How much can you 'alter' your job title on a CV?

[forwhatyouare]

I know the wording is extremely important with regards to what I can actually do/have experience of.

But how much can you alter your job title?

For example, I'm currently a Medical Secretary but if you look at my job description and skills, you'd think I was a PA in my current role. I work for two consultants but I'm not 'called' a PA.

Could I word my CV as Medical PA or Medical Secretary/PA?

I'm left unsure. Mainly because of references, if they go to my previous manager, they'll ask for a reference for Tracey Thomas, Medical 'PA'.

What if someone comes back and corrects them of my title?

Disclaimer: My name isn't Tracey Thomas. I've just always wanted to be called Tracey 

[OneEpisode]

You have to make it recognisable. You can translate the job title into a more common one, but not invent. So:
Medical Secretary (PA)
would be ok.

[MissConductUS]

Altering the title is a bit chancy, as it's one of the things that prospective employers can verify. I'd focus on the job description blurb to call attention to the skills and responsibilities that qualify you as a PA. And you can talk about all that in an interview.

Tracey is a cool name.

[leghairdontcare]

I've tweaked mine recently but I do think you have to be careful.

My job title is Jam & Marmalade Officer. But the job is 95% jam so on my CV I list Jam Officer.

I think it's also ok to change it if your job title is such that it only makes sense internally. So changing, Sandwich Artist to Sandwich Maker or Restaurant Worker.

I'd be careful about changing medical secretary to PA. You should really be selling your transferable skills.

[MissConductUS]

My job title is Jam & Marmalade Officer. But the job is 95% jam so on my CV I list Jam Officer

Now that's a sweet gig!

[Polarbearflavour]

I took off the medical and just had Secretary on my CV. Some med secs are called med PAs so I would leave off the medical bit. No idea why but it puts non NHS employers off!

[maxelly]

I think Medical Secretary (PA) is perfect. The NHS is a bit old-fashioned in clinging to the use of the word secretary anyway as it seemed to drop out of current usage at least 10 years ago...

The key is you don't want to put one job title down and then when your references come in have them refer to what sounds like a completely different job. But I have in the past definitely 'tweaked' my job titles where the company has given me some weird long winded title full of jargon that doesn't actually explain what I do. I think that's totally acceptable and considerate to whoever's reading your CV who doesn't want to have to resort to a dictionary to work out what your job is...

[MissConductUS]

The NHS is a bit old-fashioned in clinging to the use of the word secretary anyway as it seemed to drop out of current usage at least 10 years ago...

Physician's Assistant is the standard term in the US. I've never heard of a "Medical Secretary".

[PrincessDando]

I've tweaked to reflect an aspect of the role e.g. I was a marmalade officer (Thanks leghair!) working regionally so on CV i put Regional Marmalade Officer. It conveys the autonomous nature of the role better. It's never been a problem.

[FattDamon]

The Band 4s in my department are known as Medical PAs, used to be Medical Secretary, but the new jobs are advertised as Medical PAs.