Medical Secretary & Medical Administrative Assistant
Career Overview

Medical Secretary Job Description

A good medical secretary is worth their weight in gold. When you think of a medical office, you think of a well-organized, clean and efficient office environment. If it weren't, patients would lose confidence in that medical office and find care somewhere else. But that welcoming, well-maintained environment doesn't happen by itself. A medical secretary is there, managing the front office, making sure that patients have a good experience from the moment they step through the doors.

In a private medical practice, for example, doctors are there to treat sick patients. But how many doctors understand how to run a medical office, maintain medical records, or schedule multiple patients with varying degrees of urgent needs?

That's why a trained medical secretary, more commonly titled medical administrative assistant, is so well regarded. Not only do they make things easier for the doctors, but they present a competent image to patients as well.

Typical Duties for a Medical Secretary Job

Basic secretarial duties have evolved over the years. A medical administrative assistant must be proficient with all of the communication technology common to a modern office. This includes, fax machines, telephones, mail services, internet searches and e-mail.

Medical secretaries need additional skills specific to the medical field, such as medical transcription, familiarity with patient records, medical billing and coding and a knowledge of laboratory procedures.

Most medical office managers begin their careers as medical administrative assistants. If you eventually want to run a medical office, a medical secretary position is a good place to start. Once you master the logistics of the office, you can move up into a managerial role. See the Medical Office Management Career Overview for more details.

Salaries for Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

There are many factors, such as geographic location, type of employer and education level, that all affect your earning potential as a medical secretary. According to the latest data from Bureau of Labor Statistics, the middle 50 percent of medical secretaries and administrative assistants earn between $23,250 and $34,210. Medical secretaries in the top 10 percent earn more than $40,870.

As you look for jobs, keep in mind that your yearly salary is only part of your total compensation package. As a medical secretary, you may also enjoy benefits such as paid vacation, education reimbursement, 401(k) retirement plans and, of course, health care.