So I was hired for a job as a medical scribe back in September. Basically we follow the provider during their appointments and fill in the chart for them (within reason) while they work with the patient. Being a job that requires some technical knowledge of medical charting and medical jargon it’s to be expected that they have a fairly extensive training period. I made it through all the class room training around the beginning of November, including passing a ‘final exam’ that was comprehensive. They’ve given me the uniform scrubs and the clinic we’re contracted to work with has given me a badge for access. Since then they have yet to schedule me for the final stage of training, floor training. Basically 6 weeks no hours of work. Luckily I had already been on unemployment anyway after running out of hours working as a temporary employee at the University of Washington back in July. So I gave them until Thanksgiving to schedule me and then asked if I could find temporary work to fill in the gap. They agreed. I contacted the UW the Monday after Thanksgiving since my yearly hours renewed in December. They placed me almost immediately in a project (application processor) that’s slated to last until mid February (the time they need to start sending out admissions decisions). About a week into this temp job my other employer tells me I’m scheduled to start training the week of December 18th, with a gap the week of Christmas due to the provider I was training with taking vacation. After a day or two of procrastinating I informed the temp job I was giving my notice. We had a day off because the staff training us had an all day meeting they needed to attend. Since we were still training there they ended my assignment immediately. I get an email later in the afternoon from my original employer saying that things ‘didn’t work out’ for me to be scheduled after all. I immediately called the temp job, begged to keep the assignment, and thankfully the supervisor was gracious enough to let me come back the next day (in other words I didn’t miss any days with them). I’m really pretty happy with the work I’m doing at this temp job and I’m hoping it leads to something else more permanent. Then again I had hoped that with my last temp job too, and it did not. I guess the advice I need about what to do when the other job finally does contact me about training. Besides this long gap of no work there’s been some other ‘red flags.’ Including them telling me I’d be working full time during the initial interview but then saying it’s only part time during our first post interview meeting. They also required us to make a verbal agreement to working for them for two years part time rather than one year full time. I also had to get a chest X-ray at my own cost when their preemployment blood screening showed I had TB, when I’ve never had symptoms and previous skin tests less than a year before had been negative. They failed to tell me prior to having a training the clinical site and told me not to come back until I was cleared. They could have handled this during the prior three weeks of ‘virtual’ training when I wasn’t visiting the clinic. I realize some of this is out of their hands, since they don’t have a say in the hours of the providers that agree to take on scribes, but it’s all felt very poorly managed in general. I was excited initially to be a scribe but I’m leery now of continuing with the company. There’s also the fact that the temp job is paying me much better than I’m expecting to get as a scribe, although we don’t get benefits due to the fixed duration nature of the assignment. So what do you guys think I should do?
Stay with the temp job. I don't know your situation but I'd look into either or both doing a certificate/degree program or look elsewhere for a job. I know it's not easy. I've been through soul searching, hinky job offers and being underemployed a lot the past three years.
These are significant red flags. You do not want to work with this company. One thing I've learned throughout my career, having just eaten another layoff, is that at the end of the day, the only person who actually gives a damn about your best interests is you. Don't lose sight of that.
To quote Monty Python: "Run away! Run away!" Trust your instincts. If you feel something is off, there probably is. Go with the other company.
A bird in the hand .... stay with the temp job, work hard, and see if you can roll that into a full-time position.
Whatever you do, remember that company loyalty is a crock..they can demand it, but in the end, they won't provide it to you. If they say that have loyalty to the employees, they are lying. Stay with the temp job, and when the first company calls a asking, tell them exactly why you won't be returning..
I work in a primary care setting for a large FQHC. We employ MA's and scribes by the dozen. That all sounds fishy to me. It's hard for me to believe, as we are always looking for MAs and scribes. ALWAYS. We recently just improved their starting package and set tiered raises in order to attract and keep better candidates. So, no none of that sounds right. Our applicants do not pay for their pre-employment screening, for example. The best advice is to "see what's really there, not what you want to be there." Good luck.
Hey, there you go! If you're willing to re-locate to a new city, find out where 1001001 lives/works and ask for an application.
Stay with the temp job. You were very lucky to get a second chance with them after giving notice. Besides, if the pay's reasonably good and you like the field you're temping in, it might be worth trying to get a more permanent position.
As others have said, and as I'm sure you already know you ought to do, stick with the temp job. Universities are wonderful places to work, but it can be hard to get your foot in the door, so that temp experience is great. Rarely do I see anyone get offered a university career job without having worked as a temp first. Even if the work itself isn't that rewarding, once you are "in" you can move around to other positions more easily.
Thank you for the advice everyone! I really appreciate that you all took time to read my story. I agree with what most of you have said, the red flags are a bit much here. I’ve interviewed in the past year for a few positions at the university, but have yet to be selected. I’m hoping my new temp job puts me in a better position than the old one to launch to a real job. As an update to the other position...they contacted me late last week and want me to come in and take another ‘test’ on pharmaceuticals for them. This after I thought I had finished all the mandatory class room testing. Luckily they had an option for me to take it after the hours of my other job. The topper on all this is they have yet to tell me where to go for this testing. They said they’d get back to me, and here it is the night before and no location. If I do pass this test tomorrow I’m going to demand some answers about when I’m doing my training and what work schedule I’ll really have, because it’s long past time I know both of those things. Otherwise I will walk, and I may even take badge and scrubs to return just in case. ETA: Well, they didn’t get back to me about the location until 2:00 today. 2:00 for a 6:00 meeting! I decided enough is enough and quit. I have to meet with her tomorrow to giver back my badge, scrubs and bus pass. I have a half regretful feeling that I shouldn’t have given up the job, have relieved that I won’t have to deal with such uncertainty and lack of planning in my employer any more.