Medical Secretary CV example

You’re often the quiet linchpin holding an entire department together. From fielding patient calls to typing up sensitive documents, you keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

This guide will walk you through the exact formatting and content needed to write a CV that ticks all the right boxes for hiring managers.

Just like in a medical environment, things need to be in the right place at the right time – you should structure your CV with that in mind. Employers don’t have time to dig through unstructured documents, so a clean, consistent layout will always work in your favour.

Here’s how it should be laid out:

• Name and contact details – Place your name and personal details prominently at the top of your CV for quick access. Adding a photo is up to you.
• Profile – Open with a compelling overview of your skills, experience, and career goals.
• Core skills – List your key abilities in this section, focusing on those that will be most relevant to the job.
• Work experience – Provide a detailed breakdown of your work history, starting with the most recent job first.
• Education – List your qualifications, including degrees and relevant certifications, in reverse chronological order.
• Additional info – Use this optional space for relevant hobbies or personal pursuits that enhance your application.
  

Use a professional and easy-to-read font, and break up longer sections with bullet points. Keep everything to a maximum length of two pages, and make sure your headings clearly mark each section. White space helps – don’t be afraid to leave some breathing room. And remember: the cleaner the format, the more capable it will appear.

Your CV profile should be sharp and tailored to the roles you’re applying for. It’s your opportunity to show that you can juggle admin tasks while remaining calm and professional in a clinical setting – whether you’re dealing with patients or their confidential records.

This section should focus on the value you’d bring to a healthcare team, rather than listing generic traits. Keep it direct and reflective of the real work you’ve done: you’ve only got a few sentences to convince recruiters that you’re worth hiring,.

Include the following:

• Where you worked – Mention the healthcare environments you’ve worked in, such as GP practices, NHS hospitals, or private clinics.
• Your top qualifications – State if you hold any certifications in medical admin, healthcare support, or audio typing.
• Essential skills – Emphasise your ability to manage complex admin tasks, uphold confidentiality, and communicate effectively with both patients and clinical staff.
• The people you supported – Explain whether you worked for specific consultants, GPs, or administrative teams.
• Value delivered – Highlight your impact: whether that’s reducing appointment delays, improving admin turnaround times, or supporting smoother patient pathways.
  

A core CV skills section gives hiring managers a quick scan of your most relevant strengths – especially useful if they’re working through dozens of applications. Make sure everything you include aligns with the duties listed in the job description.

Focus on practical, tangible abilities that match the realities of medical secretarial work – from managing confidential data to preparing correspondence or supporting patient-facing roles. Avoid vague buzzwords and concentrate on the skills that truly matter in clinical admin roles.

This is the most important section of your CV – it’s where you prove you can handle the pressures and expectations of medical administration. Your goal here is to show how you’ve supported healthcare delivery through solid organisation and attention to detail.

Detail your work experience in reverse chronological order. Start with a short summary of each job and its setting, then break your tasks and results into bullet points. Include responsibilities like managing records, scheduling procedures, and typing letters, as well as any improvements you made to workflow or communication, including other noteworthy achievements.

• Outline – Summarise the department, practice, or medical setting you worked in, and explain your place in the team.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “coordinated” and “processed.” For example: “coordinated daily outpatient clinic lists for two consultants” or “processed incoming referrals and updated electronic records.”
• Achievements – Add value wherever possible. If you improved a system, reduced delays, or received praise from patients or staff, include that – even if it’s informal feedback.

While formal education plays a supporting role in admin-heavy roles like this, it still matters – especially if you’ve completed a qualification specific to medical or legal administration.

List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. If you’ve taken courses in audio typing, medical terminology, or NHS systems, mention them clearly. No need to list every module, but ensure the relevance is obvious.