6 free front-office templates for small practices, with the HIPAA training, OIG exclusion check, and FLSA guidance the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A medical secretary runs the front office of a medical practice: reception, scheduling, insurance, records, and the administrative work that keeps providers on time. In a small practice, one person usually does all of it, and the owner or office manager writes the posting and runs the whole hire. The catch is that this front-office role handles protected health information, which brings real compliance obligations that the generic templates leave out.
These six templates cover the role across settings: standard medical secretary, medical receptionist and front desk, small practice and solo provider, billing and insurance combined, senior and lead, and dental or specialty office. Each is ready to use, with the HIPAA training, OIG exclusion check, and FLSA guidance built in. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
A medical secretary handles front-office work for a practice: reception, scheduling, insurance, records, and billing support. The federal occupation (43-6013) covers medical secretary, medical receptionist, and similar titles interchangeably. The role is non-exempt and hourly, part of your HIPAA workforce (privacy training required under 45 CFR 164.530(b)), and should be screened against the OIG exclusion list at hire and monthly. Median pay is about $21.46 an hour ($44,640 a year, May 2024). Download six templates as DOCX, by setting, with the compliance built in.
What a Medical Secretary Does
A medical secretary performs front-office administrative work for a medical practice, using specific knowledge of medical terminology and clinic procedures. The day-to-day is greeting and checking in patients, answering phones, scheduling and confirming appointments, verifying insurance, maintaining records, and supporting billing and correspondence.
The federal occupation is 43-6013 Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, which describes the role as performing secretarial duties that may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence. This is an administrative, front-office role, distinct from a clinical medical assistant who takes vitals and assists with exams under a separate occupation.
Secretary, Receptionist, or Administrative Assistant?
In most US practices these are largely interchangeable labels for the same front-office function, not three different jobs. The federal occupation 43-6013 lists medical secretary, medical receptionist, front desk receptionist, and medical office specialist all as sample titles for one role, and employers use the terms interchangeably.
Title
Emphasis
Best used when
Medical secretary
Broad administrative and records work
The role covers scheduling, records, and correspondence
Medical receptionist
Check-in, phones, front desk
The role is front-desk and patient-flow first
Medical administrative assistant
The certification term (CMAA)
You want the title candidates with a credential search
Medical office secretary
Same role, office phrasing
A common variation; treat as the standard version
Clinical medical assistant
Vitals, rooming, clinical support
Different role and occupation, not this page
The practical takeaway: pick the title your candidates search for, then describe the actual duties. Because the work is the same, this page includes both a standard medical secretary version and a dedicated receptionist and front-desk version. A clinical medical assistant is a genuinely different role, and a front-office lead is closer to a medical office manager.
Medical Secretary Duties and Responsibilities
Medical secretary duties cluster into four areas: reception and scheduling, insurance and billing, records and correspondence, and privacy and compliance. A strong posting picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your office rather than listing every possible task.
Reception and scheduling
Greet patients and answer phones
Schedule, confirm, and reschedule visits
Manage the waiting room and provider flow
Insurance and billing
Verify insurance and collect copays
Submit and follow up on claims
Answer patient billing questions
Records and correspondence
Maintain patient charts in the EHR
Prepare referrals, forms, and letters
Handle mail, faxes, and messages
Privacy and compliance
Follow HIPAA privacy procedures
Protect PHI at the front desk
Complete privacy training and acknowledgments
The emphasis shifts by setting: a receptionist leans on check-in and phones, a billing-combined role leans on claims and payments, and a small-practice secretary does all of it. For a structured way to scope the role to your practice, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your office and how the role is structured. The core sections are the same across all six, but each emphasizes the duties, classification, and compliance that fit a specific kind of front-office role. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Standard Medical Secretary
General front office
The universal version: reception, scheduling, records, insurance, and billing support for a medical practice. Start here and adapt to your office.
