Secretaries are the center of communication in an office. The duties they perform keep offices running efficiently. Medical secretaries are specialized secretaries who are employed by physicians or medical scientists.
Medical secretaries transcribe dictation, type letters, and help doctors or medical scientists prepare reports, speeches, and articles.
They also have responsibilities similar to other secretaries. They take shorthand, deal with visitors, keep track of appointments, make travel arrangements, and see that any of the employer's paperwork is taken care of.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Medical secretaries are employed throughout the country, in physicians' offices, hospitals, and other types of health agencies.
Working conditions vary, but full-time medical secretaries usually work a 37- to 40-hour week.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Medical secretaries must be accurate and neat. They must display discretion and initiative and have a good command of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary. They need to know medical terms and be familiar with hospital or laboratory procedures.
High school business courses and college preparatory courses are valuable because secretaries should have a good general background. They should take as many English courses as possible.
Secretarial training as part of a college education or at a private business school is preferred by many employers. Training for specialty areas such as medicine can take a year or two.
Well-trained and highly experienced secretaries may qualify for the designation certified professional secretary (CPS) by passing a series of examinations given by the National Secretaries Association. This is a mark of achievement in the secretarial field and is recognized as such by many employers.
Potential and Advancement
Unfortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the field of medical secretaries will grow only by 3% between 2014 and 2024, indicating that job opportunities may be relatively limited.
Opportunities for advancement depend on the acquisition of new or improved skills and on increasing knowledge of the medical field. Some medical secretaries may become administrative assistants or office managers.
Income
Salaries for medical secretaries vary greatly depending on the level of their skill, experience, and responsibility; the area of the country in which they work; and the type of employer they have.
The average annual salary for all types of secretaries is $36,500. Secretaries working in the West and Midwest earn higher salaries in general than those working in the Northeast and South.
Additional Source of Information
Professional Secretaries International, Kansas City, MO 64111
