Physician specialist vs unit secretary

The differences between physician specialists and unit secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a physician specialist and a unit secretary. Additionally, a physician specialist has an average salary of $210,219, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.

The top three skills for a physician specialist include patients, patient care and surgery. The most important skills for a unit secretary are patients, patient care, and medical terminology.

Physician specialist vs unit secretary overview

	Physician Specialist	Unit Secretary
Yearly salary	$210,219	$32,153
Hourly rate	$101.07	$15.46
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	63,020	69,543
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

What does a physician specialist do?

A Physician Specialist is a doctor who specializes in a particular field of medicine, such as pediatrics, urology, psychiatry, and more. Their responsibilities revolve around studying the patients' medical history, conducting assessments and evaluations, developing care and treatment plans, prescribing medication, and helping patients understand their conditions and symptoms. In some cases, a Physician Specialist may recommend patients to undergo surgeries and other procedures. Moreover, aside from treating and diagnosing medical conditions, a Physician Specialist maintains an active communication line with nurses and technicians for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does a unit secretary do?

Unit secretaries are administrative workers in a medical facility, usually a hospital or a clinic. They are in charge of religious activities in the unit or department they are assigned to. They manage incoming and outgoing mail, phone calls, and even appointments. They handle filing and recording of the documents of the department. They also take minutes of meetings and ensure that action plans are followed through. Unit secretaries should be familiar with the individuals in the department. They should also be accustomed to the schedule of members of the unit. Unit secretaries should be organized, dedicated, and trustworthy.

Physician specialist vs unit secretary salary

Physician specialists and unit secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Physician Specialist	Unit Secretary
Average salary	$210,219	$32,153
Salary range	Between $111,000 And $396,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Bradenton, FL	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	Delaware	California
Best paying company	Saint Luke's Health System	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between physician specialist and unit secretary education

There are a few differences between a physician specialist and a unit secretary in terms of educational background:

	Physician Specialist	Unit Secretary
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Physician specialist vs unit secretary demographics

Here are the differences between physician specialists' and unit secretaries' demographics:

	Physician Specialist	Unit Secretary
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between physician specialist and unit secretary duties and responsibilities

Physician specialist example responsibilities.

Manage providers' office and call schedules, outlook calendars and assist with surgery scheduling.
Generate referral letters for physicians, manage and sort medical documents within the EHR system, and assist with e-prescribing.
Review complete ultrasound and non-stress testing reports and assign appropriate ICD-10 and CPT codes.
Train in AllScripts EMR system.
Retrieve medical records from EMR and save to flash drive.
File written letters of appeal on claims deny by the Medicaid.

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Unit secretary example 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
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

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Physician specialist vs unit secretary skills

Common physician specialist skills

Patients, 39%
Patient Care, 23%
Surgery, 18%
Internal Medicine, 3%
Excellent Interpersonal, 2%
Patient Registration, 2%

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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