Receptionist / Front Desk
Check-in focused
For a front-desk-first role: check patients in and out, answer phones, schedule, and verify insurance. The same work is often titled medical secretary.
Small Practice / Solo
No HR, wear many hats
For a solo or small practice where one person runs the whole front office. Built around the all-in-one reality and the compliance a small office still owes.
Billing and Insurance
Revenue-side combined
For the common combined role: front-office duties plus eligibility, claims, payments, and denials. Adds the billing skills and the OIG screening emphasis.
Senior / Lead
Supervisory
For a lead who runs the front office and guides the team, with the classify-by-duties FLSA note since a true supervisor may be exempt.
Dental / Specialty
Dental, chiro, PT, optometry
For a dental or specialty office: the same front-office work tuned to the relevant insurance, terminology, and practice software.
Match the Template to Your Office
General medical practice: Standard. Front-desk and check-in focus: Receptionist / Front Desk. Solo or small practice with one front-office person: Small Practice / Solo. Front office plus claims and payments: Billing and Insurance. A lead who runs the front-office team: Senior / Lead. Dental, chiropractic, PT, or optometry: Dental / Specialty. When in doubt, start with the Standard version and adapt.
6 Free Medical Secretary Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: practice and position summary, key responsibilities, required and preferred qualifications, a compliance note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Standard, receptionist, small practice, billing, senior, and dental. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Standard Medical Secretary
The universal version: reception, scheduling, records, insurance, and billing support for a medical practice. Start here and adapt to your office.
Medical Secretary Job Description (Standard)
MEDICAL SECRETARY JOB DESCRIPTION
Practice: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Office Manager / Practice Manager)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
ABOUT [PRACTICE NAME]
[One or two sentences about your practice, the specialty, the size of the team,
and the front-office environment the medical secretary will join.]
POSITION SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Medical Secretary to keep our front office running
smoothly. You will be the first point of contact for patients, manage scheduling
and records, handle insurance and billing paperwork, and support our providers
with the administrative work that keeps the practice on time. Medical secretary,
medical administrative assistant, and medical receptionist describe overlapping
front-office roles, so adjust the title to match how you post.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greet patients, answer phones, and direct calls to the right staff
•Schedule, confirm, and reschedule appointments and procedures
•Verify insurance, collect copays, and process billing paperwork
•Maintain patient records and charts in the EHR accurately
•Prepare correspondence, referrals, and forms
•Handle incoming and outgoing mail, faxes, and messages
•Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA procedures at all times
•Keep the waiting and front-desk areas organized
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Strong communication, phone, and organizational skills
•Comfortable with computers and scheduling software
•Detail-oriented and able to handle a busy front office
•Professional, discreet, and patient-focused
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Prior medical office or front-desk experience
•Knowledge of medical terminology and insurance basics
•Experience with an EHR system (such as athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, or Tebra)
•CMAA (Certified Medical Administrative Assistant) credential
COMPLIANCE AND ONBOARDING NOTE (read before posting)
This role is part of your HIPAA workforce, so plan for privacy training, a signed
confidentiality agreement, a background check, and an OIG/LEIE exclusion check at
hire (and monthly thereafter). See the compliance section below. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
Benefits: __
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Medical Receptionist / Front Desk
For a front-desk-first role: check patients in and out, answer phones, schedule, and verify insurance. The same work is often titled medical secretary.
