A medical writer is a lot of things. The term “medical letter” encompasses many types of compositions for clients in the media, governments and industry. Pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and clinical research organizations use reporters to prepare regulatory documents used to obtain US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for medicines and devices. These specialists help doctors and scientists to develop and format scientific articles, monographs and reviews on medical topics. Continuing Medical Education (CME) companies use medical writers to produce educational materials and slide kits that health professionals use to prepare license renewal and certification. Those who make this type of writing designs, manuals and training materials, brochures and booklets, press releases for industry, fact sheets or website materials for government organizations. Health informers also write about research discoveries for medical journals, websites, newsletters, magazines, newspapers, and any other media that cover medical and medical issues. Many use these professionals to write their products for marketing purposes.
Scientists and practitioners interested in a career in health information should look for projects outside the circles in which they usually go. The main focus of the medical letter on clarity. Employers are looking for authors who can translate medical research into an accurate but user-friendly language and customize information for audiences that include regulators, medical professionals, investors, or the general public. Medical informants need robust writing skills, attention to actual details and accuracy, as well as the ability to see the relationships between ideas and organize complex information.
The American Medical Writers Association provides several certification programs that teach medical writers the basics of editing and writing, freelance writing and writing for specific markets. Practitioners in this field are divided into two classifications: scientific and non-scientific. Writers in both categories can earn productive lives using their diverse talents and mainly focus on one style or the other. Scientific medical writers have advanced degrees in science, such as biology or medicine. They tend to acquire writing skills as they become medical reporters. Unscientific freelancers are also called marketing medical reporters. They usually write to the general public and apply their medical knowledge to help in the transfer of health-related materials.
