Medical Writer: How to Become a Medical Writer

Medical writing is a job that involves writing scientific, educational, and promotional documents tailored to the health care, medical device, or pharmaceutical industry. Medical writers must know how to interpret clinical trials and other medical information to write documents intelligible to their target audience (e.g., regulators, physicians, patients, or the general public).

Additional titles that could have an identical job description to medical writer include medical communicator, technical writer, health care journalist, or health care marketer.

The duties of a medical writer vary depending on what type of medical writing they pursue, but these are some common medical writer responsibilities:

• Communicates complex data to target audiences: Medical writers must use their knowledge of medical terminology and concepts to analyze scientific data and clinical research. Based on the document's intended recipient, the writer then makes sure their writing style targets that audience. For example, a medical writer would use much more technical language when writing a document for a physician than for a patient.
• Ensures documents meet publication standards: The medical writer must follow guidelines relating to structure, content, and format so that their documents abide by the correct regulatory and editorial standards for that type of document.
• Works alongside subject matter experts: Medical writers frequently team up with researchers, scientists, and doctors to determine how to communicate medical information effectively.

If you're considering a job in medical communications, there are several classifications of medical writing jobs that you should know:

1. 1. Educational medical writing: This type of medical writing focuses on documents intended to educate health care professionals and patients on drugs and medical devices. Examples of educational medical content include medical textbooks, medical journals, sales pamphlets for new drugs, and course literature for Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs.
2. 2. Medical journalism: This category consists of magazine and newspaper articles written for the general public. Unlike medical journal articles, which feature more scientific writing, these types of articles ensure that someone without medical knowledge can understand the content.
3. 3. Medical marketing: Medical marketing writers create content to help sell drugs and medical devices. Examples of medical marketing content include sales force training manuals or brochures that patients find in their doctor's office.
4. 4. Regulatory medical writing: Regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) require medical device companies and pharmaceutical companies to create regulatory submission documents to get their products approved. Examples of regulatory documents include clinical study reports, safety and efficacy summaries, subject narratives, and drug package inserts.

There's no set path to landing a medical writing job, but here are some steps you can take to put yourself on the best path to a career in medical communications:

1. 1. Obtain a medical, science, or English degree. Recruiters for medical writers typically look for candidates with a bachelor's degree in a medical or life science field, such as biochemistry. A writing degree in journalism or English is also useful, but you'll still need some work experience in the medical field to go with it. Not all medical writers have an advanced degree, but many do, and getting one will make you a more desirable applicant.
2. 2. Take medical writing courses. There are many online medical courses available that will help you learn the ins and outs of medical writing. One of the most reputable organizations that offer courses is the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). The more writing experience you have, the better, so you can also look for general courses in scientific writing and technical writing as well.
3. 3. Determine your niche. It'd be almost impossible to be knowledgeable in every single aspect of the medical field. Based on your skill set and interests, choose a particular specialization where you think you'll excel the most.
4. 4. Learn the proper terminologies and technical guidelines. Once you land on your niche, educate yourself in the appropriate medical terminology and technical guidelines related to your sector of medical writing. You can find these guidelines on the websites for the appropriate regulatory agencies (like the FDA) or on the website of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH).
5. 5. Get work experience at a medical research organization. Before you apply for medical writing jobs, gain experience in the medical research field. Try looking for entry-level jobs at research organizations or as a lab assistant to build your knowledge base.
6. 6. Assemble a portfolio. Employers want to see examples of your writing before hiring you, so put together a portfolio that demonstrates you can do the job effectively. If you haven't officially published anything before, that's okay. You can always write a sample document that only lives in your portfolio.
7. 7. Join the American Medical Writers Association. Joining AMWA will help you receive your medical writing certifications and also provide you with professional resources that further your career opportunities. If you're in a European country, the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA) serves largely the same purpose.
8. 8. Job hunt using your network. A vast professional network is key to finding consistent work in the medical writing field. Use your AMWA membership to attend meetups and conferences where you can meet hiring companies. Keep in touch with coworkers at previous jobs in the medical industry, and utilize job boards and social media platforms to seek out potential job opportunities.

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