Medical Receptionist / Front Desk Job Description
MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST / FRONT DESK JOB DESCRIPTION
Practice: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: Office Manager
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
POSITION SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Medical Receptionist to run our front desk and be the
welcoming first impression for every patient. You will check patients in and out,
answer phones, schedule appointments, verify insurance, and keep the front office
moving. This role is often titled medical secretary or medical administrative
assistant for the same work.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greet and check in patients warmly and efficiently
•Answer and route phone calls and respond to messages
•Schedule and confirm appointments
•Verify insurance eligibility and collect copays at check-in
•Update patient demographics and records in the EHR
•Manage the waiting room flow and provider schedules
•Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA procedures
•Handle check-out, follow-up scheduling, and paperwork
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Friendly, professional phone and in-person manner
•Strong organization and multitasking under pressure
•Basic computer and data-entry skills
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Front-desk or customer service experience
•Familiarity with medical terminology and insurance
•EHR or practice-management software experience
•Bilingual a plus, depending on your patient population
COMPLIANCE NOTE
A medical receptionist handles protected health information, so this role is part
of your HIPAA workforce: plan for privacy training, a signed confidentiality
agreement, a background check, and an OIG/LEIE exclusion check. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
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For a solo or small practice where one person runs the whole front office. Built around the all-in-one reality and the compliance a small office still owes.
Medical Secretary Job Description (Small Practice / Solo Provider)
MEDICAL SECRETARY JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL PRACTICE / SOLO PROVIDER)
Practice: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Physician Owner / Practice Manager]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
POSITION SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is a [specialty] practice with [number] provider(s), and we are
hiring a Medical Secretary to run the front office end to end. In a small practice
you wear many hats: reception, scheduling, insurance, billing support, records,
and the day-to-day coordination that keeps a small team on track. This is a key,
trusted role with direct access to the provider.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Run the front desk: greet patients, answer phones, manage the schedule
•Verify insurance, collect payments, and support billing and claims
•Maintain patient records and charts in the EHR
•Coordinate referrals, labs, prescriptions, and provider correspondence
•Order front-office supplies and keep the office running
•Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA procedures
•Handle the many small tasks that keep a small practice on time
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Self-directed, reliable, and comfortable owning the front office
•Strong organization, communication, and multitasking skills
•Discretion with sensitive patient and financial information
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Prior small-practice or medical front-office experience
•Knowledge of medical terminology, insurance, and billing basics
•EHR experience (athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, Tebra, or similar)
•CMAA credential
SMALL-PRACTICE COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
A small practice carries the same HIPAA and OIG obligations as a large one. Plan
for HIPAA privacy training and a signed confidentiality agreement at hire, a
background check, an OIG/LEIE exclusion check at hire and monthly after, and I-9
and tax forms. Keep training records and signed forms for six years. A structured
onboarding makes this simple to set up once and keep current. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: Billing and Insurance Combined
For the common combined role: front-office duties plus eligibility, claims, payments, and denials. Adds the billing skills and the OIG screening emphasis.
Medical Secretary / Billing and Insurance Job Description
MEDICAL SECRETARY / BILLING AND INSURANCE JOB DESCRIPTION
Practice: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Office Manager / Practice Manager]
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
POSITION SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Medical Secretary with a billing and insurance focus.
Alongside front-office duties, you will verify coverage, post payments, submit and
follow up on claims, and help patients understand their statements. This combined
role is common in small practices where one person handles both the front desk and
the revenue side.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Verify insurance eligibility and benefits before visits
•Collect copays, deductibles, and outstanding balances
•Prepare, submit, and follow up on insurance claims
•Post payments and reconcile patient accounts
•Resolve denials and coordinate with payers
•Schedule appointments and maintain patient records
•Answer patient billing questions clearly and kindly
•Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA procedures
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Comfort with numbers, claims, and patient accounts
•Strong attention to detail and follow-through
•Clear, patient communication about money matters
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Medical billing or insurance experience
•Knowledge of CPT and ICD-10 basics and medical terminology
•EHR and practice-management/billing software experience
•CMAA or medical billing certification
COMPLIANCE NOTE
Billing staff handle PHI and submit claims to federal programs, which makes the
OIG/LEIE exclusion check especially important: screen at hire and monthly, since
employing an excluded person can create civil monetary penalty liability. Also
plan for HIPAA privacy training and a signed confidentiality agreement. This is
general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 5: Senior / Lead Medical Secretary
For a lead who runs the front office and guides the team, with the classify-by-duties FLSA note since a true supervisor may be exempt.
