Medical Secretary
Support consultants and clinical teams with admin, letters, scheduling and patient comms.
This UK medical secretary career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £22,000 - £27,000
- Mid-career salary
- £28,000 - £35,000
- Senior salary
- £38,000 - £45,000
- Work environment
- Hospital or clinic office
- Time to entry
- 2 - 5 years
- Degree required
- Often required
- Category
- Healthcare and Care
What a Medical Secretary does
Support consultants and clinical teams with admin, letters, scheduling and patient comms.
- Hospital Specialty Secretary - Support consultants in NHS specialties.
- Private Practice Secretary - Run a consultant's private practice end to end.
- Medico-legal Secretary - Support medico-legal report writing.
- GP Practice Secretary - Referrals, results and admin in primary care.
How to become a Medical Secretary
- Look up Medical Secretary roles on LinkedIn or Indeed and read 5 real job ads
- Talk to someone already working as a Medical Secretary - even a 15-minute call helps
- Find one beginner course or qualification used by people in this role
- Build one small piece of evidence you've explored this (project, shadowing, short course)
- Apply to one entry-level role or related opportunity within the next month
Key skills
- Audio typing
- Medical terminology
- Scheduling
- Discretion
- Patient comms