Because they are often relieved from dictation and typing, they can support several members of the professional staff. Secretaries often work in groups of three or four so that they can work more flexibly and share their expertise. Executive secretaries or administrative assistants perform fewer clerical tasks than lowerlevel secretaries. In addition to receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings, they may handle more complex responsibilities such as conducting research, preparing statistical reports, training employees, and supervising other clerical staff. Some secretaries do highly specialized work requiring knowledge of technical terminology and procedures.
Further specialization is common among legal secretaries, for example.
They prepare correspondence and legal papers such as summonses, complaints, motions, responses, and subpoenas under the supervision of an attorney. They also may review legal journals and assist in other ways with legal research, such as verifying quotes and citations in legal briefs. Medical secretaries are another type of specialized secretary. These workers transcribe dictation, prepare correspondence, and assist physicians or medical scientists with reports, speeches, articles, and conference proceedings. They also record simple medical histories, arrange for patients to be hospitalized, and order supplies.