Career Details
Career Details
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Career Details

43-6013.00 - Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants


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.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
527,600
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
635,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
+108,200
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+20.5%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
  • Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
  • Receive and route messages or documents, such as laboratory results, to appropriate staff.
  • Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
  • Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, or forms, such as intake or insurance forms.
  • Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
  • Operate office equipment, such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, or other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records.
  • Transmit correspondence or medical records by mail, e-mail, or fax.
  • Perform various clerical or administrative functions, such as ordering and maintaining an inventory of supplies.
  • Perform bookkeeping duties, such as credits or collections, preparing and sending financial statements or bills, and keeping financial records.
  • Complete insurance or other claim forms.
Supplemental
  • Compile and record medical charts, reports, or correspondence, using typewriter or personal computer.
  • Arrange hospital admissions for patients.
  • Transcribe recorded messages or practitioners' diagnoses or recommendations into patients' medical records.
  • Prepare correspondence or assist physicians or medical scientists with preparation of reports, speeches, articles, or conference proceedings.
  • Schedule tests or procedures for patients, such as lab work or x-rays, based on physician orders.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 89%
    Knowledge 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 Language
  • 85%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Clerical
  • 79%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Medicine and Dentistry
  • 72%
    Knowledge 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.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 68%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 68%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Administration and Management
  • 65%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Economics and Accounting
  • 60%
    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
 Mathematics
  • 58%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Computer data input devices
  • Credit card processing machines
  • Scanners
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers
 Medical facility building systems
  • Hospital intercom equipment
 Duplicating machines
  • Laser facsimile machines
  • Photocopying equipment
 Computer printers
  • Laser printers
 Personal communication devices
  • Multi-line telephone systems
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Accounts payable software
  • Accounts receivable software
  • Allscripts Professional PM
  • Billing software
  • Intuit QuickBooksHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Addressing software
  • Desktop publishing software
  • Google DocsHOT
  • Graphics software
  • IDX Groupcast
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Scheduling software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software
 Industry specific software
  • Allscripts Payerpath
  • Amazing Charts
  • CPSI CPSI System
  • Electronic health record EHR software
  • eMDs Medisoft
  • Epic SystemsHOT
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCSHOT
  • Henry Schein DentrixHOT
  • HMS
  • Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
  • McKesson Lytec
  • MEDENT
  • Medical condition coding softwareHOT
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • MEDITECH Medical and Practice Management MPM Suite
  • MEDITECH softwareHOT
  • Microsys MicroMD
  • NaviMedix NaviNet
  • Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
  • PracticeWorks Systems Kodak WINOMS CS
  • Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance CMS Secure Net Access Portal C-SNAP
 Business function specific software
  • Corel WordPerfect
  • Google DriveHOT
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Data entry softwareHOT
  • Database software
  • dBASE Plus
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
 Information exchange software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft ExchangeHOT
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
 Network applications software
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Web browser software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Unknown
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Laurel Ridge Community College
Paul D. Camp Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College