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Medical Secretaries perform a variety
of administrative and clerical duties in an effort to support the
professionals that work in health related fields. They perform tasks such
as answering phone calls, handling and preparing correspondence, keeping
accurate and up-to-date records, making appointments, transcribing
dictation, and completing insurance and other medical forms. One of the
main responsibilities of a medical secretary is to make sure that the
office runs smoothly. They must be well organized in order to maximize the
efficiency of their employer's time. These secretarial positions require
excellent computer skills in word processing, database management, and
spreadsheets. Medical secretaries are often required to recognize and
understand scientific as well as medical terminology. Duties vary
depending on the size of the institution that one is employed. In smaller
offices, they may be required to greet patients, keep medical records, or
act as a receptionist. In larger institutions, they might be personal
secretaries to a department head or work in the medical records department
with several other administrative staff. Anyone interested in becoming a
medical secretary should have good communication skills and enjoy working
in the health care field.
Work Environment:
Medical
secretaries can work in a number of different health care delivery
facilities. Some of the most popular places of employment are hospitals,
clinics, insurance companies, doctor's offices, local or state health
departments, group medical practices, and medical research departments.
High School Preparation:
Students interested in becoming a medical secretary should take high
school courses in word processing, algebra, introduction to business,
business computer applications, English, shorthand, record keeping,
composition, health occupations/medical professions education, and
cooperative office education.
College Requirements:
Individuals interested in medical secretarial work need to have a high
school diploma or equivalent. Since medical secretaries need to have a
certain degree of medical knowledge, employers usually prefer an
individual with an associate's degree. Training and educational courses
should include medical terminology, insurance billing, and dictation and
word processing skills. Students interested in this line of work should
contact schools for information on admission and course of study.
For educational institutions in
Mississippi
offering this course of study
click here.
Career Outlook:
Employment opportunities for medical secretaries will be good over the
next decade. There is an expected increase in employment of 10%-20%
through the year 2010. The overall growth in the health services industry
should be a major contributing factor for the expansion of this job
market. There is also a trend toward secretaries assuming more
responsibilities that would have otherwise been done by managers or other
professionals. As in most occupations, many openings will result from the
need to replace workers who transfer to other companies, retire, or stop
working for some other reason.
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Salary:
Average Annual Salary
$27,900
Salary Range
$21,000-$32,300
Professional Organizations:
Professional Secretaries International
World Headquarters
10502 NW Ambassador Drive
P. O. Box 20404
Kansas City, MO 64195-0404
Phone: (816) 891-6600
Fax: (816) 891-9118
www.main.org/psi/
American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT)
100 Sycamore Ave.
Modesto, CA
95354-0550
Phone: (800) 982-2182
Phone: (209) 527-9620
Fax: (209) 527-9633
Web: www.aamt.org
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