Senior / Lead Medical Secretary Job Description
SENIOR / LEAD MEDICAL SECRETARY JOB DESCRIPTION
Practice: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Practice Manager / Physician Owner]
Leads: [number] front-office staff
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: [Classify by actual duties; see compliance note]
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour or per year
POSITION SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Senior / Lead Medical Secretary to run the front office
and guide the administrative team. Alongside the core secretary duties, you will
set the schedule, train and support front-desk staff, handle escalations, and serve
as the go-to person for office workflow and compliance routines.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Lead day-to-day front-office operations and staffing coverage
•Train, schedule, and support medical secretaries and receptionists
•Handle escalated patient, scheduling, and billing issues
•Maintain front-office procedures and HIPAA routines
•Coordinate the pre-employment and onboarding checklist for new staff
•Track certifications, training, and monthly OIG/LEIE re-checks
•Maintain patient records and support providers directly
•Report on front-office metrics to the practice manager or owner
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Several years of medical front-office experience
•Proven ability to lead, train, and organize a small team
•Strong knowledge of scheduling, insurance, and EHR workflows
•Sound judgment with patient privacy and sensitive issues
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Prior lead or supervisory experience in a medical office
•CMAA credential or medical billing knowledge
•Familiarity with HIPAA and OIG screening routines
COMPLIANCE NOTE (classification)
Classify by the real duties. A lead who mostly performs the same clerical work as
the team is usually non-exempt and hourly. A genuine supervisor whose primary duty
is management, who directs other employees and exercises real discretion, may meet
the FLSA administrative or executive exemption with a salary at or above the
federal threshold. Title alone does not decide it. This is general information,
not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour or per year
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
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[Practice Name] is a [dental / chiropractic / physical therapy / optometry] office
hiring a front-office Secretary to manage patient flow and the administrative side
of the practice. You will schedule and confirm appointments, verify insurance and
benefits, manage records, and keep the front desk welcoming and organized for our
patients.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Greet patients and manage check-in and check-out
•Schedule and confirm appointments and recalls
•Verify [dental / vision / therapy] insurance and benefits
•Collect payments and process claims and paperwork
•Maintain patient records in the practice software
•Coordinate treatment plans and follow-up visits with providers
•Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA procedures
•Keep the front office and waiting area organized
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Friendly, organized, and patient-focused
•Comfortable with scheduling and front-office software
•Detail-oriented with insurance and records
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Experience in a [dental / chiropractic / PT / optometry] office
•Knowledge of the relevant insurance and terminology
•Experience with practice-management software
•CMAA or relevant front-office certification
COMPLIANCE NOTE
A specialty front-office role still handles PHI, so plan for HIPAA privacy
training, a signed confidentiality agreement, a background check, and an OIG/LEIE
exclusion check at hire and monthly after. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __ by _.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
HIPAA, OIG, and FLSA
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for a medical front-office role it matters most: the HIPAA training the role requires, the OIG exclusion check you should run, the confidentiality agreement that belongs in onboarding, and the straightforward FLSA classification. Get these right and your posting protects the practice from day one.
HIPAA training is a workforce requirement, not a nice-to-have
A medical secretary is part of your HIPAA workforce because the job involves handling protected health information all day. The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires that a covered entity train all members of its workforce on its policies and procedures with respect to protected health information, as necessary and appropriate for them to carry out their functions (45 CFR 164.530(b)). Train new front-office staff within a reasonable time after hire, retrain after material policy changes, and keep documentation of the training for six years (45 CFR 164.530(j)). The generic JD templates barely mention HIPAA; a careful posting names it, and a structured onboarding assigns the training and captures the signed acknowledgment. This is general information, not legal advice.
OIG/LEIE exclusion check: screen at hire and monthly
Because the role touches scheduling, records, and billing tied to federal health programs, you should check the new hire against the HHS Office of Inspector General List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) before hiring, and then on a recurring basis. The OIG updates the LEIE monthly and recommends monthly screening, and employing or contracting with an excluded person can create civil monetary penalty liability for the practice. Many practices also screen the GSA/SAM list and their state Medicaid exclusion list. Build the check and the monthly re-check into your hiring and ongoing routines rather than treating it as a one-time step. This is general information, not legal advice.
