Working in medical offices normally means you will do almost anything that needs done for the doctor. The only things you will not do are aid the doctor in caring for the patient. There are no special requirements for working in a medical office, but some type of degree would be useful. Any medical terminology that you can learn will be helpful as you read the notes the doctor writes as well as any information you need to write in the patient's chart. Some offices train you on the job, and some require that you have a two-year degree in order to work at the office. Call the human resources department before you apply for the position to find out what you need to have before working. The primary job of the medical office assistant is to greet the patient as they enter the office and gather their information. You will find out why they are they if they do not have an appointment, or get their chart ready if they have an appointment scheduled. If there is not a separate person who handles the billing information, you will also need to make copies of the patient's insurance card and collect their payment for the visit. If there are no patients that need to be checked in, there are other duties you will be responsible for. Medical charts will need to be filed in the appropriate order so the doctor can easily locate them. Any information that needs to be changed on the chart should be done before the patient sees the doctor. Billing statements can be printed and mailed to patients who have a balance on their account. You can also make phone calls to the people who have appointments the next day to remind them of what time they are to come in. If the doctor is busy with several patients, you may be asked to get some of the people in the waiting room into an exam room so the doctor can quickly see them. Depending on the location of where you are working, an average salary is $35,000 a year for medical office jobs.