Medical Secretary

Typical Salary

£16,500 To £27,000

Typical Hours

37 to 39 a week

between 8am and 6pm on a rota

How To Become a Medical Secretary

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly

College / University

You'll usually need:

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You'll usually need:

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

If you already work in a healthcare setting, for instance, as a receptionist or clerical assistant, it may help you move into a medical secretary role if you take a relevant qualification while you're working.

The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMSPAR) and the British Society of Medical Secretaries and Administrators (BSMSA) offer:

Level 2 Certificate and Diploma in Medical Administration
Certificate in Medical Terminology

If you want to apply directly for jobs, employers will expect you to have some GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English.

You'll find it useful to have a typing or word processing qualification like an RSA certificate before you look for work. Some organisations may also want you to have knowledge of medical terminology.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

administration skills
customer service skills
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with others
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
sensitivity and understanding
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

handling questions from patients, staff and consultants
organising a doctor's diary, booking consulting rooms and meetings
making travel arrangements
managing a waiting list of patients
updating patient records and dealing with confidential information
sending samples for medical testing and recording the results
typing letters, clinical reports, minutes of meetings and filing
monitoring an office budget and dealing with invoices

Working Environment

You could work in an office, at a GP practice or in an NHS or private hospital.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could manage a team of secretaries in a large organisation.

With further training, you could become an administration manager, office manager or GP practice manager.

You could also move into roles in finance or HR.

Volunteering Opportunities

To get a job as a medical secretary, you'll need experience of working in an office, ideally in a secretarial role. Temporary work can be a good way of getting this experience.