Opportunity Knocks in Medical Clerical Work

Susan Moffat’s article, “Healing the State’s Ailing Job Market--Health Care Is Bright Spot Amid Gloom” (Jan. 24), directed a lot of attention to technical and patient care jobs in the medical field, but gave very short shrift to the huge demand for medical clerical personnel.

Even though the accompanying graph showed medical assisting as having a greater projected growth rate (70%) than medical secretarial (58%, which I presume includes all phases of medical clerical work, including highly in-demand insurance billing skills), your classified ads tell another story.

Of 83 jobs listed under medical headings, 43 were for clerical positions (billing, receptionist, secretary, transportation, etc.), while only five were listings for assisting positions.

Those who want jobs today in Los Angeles would do well to get training in these high-demand medical clerical fields.

TISA R. RILEY

Glendale

The writer is a medical office career instructor at Harbor Occupational Center in San Pedro.