A confidentiality agreement belongs in onboarding, not just the handbook
Beyond the required training, most practices have new front-office staff sign a HIPAA confidentiality agreement that spells out the duty to protect patient information and the consequences of a breach. Pairing the signed agreement with documented privacy training gives you a clear, defensible record that the workforce member understood their obligations. E-signature makes this fast: the offer letter, the confidentiality agreement, and the at-will acknowledgment can all be signed before the first day, and the signed copies stored in the personnel file. This is general information, not legal advice.
FLSA: medical secretaries are almost always non-exempt
Classification is straightforward for this role. Clerical and secretarial front-office work generally does not meet the FLSA white-collar exemption tests, so a medical secretary or receptionist is almost always non-exempt and entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. The administrative exemption is narrow: it requires office work directly related to management or general business operations, the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on significant matters, and a salary at or above the federal threshold, which routine scheduling and check-in work usually does not satisfy. A genuine lead or office manager can be a closer call. Track hours for any non-exempt role. This is general information, not legal advice.
Two Rules Define a Front-Office Hire
A medical secretary is part of your HIPAA workforce, and the Privacy Rule requires a covered entity to train all workforce members on its PHI policies and procedures (45 CFR 164.530(b)), with documentation kept six years. Separately, you should screen the hire against the HHS OIG exclusion list (LEIE) at hire and monthly, since the list updates monthly and employing an excluded person can create civil monetary penalty liability.
A medical secretary role starts from communication, organization, and attention to detail, with experience and certification as a plus rather than a requirement. Scale the requirements to the setting and seniority.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
High school diploma or equivalent; no license required
Experience
Medical front-office experience a plus; not always required
Software
Comfort with scheduling and EHR or practice-management systems
Knowledge
Medical terminology and insurance basics, where relevant
Certification
CMAA preferred, not required; encouraged by many employers
Classification
Non-exempt, hourly; overtime over 40 hours a week
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Medical Secretary Pay
Medical secretaries are paid hourly, with pay varying by setting, region, and experience. Set your range using government data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market.
Median About $21.46 an Hour (BLS)
The occupation of medical secretaries and administrative assistants (43-6013) had a median wage of $21.46 an hour, or $44,640 a year, as of the May 2024 data, with national employment of about 850,000 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The earlier May 2024 detailed survey reported a mean of $20.85 an hour for the occupation in the prior vintage.
Pay tends to run somewhat higher in hospitals and outpatient centers than in small physician or dental offices, and higher in states with higher minimum wages. Employment is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 85,900 openings projected each year, so a competitive, transparent pay range helps a small practice attract reliable front-office staff.
Hiring a Medical Secretary for a Small Practice
A large hospital system hires front-office staff through a dedicated HR and compliance department. A solo physician, a small clinic, or a dental office does not. The owner or an office manager writes the posting, screens applicants, and onboards the new hire, often between everything else. Here is how to write the posting and run the hire for that reality.
The big template sites are written for any office; almost none are written for a small medical practice
Most published medical secretary templates come from large job boards and recruiting platforms, and they give you one generic, copy-paste block of duties and requirements. They rarely account for the reality of a small practice, where the same person runs reception, scheduling, insurance, billing support, and records, and where there is no HR department to handle the hire. The templates on this page are built for that reality: a small-practice version for the all-in-one front-office role, a billing-combined version for the common revenue-side overlap, and a dental or specialty version, alongside the standard and receptionist versions. Pick the one that matches your office, fill in the brackets, and post.
