Medical Secretary
What the job involves
Medical Secretaries provide administrative support to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, ensuring that healthcare providers across all sectors are run efficiently. On a day-to-day basis duties might include organising and updating patient record, sending samples for medical testing, typing patient letters and clinical reports and managing filing systems. You could also be involved with company finances, perhaps monitoring office budgets and patient bills.
Personal qualities
Those looking to become a Medical Secretary should have excellent organisational skills and be comfortable communicating with a wide range of different people, including patients and health professionals at all levels of the organisation. You would be working closely with both patients and health professionals, therefore acting in a professional manner and respecting patient confidentiality at all times is crucial.
Working conditions
Working in full-time position from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, Medical Secretaries should expect to work in an office, perhaps spending some time working at a reception desk. Part-time work and job sharing is also an option.
Qualifications and training
Medical Administration qualifications recognised by The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMSPAR), such as those offered by the CAW Business School, are desirable for developing medical and business administration skills in the workplace. These are often carried out as full-time apprenticeships, but can be studied in their own right. On successful completion of the Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Medical Administration, students qualify to become members of AMSPAR and are entitled to post-nominals after their name.
What qualifications do I need to start training as a Medical Secretary?
Basic English and Maths skills are required for most medical administration courses.
Getting into the profession
Previous experience of working in an office and/or medical environment is often useful.
Salary and benefits
Salaries vary across sectors. Starting salaries for a full-time medical secretary will usually range between £16,500 and £19,500 a year.
Senior medical secretaries with specialist knowledge can earn up to £22,500 per year.
Those that work towards managerial roles would be able to earn a higher salary, starting from £21,500 to £28,500.*
Progression
As you gain experience, it is possible to take on managerial roles within the workplace, and there are opportunities for further training in related subjects; such as leadership and management or coaching and mentoring.