This article was co-authored by Meredith Walters, MBA. Meredith Walters is a Certified Career Coach who helps people develop the skills they need to find meaningful, fulfilling work. Meredith has over eight years of career and life coaching experience, including conducting training at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business and the US Peace Corps. She is a former Member of the Board of Directors of ICF-Georgia. She earned her coaching credentials from New Ventures West and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 91,339 times.
Medical writing is a relatively new yet growing field. A medical communicator is someone who writes, edits, or communicates about topics relevant to medicine and health. Pharmaceutical companies and government agencies need effective medical writers to convey information in a direct yet highly specialized manner. If you are considering medical writing as a profession, you should be aware that it can take a long time to obtain the necessary degrees, certifications, and experience necessary to succeed. It's doable, though, and highly rewarding if you enjoy the work!
Steps
Obtaining the Necessary Education
Get a bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific field. Medical writing requires a highly specialized skill set. Most employers are looking for candidates with degrees in life sciences or a related field, like statistics. While a bachelor’s degree might be good start, you will need to consider if you have the time and money to invest in a higher degree.[1]
Obtain a Master’s or PhD in the life sciences. About 72% of medical writers have been through some sort of graduate school.[2] Even if you have the time and finances to get a doctorate, you might need further specialization.
Pursue further specialization. Certain schools offer highly focused post-doctoral degrees in medical writing, such as the University of North Carolina’s postdoc in medical publications.[3]- If you are relevantly unexperienced, and want to get a window into the field at no cost to you, consider Stanford University’s open online course “Writing in the Sciences.”[4]
Advertisement
Building the Right Skills
Obtain certification from the American Medical Writers Association. Becoming a medical writer usually requires certification by the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). In order get certified, you will need to have at least two years of experience in the field of medical communications.[5] You will also need to take an examination, the Medical Writing Certification Examination.[6] You may also choose to enroll in the AMWA Essential Skills (ES) certificate program, which can range anywhere from $975 up to $1,275.[7]- AMWA’s website offers a number of resources to help you prepare for the exam, such as the Medical Writing Certification Examination Content Outline.
Become specialized in a niche medical field. As a medical writer you will most likely be writing for a highly specialized field. A number of employers will require you to focus on a specific area of knowledge. Others, like academic journals, will expect you to have both general knowledge in the life sciences, and a more specific set of skills, such as writing for physicians specializing in psychiatry or pediatrics.[8]
Know your medical protocols and guidelines. You will have to be knowledgeable of the guidelines, protocols, and styles particular to highly specialized fields. In fact, you will need to master a lot of medical terminology and to become acquainted with a variety of guidelines.[9]- For instance, if you are working for a pharmaceutical company, you will have to follow guidelines set out by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
Know your software and medical technologies. Medical writers need to be technologically savvy. You will need to familiarize yourself with software like Microsoft Word, in particular with using the program for making charts, graphs, and other specialized features.[10] You will also need to perfect your research skills, since you will be looking for information and articles across a number of highly specialized online databases.Advertisement
Finding Jobs
Get relevant work experience in a medical field. Before you can become a professional medical writer you will need to have relevant work experience. As such, it is a great idea to get a job as a laboratory assistant or medical researcher before you transition to the medical writing profession. [11]
Build a great resume and cover letter geared towards medical writing jobs. Getting relevant work experience in a medical or scientific field will help you strengthen your resume as you transition into the medical writing profession. More importantly, you should write a strong cover letter when you apply for a job. Employers spend a long time writing job advertisements in order to look for qualified individuals, and you should do the same. Your cover letter should not only highlight your skills, but also relate those skills to the specific job posting for which you are applying.[12]- Use examples in your cover letter to showcase your strengths and skills.
Become a member of American Medical Writers Association. A great way to look for a job is to become a member of American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). As the premier guild of medical writers, they offer a comprehensive website filled with job postings and career opportunities. [13]
Use networking in the American Medical Writers Association to find a job. The American Medical Writers Association or AMWA is not only useful for getting certified and looking for a job, but more importantly they offer unique opportunities for networking. Their annual gatherings and conferences provide unique opportunities for networking with companies looking for medical writers, and provide the perfect opportunity for aspiring medical writers.[14]- Talk to friends and other colleagues in your network to see if they know of any open positions as well.
Advertisement
Medical Writing Resume and Sample Piece
Community Q&A
- QuestionIs it required to complete a master's program for the necessary training?
Wanjiru Susanna J DodgsonCommunity AnswerNo. The only requirements are that you understand what you are writing about, and that you can write and edit and land contracts. - QuestionI have an English degree and some experience as an editor and proofreader. I took a course in Pharmacy Technician certification, but have not passed the test yet. I am interested in becoming a medical writer. After acquiring some experience in retail, I am aiming for clinical trials. How do I go about this?Wanjiru Susanna J DodgsonCommunity AnswerFind a certificate course in an institute or organization that works with you towards getting jobs or contracts as a medical writer.
- QuestionHow do I set up my own medical writing business?Wanjiru Susanna J DodgsonCommunity AnswerFirst, make sure you can be hired as a medical writer by completing a certificate course at an organization or institute that offers one. Second, set up a business according to the laws in your state and your country. Third, market yourself.
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about becoming a medical writer, check out our in-depth interview with Meredith Walters, MBA.
References
- ↑ https://biotechinkspots.com/mw-career-issues/in-a-nutshell-how-to-get-into-medical-writing/
- ↑ https://www.aspet.org/aspet/news/news/2015/12/15/The-Medical-Writing-Career-Path
- ↑ https://www.science.org/content/article/careers-medical-writing-medical-writing-right-you
- ↑ https://www.aspet.org/aspet/news/news/2015/12/15/The-Medical-Writing-Career-Path
- ↑ https://www.amwa.org/page/MWC
- ↑ https://www.amwa.org/page/MWC_Prepare
- ↑ https://www.amwa.org/store/ViewProduct.aspx?id=6971379
- ↑ https://money.cnn.com/2004/09/08/pf/sixfigs_seven/
- ↑ http://www.ich.org/home.html
- ↑ https://biotechinkspots.com/2012/08/09/what-it-takes-to-be-a-medical-writer//
- ↑ https://biotechinkspots.com/2012/08/09/what-it-takes-to-be-a-medical-writer/
- ↑ http://www.jobhero.com/medical-writer-cover-letter/#
- ↑ https://www.amwa.org/page/amwa_networking
- ↑ https://biotechinkspots.com/mw-career-issues/in-a-nutshell-how-to-get-into-medical-writing/
About this article
Medical writers write or edit material that's relevant to medicine or health. If you want to be a medical writer, get a bachelor’s degree in a scientific or related field, like statistics. Many medical writers also have an advanced degree, so get your Master’s or Ph.D. in the life sciences to be a competitive candidate. In addition to your degrees, you’ll also need to get certified by the American Medical Writers Association, which requires an examination. You’ll also need 2 years of work experience that's related to the medical field, like being a lab assistant or medical researcher. To learn how to write a resume to get a job as a medical writer, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
"I was looking for something about being a medical writer, and after reading this article, some of my concepts are clear. If I know how to write, I can get to it with medical terminology."..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