The compliance is real even when the office is small, and the generic templates skip it
A solo or small practice carries the same HIPAA and OIG obligations as a large group. A front-office hire is part of your HIPAA workforce and must be trained on your privacy policies, and you should check the new hire against the OIG exclusion list at hire and monthly because the role touches scheduling, records, and billing tied to federal health programs. The generic templates mention none of this. The advantage a small practice has is that the program is simple to set up once and keep current with a structured onboarding: assign the HIPAA training, capture the signed confidentiality agreement, and schedule the recurring OIG re-check. That is exactly the gap this page fills.
Onboarding a front-office hire is where the compliance actually gets handled
Whichever template you use, the work after hiring is ordinary people operations made specific by healthcare: a signed offer letter, the I-9 and tax forms, a signed HIPAA confidentiality agreement, a documented privacy training, a background check, and the OIG/LEIE exclusion check. FirstHR fits this people side for a small practice: e-signature for the offer letter, confidentiality agreement, and at-will acknowledgment, training modules to assign and document the HIPAA privacy training, task workflows for the pre-employment checklist, document management for signed forms and training attestations kept for six years, and a self-service portal where staff sign policy acknowledgments. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an EHR, a billing system, or an exclusion-screening service, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same role becomes the basis for a healthcare-specific onboarding, because a front-office hire reaches patient information quickly. A smooth, repeatable process built around the new hire paperwork pays off every time you hire, especially in a trade with high turnover.
Send the offer and agreements
Confirm role, pay, and start date in writing, and have the offer letter, HIPAA confidentiality agreement, and at-will acknowledgment signed by e-signature.
Run pre-employment checks
Background check, the OIG/LEIE exclusion check, plus I-9 and tax forms. Note the exclusion check repeats monthly.
Train on HIPAA before access
Assign HIPAA privacy training and capture the signed acknowledgment before the new hire handles patient information.
Store and schedule the records
Keep signed forms and training attestations for six years, and schedule the recurring monthly OIG re-check and any certification renewals.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, the HIPAA confidentiality agreement, and the privacy training in one place so a small practice can manage the full process from one system, including the documented training and the recurring compliance reminders. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not an EHR, a billing system, or an exclusion-screening service, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A medical secretary handles front-office work for a practice: reception, scheduling, insurance, records, and billing support.
Medical secretary, medical receptionist, and medical administrative assistant are largely interchangeable titles for the same role (occupation 43-6013).
The role is part of your HIPAA workforce, so privacy training is required under 45 CFR 164.530(b), with records kept six years.
Screen the hire against the OIG exclusion list (LEIE) at hire and monthly; employing an excluded person can create penalty liability.
The role is almost always non-exempt and hourly; the median wage is about $21.46 an hour ($44,640 a year, May 2024).
Onboarding is where the compliance gets handled: the signed confidentiality agreement, documented training, and the exclusion check.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a medical secretary do?
A medical secretary performs front-office administrative work for a medical practice using specific knowledge of medical terminology and clinic procedures. The core duties are greeting and checking in patients, answering phones, scheduling and confirming appointments, verifying insurance and collecting copays, maintaining patient records and charts in the EHR, preparing referrals and correspondence, and supporting billing. The federal occupation, 43-6013 Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, describes the role as performing secretarial duties that may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence. In a small practice, one medical secretary often handles all of this at once. The role is administrative and front-office, distinct from a clinical medical assistant who takes vitals and assists with exams under a separate occupation.
Is a medical secretary the same as a medical receptionist or medical administrative assistant?
In most US practices, yes, they are largely interchangeable labels for the same front-office function. The federal occupation 43-6013 lists medical secretary, medical receptionist, front desk receptionist, medical office specialist, and unit clerk all as sample job titles for the same role. Employers often use the terms interchangeably, and a candidate qualified for one is generally qualified for the others. There are shades of emphasis: receptionist suggests a check-in and phones focus, secretary suggests broader administrative and records work, and medical administrative assistant is the term common in certification (the CMAA credential). For hiring purposes, pick the title your candidates search for and describe the actual duties. This page includes a receptionist and front-desk version alongside the standard medical secretary version for exactly that reason. A clinical medical assistant, by contrast, is a different role under a different occupation.
