Your assistant is essential to both your productivity and your happiness, so the choice is crucial. The vast majority of all secretaries in the US are women. It follows that as a physician, whether you are a clinician, an academic, or an administrator, you will likely supervise other women. Having an excellent administrative assistant will make your job easier, more interesting, and more fulfilling. Before you hire someone to work for you, it is worth talking to senior physicians about their experiences hiring and working with assistants. You can save a lot of time and energy learning from the mistakes or successes of others.