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What You Need to Know About Medical Secretary

Medical Secretary Definition 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.
  • Arrange hospital admissions for patients.
  • Schedule tests or procedures for patients, such as lab work or x-rays, based on physician orders.
  • Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, or forms, such as intake or insurance forms.
  • 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.
  • Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Medical Secretary?

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.

  • Hospital Secretary
  • Billing Coordinator
  • Unit Secretary
  • Appointment Scheduler
  • Intake Coordinator

Medical Secretary Employment Estimates

There were about 574,200 jobs for Medical Secretary in 2016 (in the United States). 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. There will be an estimated 80,800 positions for Medical Secretary per year.

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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.

Average Medical Secretaries Salary

Medical Secretaries make between $25,390 and $51,890 a year.

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Medical Secretaries who work in District of Columbia, Minnesota, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Medical Secretaries 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 or degrees do I need to become a Medical Secretary?

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What work experience do I need to become a Medical Secretary?

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Where do Medical Secretaries Work?

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Below are examples of industries where Medical Secretaries work:

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References:

Image Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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