Is a medical secretary exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
A medical secretary is almost always non-exempt and paid hourly. Clerical and secretarial front-office work generally does not meet the white-collar exemption tests under the Fair Labor Standards Act, so the role is entitled to overtime pay at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The administrative exemption is narrow and requires office work directly related to management or general business operations, the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on significant matters, and a salary at or above the federal threshold, which routine scheduling, check-in, and records work usually does not satisfy. A genuine front-office lead or office manager whose primary duty is management can be a closer call, but the title medical secretary does not by itself make the role exempt. Track hours for the role and confirm close calls with a professional. This is general information, not legal advice.
What HIPAA training does a medical secretary need?
A medical secretary is a member of your HIPAA workforce because the job involves handling protected health information, so the role must be trained on your privacy policies and procedures. The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires a covered entity to train all members of its workforce on its policies and procedures with respect to protected health information, as necessary and appropriate for them to carry out their functions, under 45 CFR 164.530(b). Practically, that means privacy and confidentiality training within a reasonable time after hire, retraining after a material change in policy, and documentation of the training kept for six years under 45 CFR 164.530(j). Most practices also have the new hire sign a confidentiality agreement. A structured onboarding assigns the training, captures the signed acknowledgment, and stores both, which is much easier than reconstructing it later. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do I need to run an OIG exclusion check before hiring a medical secretary?
Yes, you should. Because the role touches scheduling, records, and billing tied to federal health programs, you should check the candidate against the HHS Office of Inspector General List of Excluded Individuals and Entities, the LEIE, before hiring and on a recurring basis after. The OIG updates the LEIE monthly and recommends monthly screening, and employing or contracting with an excluded person can create civil monetary penalty liability for the practice, even if the practice did not know of the exclusion. Many practices also screen the GSA/SAM system and their state Medicaid exclusion list. The practical approach is to make the exclusion check a step in your hiring checklist and then schedule a recurring monthly re-check for current staff. Confirm your specific obligations with a qualified advisor. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does a medical secretary need a certification or license?
No license is required, and certification is preferred rather than mandatory. A medical secretary is an entry-level administrative role for which a high school diploma or equivalent is generally enough, and there is no state license for the position. The most recognized credential is the CMAA, the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant from the National Healthcareer Association. Many employers encourage or prefer certification, but it is a market preference, not a legal requirement, so listing it as preferred rather than required keeps your candidate pool wide. Experience with an EHR system and knowledge of medical terminology and insurance often matter more in practice. For most small-practice hires, a strong, organized, patient-focused candidate without a certificate can be the right choice. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a medical secretary make?
Medical secretaries are paid hourly, with pay varying by region, setting, and experience. The federal occupation, 43-6013 Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, had a median wage of $21.46 an hour, or $44,640 a year, as of the May 2024 data, with national employment of about 850,000. Earlier detailed wage data from the May 2023 occupational survey showed a mean of $20.85 an hour, or $43,380 a year, for the occupation. Pay tends to run somewhat higher in hospitals and outpatient centers than in small physician or dental offices, and higher in states with higher minimum wages. Employment is projected to grow about 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 85,900 openings projected each year. For a posting, benchmark to your specific setting and local market, and publish a pay range where your state or city requires it. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a medical secretary job description include?
A strong medical secretary job description names your practice and specialty, includes a short summary that makes the front-office focus clear, and groups the responsibilities into reception and scheduling, insurance and billing, records and correspondence, and privacy and compliance. It should state the physical and schedule expectations, the FLSA non-exempt, hourly classification, and a pay range where required. List a high school diploma as the baseline and put medical terminology, EHR experience, and the CMAA credential as preferred rather than required so you do not narrow the pool. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the compliance expectations: HIPAA privacy training, a signed confidentiality agreement, a background check, and the OIG/LEIE exclusion check. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
