Job Description for Medical Secretary
Medical secretaries perform administrative work and must professionally conduct themselves at all times, especially in a clinical, hospital, or other medical environments when people are scared, sick, or confused. As they often have front-office duties, they will greet customers as they enter the facility and must be mindful that they are most likely the first individuals to interact with patients to represent their establishment well.
Like office secretaries, medical secretaries are also tasked with answering phone calls and scheduling patients for appointments, and they communicate often with insurance companies to ensure that clients are eligible for certain treatments and to obtain reimbursement. They must organize patients’ files and create summaries and reports when requested. Data entry is also necessary, so strong typing skills are required for the position. Multi-tasking and the ability to work well in high-pressure situations are also important, as a variety of duties may be carried out at once.
Florida National University trains and equips individuals looking to gain this kind of employment with a degree program (overview below) that will give them practical experience with the hard and soft skills of the job. This career field can provide a great opportunity for ongoing success for motivated individuals.
For example, additional skills in customer service, scheduling and electronic medical records (EMR) are correlated to pay that is above average.
Career Education Diploma: Medical Secretary
Doctor’s offices, hospitals, clinics, laboratories, diagnostic centers, pharmaceutical firms and more all need a medical secretary. At FNU, we will provide the student with knowledge of medical terminology and medical office procedures. The program offers options for entry-level positions in coding and billing and/or medical transcription skills.
While this isn’t a medical degree, familiarity with medical terms is very important, and proficiency with medical coding may also be required. Strong communication skills are important to communicate well with patients, other administrative staff, and medical staff. Medical secretaries often serve as liaisons between the customer and doctor, so it’s important to be knowledgeable of the offerings and workings of the facility. In Florida, hours may vary, and weekend hours may be necessary depending on when the facility operates because of the high demand and volume of medical centers and patients in Florida.
Overview of the Program: ATB entrance required scores: 200 Verbal and 210 Math Quantitative in the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS (A MINIMUM OF 45 CREDITS)
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS (39 CREDITS)
COMMUNICATIONS
- ENC 1101 English Composition I
COMPUTERS
- CGS 1030 Introduction to Information Technology
CORE REQUIREMENTS
- BSC 1085C Anatomy & Physiology I
- BSC 1086C Anatomy & Physiology II
- HSC 1000C Introduction to Health Care
- MHSC 1230L Patient Care Procedures
- HSC 1531C Medical Terminology
- MEA 2304C Medical Office Management
- MEA 2305C Medical Office Procedures
- MEA 2315C Medical Transcription
- MEA 2335C Medical Insurance, Coding and Billing
ELECTIVES (29 CREDITS)
- ENC 2200 Business Communication
- CGS 1500C Word processing
- ENC 1102 English Composition II
- SPC 1017 Fundamentals of Oral Communication
- GEB 2430 Ethics & Social Responsibility
As medical students, you are required to wear medical attire at all times. You must purchase your own uniforms. All students must provide BLS, OSHA, HIV, and HIPPA seminar completion forms to participate in the required 90 hours completed of clinical rotations.
After graduation, individuals may earn CPS (Certified Professional Secretary) or CAP (Certified Administrative Professional) certification through the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). A medical secretary looking to further his or her career may choose to become a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) through the American Association of Medical Assistants.
Medical Secretaries Salary and Employment Opportunity in Florida
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 21% increase in job opportunities for this career field is expected from 2014-2024. The median annual salary of medical secretaries in 2015 was $33,040. Opportunities are expected to be best for those with extensive computer software knowledge and advanced communication skills.
An associate’s degree is required by employers for a job as a medical secretary. Our undergraduate degree programs offer the specialized course content needed such as human anatomy, medical terminology, office technology, medical office management, medical insurance billing, machine transcription, and business communications.
Florida’s healthcare career outlook for the majority of medical professions is very uniquely strong. The latest annual report issued by the Florida Department of Labor states occupations in the medical field as a whole rank among the state’s best-growing careers. The state’s flourishing healthcare industry is following a trend across the country for new employees; there are currently over one million unfilled job openings across the country for healthcare personnel.
Although it’s possible to get Healthcare Support positions in pretty much every corner of Florida, the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale area of the state has the highest concentration of opportunities.
As of March 2019 in Florida,
- Cities with the highest percentage of jobs relative to population: Sebastian, Palm Bay, and Naples.
- Cities with the lowest percentage of jobs relative to population: Fort Walton Beach, Jacksonville, and Orlando.
- Cities with the highest absolute number of jobs: Tampa, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale.
- Metro areas with the highest median salaries: Sebastian, Naples and West Palm Beach.
With a guaranteed career in your future upon completing our degree program, don’t delay contacting FNU for more information about what is needed to join this program and get your career as a Medical Secretary started.
