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What are the Different Medical Secretary Jobs?

Patti Kate
Patti Kate

There are numerous medical secretary jobs in virtually all specialties of the medical industry. Some include medical secretary receptionist jobs in various medical specialties, and senior medical secretary administrations specialist jobs. Medical secretary jobs may involve secretarial work in specialty fields, such as obstetrics and gynecology, or medical secretary jobs for general practitioners.

A medical assistant secretary will generally secure information from patients regarding medical history and statistics. This may include obtaining the weight, height, and blood pressure of patients. She may also assist the physician during various tasks and procedures. Receptionist duties, such as maintaining schedules and making appointments via the telephone may be another requirement for this position.

A medical secretary in an office does clerical work.
A medical secretary in an office does clerical work.

A surgical manager is a type of medical secretary who assists surgeons. She will typically have experience caring for patients who have had or will require surgical procedures. Recording and documenting various medical statistics and records are typically among her duties. This medical secretary job may require working in a hospital or other medical center.

Some medical secretaries specialize in geriatrics, working with elderly patients and their caregivers.
Some medical secretaries specialize in geriatrics, working with elderly patients and their caregivers.

A medical secretary in an office setting — a job that was formerly called a medical office secretary — does clerical work at a desk. Other than scheduling appointments and directing calls, she will do basic filing and computer work. Generally, this will involve record keeping, as well as some bookkeeping.

Other medical secretary jobs include medical staff secretary. This type of secretary generally is a private secretary to medical staff members. This may be in a private physician's office or clinic. She typically does the same clerical work as an office secretary, although she may work for the entire staff, rather than a single physician.

Some medical secretaries may be responsible for taking patients' medical histories.
Some medical secretaries may be responsible for taking patients' medical histories.

There are various medical secretary jobs that focus on a special branch of medicine. Pediatric medical secretaries work in a pediatric office. Ophthalmology medical secretary jobs involve working for a physician who treats various diseases and conditions of the eye. Cardiac medical secretaries may work in a cardiologist's office and have basic knowledge of heart-related care and diseases.

Medical secretary jobs may also include the people who work as correspondence specialists in a variety of specialties. This job may require answering inquiries from insurance companies, courts, and police. This secretary may also provide information to attorneys, administrators from schools or colleges, and other authorities.

Not every medical secretary job involves appointment scheduling and taking medical histories. For instance, medical secretaries who work as insurance coordinators process medical insurance claims. This may involve submissions, billing, and inquiries.

Some medical secretaries have jobs that might fall into a miscellaneous category. Such is the case of a medical secretary job involving bilingual work and translation. Medical secretaries who work in a geriatric center have yet another type of career. A medical secretary job in a rehabilitation center is yet another.

Discussion Comments

SteamLouis

Almost always, medical secretaries need to have completed a certification program in this field. Since medical secretaries only work in the medical field, they need to be familiar with medical terms and the processes that go on in a hospital or medical center.

And like the article said, based on which specific medical field the secretary is working for, specific knowledge of terms of that field will also be necessary. A secretary that's working at a dentist's office and a secretary that works in a cardiology unit don't come across the same information and processes.

burcinc

@fBoyle-- I think those are both medical secretary positions. As their name implies, these secretaries work at one particular ward or unit in the hospital. They take of clerical work, admitting patients, taking care of forms, billing, etc. for that hospital unit.

Of course, there are also secretaries who work at doctor's offices and other medical centers. Ward and unit secretaries work at hospitals. In terms of duties though, I don't think that there is much of a difference between the two.

fBoyle

Can anyone tell me the difference between a unit secretary and a ward secretary? Are these just different names for the same position or are they different?

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    • A medical secretary in an office does clerical work.
      By: contrastwerkstatt
      A medical secretary in an office does clerical work.
    • Some medical secretaries specialize in geriatrics, working with elderly patients and their caregivers.
      By: spotmatikphoto
      Some medical secretaries specialize in geriatrics, working with elderly patients and their caregivers.
    • Some medical secretaries may be responsible for taking patients' medical histories.
      By: phasinphoto
      Some medical secretaries may be responsible for taking patients' medical histories.