MEDICAL SECRETARY & MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST

MEDICAL SECRETARY & MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST

Medical Secretaries perform administrative duties in a medical or dental office. Duties range from taking shorthand, typing, scheduling appointments, filing and bookkeeping, answering the phone, and handling written correspondence. Medical transcriptionists are specifically trained to record medical dictation to provide a permanent record of patient care. Computer literacy is increasingly important in both fields. Both fields also require knowledge of medical terminology because each is often required to transcribe medical notes from the physician.

HOW DO I BECOME A MEDICAL SECRETARY/TRANSCRIPTIONIST?

High school courses in English, science and typing are helpful to prepare for a position as a medical secretary or medical transcriptionist.

Graduation from high school or an equivalency exam (GED) is not required for employment as a medical secretary.  However, graduation is necessary to gain admission to a secretarial program at a vocational school. Some employers hire secretaries and provide on-the-job training, but most prefer candidates who have secretarial training.

Medical transcriptionists must graduate from high school or successfully complete an equivalency exam to be accepted into an associate degree program in medical transcription. Programs offered by vocational schools run from a few months to several years.

WHAT WILL I LEARN IN SCHOOL?

You will receive specialized instruction and experience that will prepare you for employment as a medical secretary. Training includes course work in English, math, vocabulary, medical terminology, office procedures, medical shorthand, and computer skills.

LIFE AFTER GRADUATION

The employment outlook for medical secretaries, particularly those with formal training, is good through the next decade. The profession is expected to grow as fast as average for all occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most medical secretaries work in private doctor’s offices while some work in hospitals and clinics. Much of their time is spent talking with people by telephone. They generally work a 35-40 hour week, occasionally working evenings or weekends when the doctor or dentist is seeing patients.

PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION SOURCES:

American Association of Medical Assistants
20 North Wacker Drive; Ste. 1575
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 899-1500
www.aama-ntl.org