Medical Secretary Job Description for Fast Hiring

To secure an exceptional medical secretary, you need a job description that not only highlights the skills and qualifications required but also aligns with the specific needs of your practice. This article provides a comprehensive template designed to help recruiters outline the key responsibilities, qualifications, and personal attributes necessary for the role, ensuring that your recruitment process is streamlined and effective.

What Is a Medical Secretary?

The medical secretary handles administrative, clerical, and patient-facing tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the medical office. This includes scheduling, record keeping, communications with patients and health insurers, supporting physicians and other clinical staff, and managing front office operations.

Where to Find Them?

1. Healthcare-specific job boards: portals specialized in medical/health services roles.
2. General job sites: Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, etc.
3. Local colleges/vocational schools: those offering medical, administrative, or allied health programs.
4. Professional associations/certification bodies: members who hold medical administrative credentials.
5. Referral programs: Encourage your current staff to refer candidates.
6. Temporary/staffing agencies: in times of urgent need.
7. Social media & local community boards: Facebook groups, local job fairs.

Medical Secretary Job Description

We are seeking a diverse, professional, and dynamic medical secretary to assist our doctors with secretarial duties. The ideal candidate will have a strong secretarial background and be adept with medical terminology and EMR/EHR systems. The key focus of the position is to support the planning, scheduling, and administrative side of various doctors and surgeons throughout the practice.

Responsibilities

• Take incoming calls from patients under the doctors you assist.
• Book patient appointments and schedule consultations and outpatient appointments.
• Send out correspondence on behalf of the doctor.
• Assist with compiling patient information and charts.
• Keep patient information current and up-to-date on the system.
• Manage the calendars and diaries of the doctors/surgeons you assist.
• Compile medical reports for doctors when instructed.
• Bill patients and assist with the chasing up of outstanding payments.
• Verify insurance information before appointments.
• Advise patients of deductibles or copays payable by them.
• Ensure patient information is stored securely and in a neat filing system.

Required Qualifications

• Education: typically a high school diploma or equivalent; post-secondary training in medical administration is a plus.
• Experience: previous work in a medical office/clinic/hospital setting; experience with scheduling, medical records, and billing.
• Certifications: might be desirable (depending on region), e.g., Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) or equivalent.
• Other: understanding of privacy/confidentiality laws, discretion, reliability, and possibly the ability to work occasional extended hours/weekends if the facility demands it.

Required Skills

• Good knowledge of medical terminology and basic insurance/coding insight.
• Proficiency with office software (word processing, spreadsheet) and electronic medical records (EMR/EHR) systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Customer service orientation; ability to deal sensitively with patients.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work under pressure.

Challenges in Hiring a Medical Secretary

• Labor shortage & increased competition: Healthcare organizations continue to report difficulty filling non-clinical roles.
• Rising compensation demands: Wage inflation is a major factor as employees expect pay more aligned with the cost of living and specialized skills (e.g., EMR, coding).
• Burnout & retention issues: High workload, administrative burden, and competition from other sectors make retaining administrative staff challenging.
• Budget constraints: Many practices face cost pressures, rising overheads (supplies, tech), and the need to contain margins while maintaining staffing.
• Skills mismatch: Need for candidates who are not just competent in general secretarial tasks but also in medical terminology, software, insurance, and regulatory compliance. Candidates lacking in EMR experience or industry-specific knowledge are less ready.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire?

• Salary/Wages: In the United States, the average medical secretary earns about US $45,500/yr, which is about $22/hr.
• Benefits and Overhead: Taxes, insurance (health, dental), paid leave, retirement/pension, and training, plus office space, equipment, software, and supplies. Often adds 20-40% over base salary.
• Recruiting Costs: Advertising, job boards, time for reviewing applications, interviewing, and background checks. If using external recruiters, their fees (often 15-20% of the first year's salary in many markets)
• Onboarding & Training: Time for orientation and training in your specific workflow, EHR systems, and administrative policies. May incur lower productivity initially.

Conclusion

Hiring a medical secretary is not just about filling an administrative seat: it’s about ensuring the front office and back office of a medical practice work efficiently, patients are managed well, billing and records are handled properly, and regulatory/insurance requirements are met. The more precisely you define the role (through a strong medical secretary job description), the more you invest in recruiting and compensation, and the more you support and retain your hires (training, benefits, growth), the more likely you are to have someone who can do the job well and remain with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should be included in a medical secretary's job description?

A: You should include a job summary, duties/responsibilities, qualifications and skills (education, experience, and technical skills such as EMR and medical terminology), work hours/benefits, reporting structure, and how to apply.

Q: How many years of experience are typically required?

A: Usually, 1-3 years of relevant experience in a medical office is sufficient for many practices; senior or specialized roles may require more. Experience with medical billing, EMR, and medical terminology is a plus.

Q: What qualifications or certifications are helpful?

A: A high school diploma is a typical requirement; certificates in medical administrative assistance or medical office administration (e.g., CMAA in the US), training in medical billing/coding, and strong skills in computer/EHR/EMR systems are beneficial.

Q: What are the biggest challenges in hiring a medical secretary currently?

A: As above: shortage of qualified applicants; increasing pay expectations; retaining staff; ensuring the right skills (especially digital and regulatory knowledge); operating under budget constraints.

Q: Where are the best places to recruit medical secretaries?

A: Healthcare-specific job boards, vocational schools/community colleges, internal referrals, certification associations, general job platforms, and staffing agencies.