How to become a Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistant
Official title: Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Also called: Clinic Office Assistant, Front Desk Receptionist, Medical Office Specialist, Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretary, Physician Office Specialist, Secretary, Unit Clerk, Unit Support Representative, Ward Clerk
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.
Main tasks
- 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.
- Interview patients to complete documents, case histories, or forms, such as intake or insurance forms.
How to become one
High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training for industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Medical Secretary.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $45,930 a year The middle half earn $38,570 to $50,580.
- About 979,000 people work in this job now, and about 1,026,100 are projected by 2035. (+4.8%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?
High school graduates who are comfortable using word processing and spreadsheet programs usually qualify for entry-level positions. Although workers typically learn their duties over several weeks on the job, legal and medical secretaries and administrative assistants may need additional training for industry-specific terminology. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants typically need several years of related work experience.
How much does a Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistant earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $45,930 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $38,570 to $50,580.
Is a Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistant a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 979,000 to about 1,026,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?
Usually not. Only 24% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Medical Secretary.
Will AI change the work of a Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistant?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.