Medical Secretary Careers

Medical Secretary Careers are increasing at a faster rate than secretarial careers in general industry. With some specialized training, one of these medical secretary jobs could be right for you.

Nature of the Work

Medical Secretaries perform a variety of traditional secretarial duties all intended to keep an office running smoothly and efficiently. They plan and schedule meetings and appointments, maintain and organize paper and electronic files, convey information by using the telephone, mail, internet, and e-mail, and they can manage projects. They may also arrange travel and other accommodations for guests.

In addition to those duties, those in Medical Secretary jobs must also be familiar with specific medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. They schedule appointments, transcribe dictation, prepare correspondence, and assist doctors with reports, speeches, and articles. They also record simple medical histories, arrange for patients to be hospitalized, and order supplies. Most medical secretaries need to be familiar with insurance rules, billing practices, and hospital or laboratory procedures.

Training and Qualifications Needed

A high school diploma is needed for most entry level jobs. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree will be in great demand to act more as managerial assistants and to perform more complex tasks. A degree in the healthcare industry may be an advantage in the application process. Once they have a job, secretaries often must take courses to update their skills.

Word processing, writing, and communication skills are important for all secretaries. However, employers are increasingly expecting competence in software applications, like desktop publishing, project management, spreadsheets, and database management.

Testing and certification for proficiency in office skills are available through organizations such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals. As secretaries gain experience, they can earn several different certificates, such as the Certified Professional Secretary (CPS) and the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP). These can be earned by meeting certain experience or educational requirements and passing an examination.

Medical Secretary Careers will require a working knowledge of the healthcare industry. Qualified applicants will have coursework or knowledge of basic anatomy, medical terminology, medical insurance billing and coding, and medical shorthand and transcription. These may be part of an associate or bachelor's degree, or individual courses which provide these skills.

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Opportunities For Advancement

Secretaries generally advance by being promoted to other administrative positions with more responsibilities. Qualified administrative assistants who broaden their knowledge and skills may be promoted to senior or executive secretary, clerical supervisor, or office manager.

Long Term Job Outlook

Above average employment growth in the health care industry should lead to faster than average growth for medical secretaries.

Salary and Earnings Potential

The mean annual salary (presuming a 40 hour week) for Medical Secretary Careers is $27,210, with the middle half of medical secretary jobs earning between $23,250 and $34,210 a year.

The top paying industries for medical secretary jobs are as follows:

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In addition to information on Medical Secretary Careers, find other Medical Billing Employment and Career Options here.