Scribes assist clinical providers (such as physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, chiropractors) on a real-time basis with the clerical aspects of patient care. The terms scribe, clinical scribe and medical scribe are often used interchangeably.

Frequently scribes are pre-med, nursing, physician assistant or dentistry students seeking not only an income but also the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and experience in the health care arena. More and more people are turning scribing into a long-term career. 

Scribes improve patient flow, increase provider productivity and revenue, enhance the patient experience, and improve the quality of medical documentation and coding. The American Scribe Association serves the scribe community by providing training, networking, advice, continuing education, and scribe certification.