Paging Brother Theodore....

I consider my work less interesting than my outside hobbies, but as I have mentioned from time to time I am an Emergency Room doctor.

It is something that I rather got into by accident, but it is a remarkably steady form of employment.  You  can't outsource me to the Far East, and unless mankind (less often womankind) develop more common sense there will be ongoing demand for somebody whose assignment is to patch things up.

In fact, I get phone calls, letters, emails every week offering me more work.

I have attained, shall we say, a level of seniority that makes job shopping of less interest, but every now and then an offer comes along that catches my eye.

In a recent email a recruiting agency was extolling the usual virtues of a practice opportunity, great schools, lovely river town, signing bonus, etc.  Then they added:

"  * A professional Scribe will work with you on every shift providing efficiency and a great work environment"

Whoa, really?

I suppose what they really mean would be some computer savvy nerd or nerdette who would make fingers fly over the keyboards and by sheer coincidence be well versed in the tricks of the trade that allowed maximal billing.

Intriguing, but not enough to lure me.  Although I "went electronic"  late in life I am actually rather proficient with the computerized record system and can type like nobody's business.  That class in high school where I was just about the only guy in a room full of gals hovering over IBM electric typewriters continues to pay dividends.

But a real medieval monk/scribe could come in handy from time to time.  End of life issues for instance.  One of our staff doctors is a former Lutheran minister and it seems to serve her well.  But I wonder if some of our patients, those whose feet have perhaps strayed farthest from the paths of righteousness and virtue might feel a little intimidated by Brother Theodore.