Ariana Philbin, PA-C was the inaugural scribe with the Gap Year Scribe and Practice Assistant Education Program at Dr. Novikov Wellness and Skin Care. Participating in the program gave her the opportunity to build a solid foundation as she continued her path in medicine.
Prior to applying to Physician Assistant school, Ariana worked in medical settings as a dermatologist medical assistant and scribe. She was accepted into the three-year PA program at the New York Institute of Technology in 2015.
After her first year of school, she was looking for a summer work opportunity. She wanted to gain additional medical experience.
“I got really lucky–saw the ad and applied,” she said. “It was difficult to find a summer position for only a few months, but Dr. Novikov was willing to hire me.”
She accompanied Dr. Novikov to different facilities to treat patients at bedside.
“I learned a ton,” Ariana said. “He was a great mentor and very helpful. I learned about his surgical experience and wound care and even got to assist with wound debridement.”
She credits the program for helping her to excel as she returned to PA school.
In fact, when they covered the section of dermatology covering wounds, wound care and how skin heals, she said she “essentially taught that part of class” to classmates.
“Everyone was so astounded,” Ariana said. “I remember people would always come to me as they struggled with exam prep questions.”
Since graduating in 2018, she has worked in different specialties, such as plastic surgery, and currently works at Mass General Hospital in Neurosurgery.
“I still apply what I learned [about wound care] to my own practice,” she said. “You will definitely encounter wounds in any kind of surgery field. You are essentially going to be dealing with some degree of wound care when there is a surgical incision.”
Scribes who want to pursue a medical career and set goals for themselves will benefit from this role, especially as acceptance to medical school can be very competitive.
“It is extremely helpful in terms of having a foundation as you continue on in your education,” Ariana said. “It’s very helpful even if you are not a provider yet to start to learn how to write notes and understand medical jargon. It will be very vital on your path down the road as you pursue medical school or Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner school.”
Her advice to new scribes is to “ask a lot of questions and learn as much as you can.”
“Dr. Novikov is a fabulous doctor to work with and mentor,” she said. “I still maintain a relationship with him years later. We check in with each other, help each other, and share ideas. He is a great leader and makes it a wonderful place to work. He values everybody’s contribution.”