How To Become A Medical Receptionist: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a medical receptionist?

It typically takes two to four years to become a medical receptionist. Generally, this is the time it takes to gain the minimal education and necessary experience to fulfill the duties of this role.

Q: How much does a receptionist make at a doctor's office?

A receptionist at a doctor's office makes a median annual salary of around $37,000 in a year. This role, often called a medical receptionist, has a range of hourly pay rates that goes from just under $12 up to $20.

Q: Is being a medical receptionist a good job?

Yes, being a medical receptionist is a good job. This position is fairly important to the everyday management of a hospital or doctor's office. A medical receptionist's job is to perform clerical and supportive work in a hospital unit, ensuring that everything runs efficiently and avoids delays.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a medical receptionist?

The qualifications to become a medical receptionist include a high school diploma and some experience and knowledge working in healthcare environments. It typically takes two to four years to become a medical receptionist.

Q: What skills do you need to be a medical receptionist?

The skills a person needs to be a medical receptionist include communication and interpersonal skills. They also need to have a basic understanding of the healthcare field and terminology.

What is a medical receptionist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A medical receptionist greets patients, schedules appointments, answers phone calls, verifies insurance information, and maintains patient records. They act as the first point of contact for patients visiting a medical facility and support medical staff. Medical receptionists must possess strong communication skills, attention to detail, and knowledge of medical terminology. They must also be able to multitask in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor.

ScoreMedical ReceptionistUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $31,960

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 94.76%

male 5.24%

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 medical receptionist?

Pros

Exposure to the medical field
Stable job with regular hours
Chance to learn new skills and improve existing ones
Ability to form relationships with patients and coworkers
Good pay and benefits

Cons

Dealing with difficult or upset patients can be stressful
Long periods of sitting and standing can be physically challenging
Need to maintain accuracy and attention to detail, which can be mentally exhausting
Dealing with insurance companies and billing can be frustrating
Exposure to sick patients can increase the risk of illness

Key steps to become a medical receptionist

Explore medical receptionist education requirements

Most common medical receptionist degrees

Associate

28.2 %

Bachelor's

22.4 %

High School Diploma

22.3 %

Start to develop specific medical receptionist skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	30.38%
Customer Service	8.57%
Check-In	6.36%
Medical Terminology	5.53%
Patient Care	3.90%

Complete relevant medical receptionist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical receptionists 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 medical receptionist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical receptionist resumes.

Gain additional medical receptionist certifications

Medical receptionist 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 medical receptionist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for medical receptionists include Medical Assistant and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).

More About Certifications

Research medical receptionist duties and responsibilities

Conduct analysis to address long wait times which lead to faster triage, shorter wait times.
Evaluate all EOB's to insure accurate payment is received and when necessary will file appeals to achieve optimal payments.
Greet and check-in patients, including obtaining accurate patient demographic information, patient registration, and checking insurance eligibility.
Learned and operate chiropractic equipment (decompression; Leander) & x-rays; enabling Dr to have more time for patients.

Prepare your medical receptionist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your medical receptionist 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 medical receptionist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable medical receptionist resume templates

Build a professional medical receptionist 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 medical receptionist resume.