The journey to becoming a medical writer isn’t an easy one. You need to be proficient in many areas and understand what different types of niches you’d like to write in. The pay is great, but to become a successful medical writer, you have to be able to play the game if you want a cut of the large pie that’s out there for medical writers.
Continue reading below for useful information about this career field so that you can try to become a successful medical writer.
Getting into the medical writing field is not easy
Most people don’t understand how difficult it is to break into the medical writing field. They have no idea that a master’s degree or doctorate may not guarantee you a job interview. How do I know? Because I spent four years of my life trying to become a medical writer with my PhD, and it’s a good thing I never gave up because now I write and train others to do the same.
Being a medical writer will demand creativity, persistence, dedication and attention to detail. This can be a rewarding and challenging career for those who are willing to learn the skills. To become a successful medical writer, you need to have extensive knowledge of your therapeutic areas, as well as proofreading and editing skills.
The first step is doing your research
There are a few different paths you can take when it comes to writing for the medical industry. Some writers work directly with public relations firms and get paid for their work, some freelance for multiple companies, and some write content as a side hustle to support a full-time job or another career. Regardless of how you plan on making money, there are a few things you need to learn in order to become a successful medical writer.
If you want to become a successful medical writer, you have to do your research. Learn how others in your industry have built their services and brands. What techniques have they used? Where can you find these resources? And don’t be afraid to ask those questions, either. The medical writing industry is rather small and tight-knit, so there’s a good chance someone will be able to tell you exactly what you need to know.
Researching the Medical Writing Industry is an important step in the process. It shows that you are serious about becoming a competitive medical writer and will help you gain credibility.
You need to build up your portfolio
Building a body of work is important because prospects don’t just hire you for your ability to write, they also need your credentials.
Because medical writing can be a very lucrative career, you will have no trouble finding work if you can get your foot in the door. Your first few jobs are very important to set up your future successes. That’s why, before you can start medical writing, you need to think strategically about how you’ll build up your portfolio once you get in.
At the beginning, be willing to accept jobs even if they do not meet your expectations, just so you can start building your portfolio and experience. This way, you’ll progress rapidly.
Make sure you have a niche
In the world of medical writing, there are many ways to go about finding your niche. You can be a generalist, writing anything and everything you are asked, or you can be specialised, writing only within a narrow niche. Whichever direction you go in, there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
One of the first steps to becoming a successful medical writer is to find your niche. This might not make sense at first, but hear me out. If you specialise in one area, you are going to stand out from the crowd. A lot of writers focus on trying to write for all areas, but this makes it difficult for you to achieve success. Why? Because medical writing is like the medical practice. While people may be willing to pay a heart surgeon at a premium, the same cannot be said about general practitioners.
This is why you should specialise as soon as possible. By all means, start out as a generalist to explore areas you like. Then, start focusing on a few areas until you accumulate a huge body of work in that area. You will become the go-to person for your company or clients.
Find a mentor who works in the medical writing field
Finding a mentor who works in the medical writing field can mean the difference between success and failure when it comes to learning this industry. There are many people who are willing to share their knowledge, experience and connections.
Make connections with individuals and groups, they will be an invaluable asset to your success. They can give you the inside scoop on how it really works and what you’re getting yourself into. They will guide you through your writing experience and help you on your journey toward success.
Join a medical writers association
Becoming a successful medical writer is all about networking. Most Medical Writing Jobs can be found by joining a Medical Writers Association while others are available through medical writing recruiters. Joining either one could increase your chances of getting your first position.
There are several other benefits to joining a medical writers’ association. You can make connections with your peers. Read industry magazines and blogs. Write for blogs. Know who your audience is so you can speak directly to that audience. Participate in charity events, fund-raisers, and volunteerism. Practice the art of writing for the Web and for print publications. Network with people not only in your country but also globally.
Create three-to-five-year plan
As a medical writer, you want to live the life of your dreams, working from home and travelling the world. You want to be successful, and make a good living while doing it. But you might feel like it’s easier said than done. The truth is, it takes hard work to reach your goals, but it is possible with enough dedication.
Start by creating a three-to-five-year plan for your career. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginning or an experienced medical writer; creating a plan is important for your professional growth and overall satisfaction in your work life. Your career plan should have three to five goals or outcomes with the time frame they will be accomplished.
Take courses in business and technical writing
It’s been said that business and technical writing are like the bread of a medical writer. Medical writing is one of the most highly technical writing because it requires an understanding of medical terminology and drug development. On top of this, medical writers also have to keep up-to-date with new medical discoveries related to their field.
Therefore, to beat the competition, you will need to continuously grow your skills. This is the golden path to becoming a successful medical writer as quickly as possible.
Start your own blog and write regularly
They say practice makes perfect. Writing on a regular basis is an essential habit for success in your medical writing career as well as your personal life.
Starting your own blog is one of the top ways to get yourself out there and make some connections. At the same time, it’s also one of the best ways to ensure that you not only learn more about medical writing but grow and develop as a medical writer. The key here is consistency — what’s really going to set you apart from other writers is being able to start your own blog and produce content consistently over a pretty substantial amount of time.
Attend conferences and workshops
Attend conferences and workshops to meet others in the field and learn about different types of writing projects. You may wonder if attending conferences, seminars and workshops is really necessary. After all, aren’t you just writing instead of speaking with others who share this career field? Yes, you are. But mingling with other medical writers will not only help you advance professionally but also expand your connections.
Besides, these events will help you grow your knowledge of the industry, which is key in ensuring faster growth.
Conferences, seminars and workshops are held just about everywhere. For many, attending is one of the best ways to stay on top of developments in the medical writing industry while sharing knowledge with other professionals. Attending conferences isn’t enough though, there are other ways to become a successful medical writer including professional expertise, reputation and learning to market yourself.
We recommend conferences such as those organised by EMWA, AMWA or other similar professional bodies.
Focus on quality over quantity
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “quality is better than quantity”. This is very true in many situations, and being a medical writer is one of them. Writing quality content will help you become a better writer and improve your chances of getting repeat business from clients.
Medical writers are frequently told to improve their writing quality. So how do you do this? You don’t write and rewrite everything you can think of. Quality comes from research, and writing with purpose. To become a successful medical writer, you must come up with your own style too and perfect it as much as possible to increase the focus on quality.
Conclusion
This blog lays out a few of the steps necessary to successfully become a medical writer. However, the process may not be as simple as some people make it seem. Don’t just quit your job and expect that you’ll be able to get a job at a great place like WebMD very quickly.
In today’s world of healthcare, information is power. It takes expertise to understand what all this information means, and to take it and turn it into great content for the right audience.
Medical writing can be an exciting and lucrative career but you need to be prepared before you start landing clients or employers. You can be a successful medical writer with the right mindset. You can become a successful medical writer with the right preparation.
You can learn more via our courses.
