What Does it Take to Be a Medical Secretary?
Position Description Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.
List of Medical Secretary Job Duties
- Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
- Prepare correspondence or assist physicians or medical scientists with preparation of reports, speeches, articles, or conference proceedings.
- Arrange hospital admissions for patients.
- Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
- Schedule tests or procedures for patients, such as lab work or x-rays, based on physician orders.
- Perform various clerical or administrative functions, such as ordering and maintaining an inventory of supplies.
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Medical Secretary Required Skills
When polled, Medical Secretaries say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Other Medical Secretary Job Titles
- Physician Office Specialist
- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant
- Insurance Verifier
- Administrative Support Specialist
- Dental Receptionist
Is There Going to be Demand for Medical Secretaries?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 574,200 jobs in the United States for Medical Secretary. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 22.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 129,000 new jobs for Medical Secretary by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 80,800 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Medical Secretary are Arizona, Utah, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Mississippi, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Medical Secretary Average Salary
The salary for Medical Secretaries ranges between about $25,390 and $51,890 a year.
Medical Secretaries who work in District of Columbia, Minnesota, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Medical Secretaries make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $34,050 |
| Alaska | $40,820 |
| Arizona | $36,110 |
| Arkansas | $32,380 |
| California | $42,900 |
| Colorado | $38,890 |
| Connecticut | $42,270 |
| Delaware | $37,110 |
| District of Columbia | $50,370 |
| Florida | $33,520 |
| Georgia | $35,060 |
| Hawaii | $42,010 |
| Idaho | $34,270 |
| Illinois | $36,320 |
| Indiana | $35,030 |
| Iowa | $35,860 |
| Kansas | $34,280 |
| Kentucky | $32,220 |
| Louisiana | $30,660 |
| Maine | $34,390 |
| Maryland | $39,200 |
| Massachusetts | $43,450 |
| Michigan | $35,370 |
| Minnesota | $42,750 |
| Mississippi | $30,760 |
| Missouri | $34,270 |
| Montana | $32,540 |
| Nebraska | $34,160 |
| Nevada | $37,440 |
| New Hampshire | $40,200 |
| New Jersey | $42,670 |
| New Mexico | $32,680 |
| New York | $40,850 |
| North Carolina | $33,790 |
| North Dakota | $37,790 |
| Ohio | $34,450 |
| Oklahoma | $32,080 |
| Oregon | $40,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,550 |
| Rhode Island | $38,160 |
| South Carolina | $35,250 |
| South Dakota | $35,380 |
| Tennessee | $32,720 |
| Texas | $34,150 |
| Utah | $33,090 |
| Vermont | $39,440 |
| Virginia | $37,940 |
| Washington | $42,680 |
| West Virginia | $30,270 |
| Wisconsin | $35,830 |
| Wyoming | $34,760 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Medical Secretaries
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Medical Secretaries:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
- Microsoft Publisher
- Google Docs
- Intuit QuickBooks
- MEDITECH software
- Scheduling software
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Graphics software
How to Become a Medical Secretary
Learn what Medical Secretary education requirements there are.
How many years of work experience do I need?
Medical Secretaries Sector
Below are examples of industries where Medical Secretaries work:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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