Career overview

Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

O*NET-SOC 43-6013.00

Median pay / yr$44,640

OutlookNumerous Job Openings

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.

What it takes

The skills, knowledge, and credentials employers look for in Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants.

Skills employers look for

SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
Active ListeningGiving 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 OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
AdministrativeKnowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.