Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Medical Receptionist
- Medical Secretary
- Unit Clerk
- Unit Support Representative
Alternate Job Titles
- Administrative Support Specialist
- Appointment Scheduler
- Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMMA)
- Client Service Coordinator
- Clinic Office Assistant
- Clinic Receptionist
- Dental Front Desk Receptionist
- Dental Front Office Coordinator
- Dental Office Receptionist
- Dental Receptionist
- Dental Secretary
- Front Desk Agent
- Front Desk Receptionist
- Guest Service Representative
- Hospital Admissions Clerk
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
- Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
- Complete insurance or other claim forms.
- Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
- Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
- Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
- Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Medicine and Dentistry
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
- Near Vision
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Integrity
- Social Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- Google Docs
- Henry Schein Dentrix
- Intuit QuickBooks
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Tools & Equipment
- Credit card processing machines
- Desktop computers
- Dictaphones
- Hospital intercom equipment
- Laptop computers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Laser printers
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Notebook computers
- Personal computers
- Photocopying equipment
- Scanners
- Switchboards
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $35,050 |
| Median | $44,640 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $60,050 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 830,760
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,230
Medical Records Specialists
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $50,250
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,290
Office Clerks, General
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $43,630
Medical Assistants
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $44,200
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.