This article is co-authored by Sarah and Irena Ivanova, a member of Sarah’s coaching group for medical writers.

Have you come across a profession called medical writing? Despite being a brilliant career option for those with a scientific or medical background, medical writing is still somewhat of a mystery to many people. I’m Irena Ivanova, and as someone who is looking for their next career move, I decided to use my detective skills to find out more.

So, on a dark March morning I set out to ask Sarah Nelson of Green Pen Solutions Ltd a few questions, in the hope that her insight might help me solve this mystery…

What is medical writing and what do medical writers do?

Medical writers work in the pharmaceutical industry, often on behalf of pharmaceutical/biotech companies, as well as with other organisations in the private, public and charity sectors. They communicate complex scientific information about new healthcare products to various audiences, such as healthcare professionals and patients.

When pharmaceutical companies develop a new therapy for health conditions, they must communicate the product data to the stakeholders who will be involved in using it – regulatory authorities, healthcare professionals who will prescribe the product, patient representatives, and more. Pharmaceutical companies often partner with specialist medical communications (med comms) agencies to design effective communications.  The people who write these communications are the medical writers.

However, medical writing is much more complex than just writing about science. A plethora of skills, knowledge and abilities is required to become a successful medical writer. Sarah has created a comprehensive framework called ‘The 5 Pillars of Medical Writing’ that covers every facet of the medical writing role.

Where do medical writers work?

Medical writers work in a wide variety of settings, from pharmaceutical companies to medical communication agencies, and from contract research organisations to academic institutions. There is also an opportunity for freelance work.

Sarah has worked in med comms agencies, directly with clients in the medical affairs department of a pharmaceutical company, for a university research group, and as the author of articles for patient charities. It is the broad spectrum of projects from different clients that makes medical writing such a fascinating profession.

What qualifications/courses are needed to become a medical writer and how can one obtain them?

 There is no formal route or qualification that secures entry into the medical writing profession. Organisations such as the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA) and the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) provide excellent educational resources. However, these trainings are not designed to provide candidates with entry-level employment. Most training for medical writers is offered only after they are already employed.

Medical writers come from different backgrounds: PhD (most), MSc or other degrees. Any route that leads to understanding and communicating of complex medical information is acceptable.

More significant than qualifications is the ability to demonstrate a core set of skills and knowledge. These are assessed in a medical writing test, which aspiring medical writers are asked to complete during the job application process. Sarah urged me to find out more about it, but that mystery is for another day.

How can one become a medical writer without prior experience?

 A quick investigation reveals that there are plenty of job openings for medical writers, but most of them require the writer to have previous writing experience. How do I solve the conundrum of getting experience without having any prior experience?!

Sarah confirms my suspicion, that getting your foot in the door is one of the greatest challenges to overcome in a medical writing career. Her advice is:

• Talk to as many professionals in the field as you can to find out more.
• Network – at special events or via different social media platforms.
• Find any opportunities for internships, graduate training schemes or voluntary projects.

Sarah has launched a number of resources designed to help aspiring medical writers solve this very problem. These offer advice about how to prepare for interviews, how to approach the medical writing test and even how to create a portfolio of writing skills. Sarah also runs a coaching group – a collaborative environment for members to give and receive advice and support, alongside Sarah’s valuable coaching. In addition, group members are offered opportunities for immersing themselves in real projects, such as conducting interviews with experts, writing articles and other content.

Finally, medical writing is a mystery no more! I thanked Sarah for revealing the truth and set out to explore how I might get involved.

If you want to know more about the intricacies of medical writing, get in touch with Sarah Nelson, medical writer, coach and mentor, with vast experience in helping aspiring medical writers, at:  https://greenpensolutions.com/