “#ChipotleForLife”
Lawrence Seymour - Chief Scribe Team: WI – Milwaukee, St. Luke’s/South Shore/West Allis Reason for Nomination: “The chief scribes at my practice went above and beyond, and will make each scribe better prepared for work and their respective future career in healthcare.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I saw scribing as a way to get to know the daily workflow of a physician and get to work side-by-side with them. Also, I figured working in the ED would be an interesting area.” Who inspires you? “My grandfather inspires me. He is a retired neurosurgeon and is the reason that I want to go into medicine. Watching him continue to help people after retiring and seeing his effect on people has made me realize the power of medicine. “
Alan Goldfarb - Lead Trainer Team: MA – Boston, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Reason for Nomination: “Alan has done a great job handling everything at the new Beth Israel Deaconess site. He’s certainly a valuable asset to Physassist. ” What made you want to become a scribe? “I had spent 3 years doing research as an undergrad and wanted a chance to get more patient/doctor experience.” What’s one fun fact about you? “I was born on February 29th so I’m a leap year baby. I have had 5 actual birthdays total with my big 6 next year! Woot woot!!“
Bethany Good - Chief Scribe
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Team: TN – Knoxville Northeast Reason for Nomination: “She works on our behalf to see that scribes are happy with their jobs. She plans detailed meetings with powerpoints. She answers our questions within minutes. In fact, sometimes I wonder if she actually sleeps because she is so attentive to communication with her team.” What made you want to become a scribe? “As a scribe, I’ve been able to experience many different physician styles, different types of patients, and a wide range of conditions, and this helped me to realize that medicine is what I want to do.” If you weren’t going into Medicine, what else would you be interested in? “I considered being a Latin teacher for a brief period. No matter where I end up, I SUMMER 2015 want to be helping others in some way.”
SCRIBES OF THE MONTH Xavier Al-Mateen - Scribe
JUNE
Team: WA - Tacoma, St. Joseph Reason for Nomination: “He selflessly gave up his laptop during the middle of his shift for a trainee so that she could effectively learn during her training shift.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I wanted to become a scribe to gauge whether a career in medicine would be right for me.” If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? “My sister makes a mean apple pie. Probably that, if she agrees to make it!”
Ashley Wagle - Trainer Team: MI - Brownstown, Henry Ford Wyandotte Reason for Nomination: “She always helps pick up shifts when we need someone and she helps others find coverage for their shifts as well.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I decided early on I wanted to pursue a career in medicine so I was looking for a job in a clinical environment. As soon as I discovered scribes, I knew that I wanted to be one.” What would be your dream vacation? “Barcelona and really just Spain in general. The architecture looks so amazing!”
Faith Chikwekwe - Scribe Team: GA – Atlanta, Northside Hospitals Reason for Nomination: “Faith has consistently gone above and beyond to help me out whenever I need a shift covered - especially today, the day after I found out my grandmother has cancer. She is truly an embodiment of the concept of team spirit.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I became a scribe to learn all that I could about different areas of medicine and get to know the process of medical decision making. I’ve also learned a lot about the pros and cons of Emergency Medicine in the process.” Who inspires you? “Maya Angelou is one of my biggest inspirations. Anyone who can overcome enormous emotional trials and move on to great things inspires me.”
Shelby Snyder - Scribe
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Team: San Antonio, Methodist Main/Boerne/MSPTR Reason for Nomination: “Shelby is very professional and caring. She picks up open shifts to help out the team and responds to shift trade offers in a timely manner.” What made you want to become a scribe? “My ultimate goal was PA school, so I was looking for a job that would immerse me in medicine. When I found out about scribing I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me to learn.” If you weren’t going into medicine, what career would you choose? “I would most likely be working in Interior Decorating. I love to organize rooms, SUMMER 2015 closets, and decorate. My absolute favorite stores are Kirkland’s and Hobby Lobby.”
Ben Wing - Trainer Team: TN - Knoxville East Reason for Nomination: “Ben is always eager to help other scribes if they have questions during a shift. He doesn’t discourage scribes if they are unsure of how to do a task, instead he is responsive and helpful. He comes into his shifts early to help clean the ED by wiping tables, organizing papers, and throwing away trash.” What made you want to become a scribe? “I wanted to get a better understanding of medicine and working as a scribe seemed like the best experience out there.” How do you spend your free time? “I like to try lots of different things. I enjoy hiking, kayaking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and video games as hobbies.”
Ashley Contreras - Trainer Team: TX - Stephenville, Texas Health Stephenville Reason for Nomination: “We lost a trainee suddenly who was scheduled to go solo in June. I texted my team to see who could cover any of the open shifts. Ashley volunteered immediately and took on an extra 6 shifts for June. In a small team like ours, we can’t survive without scribes that step up like Ashley.” What made you want to become a scribe? “My eagerness to learn about medicine, diagnoses, medical terminology, and the roles of the emergency staff.” What are your future career aspirations? “My future career goals are to finish nursing school, get a Master’s in nursing education, and then get a DNP (Doctoral Nursing Practice).”
Taylor Gengler - Scribe Team: IL – Harvey, Ingalls Memorial Hospital Reason for Nomination: “Taylor is the definition of hard working. I came down with a virus that left me unable to work. She deserves to be recognized for her work ethic and compassion for others.” What made you want to become a scribe? “My college campus sent out an email about PhysAssist and after doing some research, I decided this was a great way to get some experience in the medical field.” Who inspires you? “My mom inspires me. She’s been through a lot but came through it all with a smile on her face. I know that if I keep an attitude like hers, I can do anything in life.”
Hope Clarke - Trainer
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Team: MO – St. Louis, Mercy Hospital Reason for Nomination: “Hope is a dedicated worker and an amazing teacher. She knows so much about medicine, and I can always go to her with my questions or for advice. When I do, she is more than willing to help. She hasn’t gotten enough credit for her years of dedicated service. She is very approachable, knowledgeable and trustworthy, and she is loved by the whole team.” What made you want to become a scribe? “As an undergraduate, there aren’t many opportunities to gain experience in the medical field. Becoming a scribe is a great opportunity to learn about medicine and get an inside look at working in an emergency department or clinic.” If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? “Spinach with sliced strawberries, avocado, toasted pecans, and goat cheese. It’s SUMMER 2015 the best salad in the world!”
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