Medical Writers

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Hello...anyone out there working as a medical writer for Gould and Lamb? If so, how do you like it? I'm recently hired as one and interested in your comments. Thanks!

REally? I thought my post gave a good indication of a part of medical writing.

Yes, it was a good summary/overview, but I really need details. What does a person need to do to get started?

I'm ready to get started.

Wikipedia gave a pretty good description but I feel like if I could see some samples it would help a lot.

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Yes, it was a good summary/overview, but I really need details. What does a person need to do to get started?

I'm ready to get started.

Wikipedia gave a pretty good description but I feel like if I could see some samples it would help a lot.

The text books you read in nursing school are an example of this type of work. I may have the opportunity to edit a nursing text book at the end of the year (fingers crossed). The CME activities you participate in, the patient education you hand out, the pharmacy pamphlets, the product monographs, are all examples.

To see samples of what I do, check out my profile to see my blog. On my blog, there's a link to my professional website and there you'll see a lot of stuff.

Hope that helps!

Edited to add: all you really need to do is some hunting around. Type medical writing into google and you'll get a lot of hits. One I saw right away was http://content.monster.com/articles/3472/17499/1/default.aspx

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Specializes in Freelance Writer, 'the nurse who knows content'.

And let's not forget the most important credential: you have to be a GREAT writer! ;)

Semisweetchick --> writer turned nurse (almost)

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Hmmm... This is an interesting thread. I've never thought about MW as a career path before. It may have been something I would have been interested in pursuing back when I was young -- but I think it is a little late for me to switch careers now. I have a cousin who married a prominent medical illustrator: she does drawings etc. for health care texts, but I never thought about specializing in the writing as a career.

llg -- who has just spent the last 3 days at a conference for nurses on writing for publication. What a coincidence in timing!

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And let's not forget the most important credential: you have to be a GREAT writer! ;)

Semisweetchick --> writer turned nurse (almost)

Good point. You can't be a medical writer if you can't write - and writing well isn't as easy as it seems. I was very lucky and have always had a way with language. When I was in high school, I was the one who loved essay exams because if I didn't really know the answer, I could probably write circles around the teacher to the point that he or she didn't know if I answered the question or not. :idea:

When I was deciding what I wanted to do for my living, writing wasn't really an option. Luckily now, at 46 years old, I've been able to use my extensive nursing background and make it my foundation for my new career. People notice the difference in me. I'm a lot happier, I'm less stressed and I'm enjoying life so much more. It's so great to finally find what it is you were meant to do.

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Specializes in Cardiac Surg, IR, Peds ICU, Emergency.

And what's this talk about "ethically challenging?" Is this a nice way of saying you will be expected to make up a bunch of lies to make the company sound good?

I still don't know exactly what medical writing encompasses, except I imagine long hours with your face pressed against a computer screen, but doing exactly what? Is there a sample of a medical writer's work we can look at?

Since I prefer paperwork to patient care this sounds like something I would like to know more about. But I need to know where to get started. I'm not looking to make the big bucks, I just need a job. I know a lot of people hear work from home and think this is the answer to their prayers, but I imagine it is pretty taxing work. I'm ready to take it on, though, if I can just find out how to get a foothold.

Where does a person start?

The benefit of the forum is the opportunity for continued discussion when additional information is required. Questions are encouraged.

Ethics; there is no doubt an employer that would not be disturbed if one of their writers 'bent the truth' a bit to stack the info in their favor. Less generally, however, I was referring to circumstances where a writer might be influenced to EXCLUDE a bit of info that might be undesirable to the employer; not necessarily a lie, but also not necessarily the whole picture. There also might be issues regarding language and format; it's more than just about complete and technically accurate sentences, paragraphs, and visuals.

Medical Writers often do spend long hours in front of the screen. For a sample of medical writing, pull out the insert in your next Tylenol purchase, review a Clinical Trial presentation, or take an on-line Con-Ed course. Even the CT scanner in your hospital has a manual, written by medical writers.

Several ways to get started; get a degree or take a training course on Medical Writing, or get an advanced degree (i.e. a clinical MSN, or biology, chemistry, statistics). Join the American Medical Writers Assoc. (requires some conditions to apply, i.e. currently working as a MW, or a student in MW. Get a certification (ELS). Build a writing portfolio.

This is not necessarily easy work; you can't just go to Wikipedia for references. You need to know how to use advanced databases like Medline and CINHAL, and you have to defend your work. You are entering a highly intellectual field populated with scientists and physicians who lean more academic than some of their clinical peers.

Your local college very likely might have a three-credit class on medical writing, or scientific writing. You might want to try a technical writing class.

Good luck.

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You are entering a highly intellectual field populated with scientists and physicians who lean more academic than some of their clinical peers.

I saw a website advertising medical writing services that said they use MDs and scientists, which leaves me to wonder what a nurse could offer they couldn't? Seems like it would always be better to have articles written by a medical doctor, at least in the public's mind this would be the case.

I have also found some examples of medical writing and I can tell some of the articles are more well-written than others.

Think I'll fax my application to Gould & Lamb and see if they will let me give it a whirl.

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