Victoria McDonald ’20 | University of Portland

Victoria McDonald ’20

Medical Scribe Intern at Scribe America

Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry 

Victoria McDonald“I worked in an emergency department accompanying physicians into patient’s room to collect a history of symptoms. I would then take that information and formulate a concise paragraph called the ‘History of Present Illness.’ I also took dictation of the physical exam from the physician. During my internship, I was expected to maintain patient’s medical charts in a manner that adhered to the physician’s charting preferences, follow HIPPA regulations, and stay calm and collected in a high intensity environment. 

I applied for this internship because medical scribes can expand their knowledge of the medical field by shadowing dozens of doctors at the same time. I plan to apply to medical school and this is one of the best things to have on your application as an activity because it really shows dedication to pursuing a career in medicine. I have learned an unfathomable amount of knowledge from scribing. Learning the medical terminology was probably the biggest thing for me because it is like a completely different language; to have a decent knowledge of it before going into medical school I think is a huge advantage. After graduation, I plan to attend medical school and hope to pursue a specialty in gynecology or pediatrics.”