The Alaska medical scribe course was originally set up for medical students that wanted an advantage before beginning their medical education. PAs, NPs, and nurses also quickly realized that scribing throughout Alaska took them to the top of their classes in professional Alaska-area medical school. The new group of people that we are seeing interested in scribing are Alaska-area people that choose this for a career. The advantage of a career scribe is that the Alaska physician does not have constant turnover. The disadvantage is that a Alaska medical scribe that plans to work for a physician for 10+ years is limited by the pay that they can receive if they work for Alaska-area scribe companies.

At this time, the only way for a trained Alaska medical scribe to find a physician, and for a physician to find a trained scribe, is through a medical scribe company that operates in Alaska. These companies typically charge the Alaska healthcare provider $23/hr, and pays the Alaska scribe minimum wage. When Scribes4Hire originated, we thought this discrepancy was ridiculous. There are many fees that go into developing a trained Alaska medical scribe including recruiting, education, insurance costs, taxes, accountants, and firm management. However, as a business serving Alaska, we have managed to limit them. We do not charge the Alaska physicians as much as we could, and we attempt to compensate the Alaska scribes fairly. We have come to realize that the only way the Alaska scribe can truly get paid what they deserve is by working for the provider directly, which is why we developed Scribes4Hire. You will apply directly to the service of the Alaska-area physician, PA, or NP. In essence, the Alaska healthcare provider pays less and the Alaska scribes can be compensated more, removing the “middle man.”

Over time, I have found many people inquiring about being a scribe in Alaska. I explain to them that if they can pass the course that gives them the core base of medicine, they will usually succeed. There is a need for scribes and a limited number of Alaska pre-medical students. The medical scribe profession will have to adjust to the non-traditional pathway of hiring career employees for Alaska-area scribing needs. This course offers anyone and everyone a chance to make a career as a medical scribe throughout Alaska.

This course is structured into two basic components.

The first part of the Alaska medical scribe course teaches you how to complete a medical note, using a stepwise approach. After you are taught the elements of a medical note, you will perfect your documentation by completing notes on more than 40 mock patient scenarios, all online from your Alaska home or office. You will be able to view the clock, the patient scenario, and the chart template at the same time. With each section, you will be given less time to complete the medical note. Your ultimate goal is to document a complete, error-free note within 10 minutes. Typically, Alaska-area physicians will see 2-8 patients in an hour, so speed with accuracy is a necessary requirement to work with a Alaska health provider.

The second part of the Alaska medical scribe course presents and teaches core medical terminology and medical concepts. This material must be mastered before you can document a medical note since they are documented using medical terminology. When you pass the multiple-choice final, you will have demonstrated a strong base of medical terminology knowledge that will be needed to work as a scribe somewhere in Alaska.

You will also be introduced to "dot phrases" and templates that can speed up your documentation when you are working a scribe in Alaska. Alaska scribes that set up and use dot phrases and templates can typically complete most of the medical notes during the initial encounter. This should be your overall goal while completing this Alaska scribe training course.

If you have any questions while you take the Alaska medical scribe training course, please feel free to contact an instructor for support.

Upon successful completion of your Alaska scribe training program, you will receive a certificate of completion from Scribes4Hire. Formal certification is voluntary for the medical scribe profession in Alaska. However, certification illustrates your commitment to succeed at your future Alaska healthcare provider. Regardless of education level and job experience, certification indicates a standardized level of knowledge and documentation skills.

The importance of the Alaska certification course is to guarantee to Alaska-area employers that an individual has met minimum standards of performance. Many Alaska healthcare providers do not have the time or resources to train a medical scribe in Alaska and are looking for trained Alaska scribes, ready to work in an already established medical practice.

You will have a competitive edge in the Alaska marketplace if you hold a certification. This gives you the opportunity to earn more money and have more career flexibility throughout Alaska. There are several online certification exams that are available for Alaska medical scribes who have experience working in a clinical setting. You may want to consider adding these to your resume, in addition to your Scribes4Hire certification.

This course is entirely online and can be accessed by nearly all computers in Alaska.