A medical secretary provides essential administrative support to doctors.
Employers of medical secretaries tend to seek candidates with GCSEs, including English and maths. Qualifications in business administration are also relevant to this role. Candidates should be able to provide evidence of effective keyboard skills and knowledge of medical terminology. While not essential, many employers require applicants to have studied for the Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists Advanced Diploma for Medical Secretaries. An Advanced Apprenticeship in Business and Administration may also lead to medical secretary jobs. Many people enter into medical secretary work following gaining experience in other administrative roles or following working as a general secretary.
Medical secretaries work alongside experienced staff to develop their skills on-the-job. Employers may encourage their medical secretaries to study for job specific qualifications, if they do not already have them.
Medical secretaries must have excellent organisational skills. They should also have tact and empathy and a respect for confidentiality.
Medical secretaries may find employment in hospital departments, doctors surgeries, community health centres, private medical practices and complementary medicine clinics. Temporary medical secretary work is often readily available through recruitment agencies.
Newly appointed medical secretaries earn between £15,000 and £18,000 a year. With experience, salaries can rise to between £18,000 and £21,000. With further training, medical secretaries may be able to move into practice manager roles.