CLINICAL SUPPORT: Medical secretary Anne Landamore.

Answers supplied by Diane Evans, course leader of the medical secretarial courses at
City College in Norwich.

What does the job entail?
Medical secretaries can work in various areas of the National Health Service - in general practice, hospitals and in psychiatric medicine. Wherever you work, the ability to work as part of the team, supporting clinical staff, is very important. There are also administrative and clerical banks at the hospitals which give the option of part-time work.

What skills and qualifications are needed?
There are two routes to study for the AMSPAR (association of medical secretaries, practice managers, administrators and receptionists). Advanced Secretarial Diploma at Norwich City College. Full-time students need five GCSEs at grade C and above for the two-year programme leading to the OCR Diploma in Administration with Medical Option at the end of the first year and the AMSPAR Advanced Diploma for Medical Secretaries at the end of the second year. This comprehensive programme combines a high level ofsecretarial skills with academic subjects related to healthcare. You can also study part time for the AMSPAR qualification two afternoons a week for a year, if you already have basic word processing skills.

What type of person will fit in?
Someone who is hard working, flexible and enjoys being part of a medical team. You also need to beable to understand the needs of other people and to have a positive attitude to work with an interest in the medical arena.

What are the pluses and minuses of the job?
Medical secretaries are a vital element in healthcare and there are many openings for satisfying and worthwhile work in hospitals, general practice and other medical environments. The opening of the new hospital and medical school has provided exciting opportunities for career development. However, the work can be pressured at times and a certain amount of understanding and tolerance is required when working with people.

What opportunities exist for career progression?
Many medical secretaries progress to become personal secretaries to consultants and general practitioners or some go into management and administrative roles such as practice managers. It is also possible to pursue a career in nursing or go on to higher education and study for degrees in health related subjects.

What can I expect to earn?
Starting salaries are £11,500 as a support secretary at grade III and after some experience you can progress to grade IV with a top salary of £16,000. Salaries are higher in London and career progression will enable you to earn more.

Any hints on getting a job in this area?
Check local newspapers for advertisements and some employment agencies have details of vacancies both locally and in London. For details on the AMSPAR Diploma at City College contact Diane Evans on Norwich (01603) 773199 or contact the Business School at the college for an application form on Norwich (01603) 773193. City College has very close links with local employers.