How important is a unit secretary?

A unit secretary is fairly important. A unit secretary is important to the everyday management of a medical unit. A unit secretary's job is to perform clerical and supportive work in a hospital unit, which ensures that the unit runs efficiently and avoids any delays.

How much do unit secretaries make?

Unit secretaries make $37,000 in a year, on average. The hourly pay rate for the total range of unit secretaries earnings is just under $12 up to $20. With overtime and bonuses, the total range of annual pay for unit secretaries is $24,000 to $40,000 in a year. This range is due to various factors affecting potential earnings, including years of experience, employer, and location.

What do unit secretaries make?

Unit secretaries make $37,000 in a year, on average. The hourly pay rate for the total range of unit secretaries earnings is just under $12 up to $20. With overtime and bonuses, the total range of annual pay for unit secretaries is $24,000 to $40,000 in a year. This range is due to various factors affecting potential earnings, including years of experience, employer, and location.

How To Become A Unit Secretary: What It Is and Career Path

What is a unit secretary and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A unit secretary is responsible for administrative tasks in a hospital unit. They link the unit's medical staff, patients, and visitors. The primary duties of a unit secretary include answering phone calls, scheduling appointments, maintaining patient records, ordering supplies, and managing patients. A unit secretary must possess excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as knowledge of medical terminology and computer systems. They work closely with other healthcare professionals to ensure effective patient care.

ScoreUnit SecretaryUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,153

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.2

Growth Rate -8%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 3.77%

Black or African American 9.57%

Hispanic or Latino 11.96%

Unknown 3.77%

White 70.56%

Gender

female 89.37%

male 10.63%

Age - 51

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 51

Stress Level

7.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.7

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

9.3

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Unit Secretary?

Pros

Chance to interact with patients and medical staff
Develop organizational and administrative skills
Learn medical terminology and procedures
Potential for career advancement
Continuously learning new things

Cons

Dealing with difficult patients and families
Heavy workload and multitasking demands
High level of responsibility for patient information accuracy
Sitting for extended periods can be uncomfortable or unhealthy
Possibility of dealing with sensitive or upsetting situations

Newest jobs for Unit Secretary in Columbus, OH

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Key steps to become a unit secretary

Explore unit secretary education requirements

Most common unit secretary degrees

Bachelor's

30.0 %

Associate

28.0 %

High School Diploma

18.6 %

Start to develop specific unit secretary skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	24.82%
Patient Care	12.82%
Medical Terminology	10.29%
Customer Service	7.36%
Patient Charts	3.55%

Complete relevant unit secretary training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New unit secretaries learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a unit secretary based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real unit secretary resumes.

Gain additional unit secretary certifications

Unit secretary certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific unit secretary certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for unit secretaries include Certified Health Unit Coordinator and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).

More About Certifications

Research unit secretary duties and responsibilities

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation

Prepare your unit secretary resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your unit secretary resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a unit secretary resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Unit Secretary Resume templates

Build a professional Unit Secretary resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Unit Secretary resume.

Apply for unit secretary jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a unit secretary job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do unit secretaries rate their job?