Life As a Medical Secretary
Job Description & Duties 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.
What Do Medical Secretaries Do On a Daily Basis?
- Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
- Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
- Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
- Compile and record medical charts, reports, or correspondence, using typewriter or personal computer.
- Transcribe recorded messages or practitioners' diagnoses or recommendations into patients' medical records.
- Operate office equipment, such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, or other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records.
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Medical Secretary Needed 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.
Related Job Titles
- Medical Billing Coder
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Hospital Unit Clerk
- Unit Health Coordinator
- Medical Reimbursement Specialist
Medical Secretary Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 574,200 jobs for Medical Secretary in 2016. 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 Salary
The typical yearly salary for Medical Secretaries is somewhere between $25,390 and $51,890.
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 |
What Tools do Medical Secretaries Use?
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 do I Become a Medical Secretary?
What education is needed to be a Medical Secretary?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Medical Secretary?
Who Employs Medical Secretaries?
Medical Secretaries work in the following industries:
References:
Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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