What is Medical Writing?

Medical writing is the ever-growing genre of content writing and it involves writing scientific documents of different types like research-related documents, disease related educational and promotional literature, drug related literature, and publication articles of various kinds like journal manuscripts and abstracts, content for healthcare websites, health-related magazines or news articles.

Who are Medical Writers?

Medical Writers are those content writers who are adept in understanding the medical concepts and terminology, have knowledge of relevant guidelines as regards the structure and contents of specific documents, and last but not the least, good writing skills.

Scope of Medical Writing in India

For professional writers in India, the medical writing course has come up as the most lucrative field as there is a huge demand for individuals who possess marketable skills in the relevant field.  Due to lower costs and good infrastructure equivalents that meet the required standards, India has come out as a preferred destination for international outsourcing of medical writing.

Who Hires Medical Writers?

The biggest demand of medical writers comes from the pharmaceutical companies as right from the preclinical testing of drugs to clinical trials, drug approval and post marketing stage, they are required to prepare clinical and preclinical dossiers. Then they have to submit it to the regulatory agencies for their review and approval to get an approval of a drug to market. Apart from these, medical institutions and research organizations hire medical writers in great numbers and not to forget, in the age of the internet there are numerous websites who need to publish contents related to the medical field.

• Pharmaceutical / Healthcare Product / Medical Device Companies
• Contract Research Organizations / Business Process Outsourcing Companies
• Media and Publishing Companies / Medical Journals /Academic, Medical Institutions / Medical, Scientific Societies
• Healthcare Websites

Different Types of Medical Writing

• Newspaper & magazine articles for the general public and laymen  
• Textbooks, slide decks, e-learning modules for Physicians
• Promotional literature, product monographs, brochures, handouts targeted at healthcare professionals
• Internet content for consumers (patients)
• Salesforce training manuals, e-learning modules
• Research articles, case reports, review articles
• Research Documents- Clinical trial protocols, Investigator’s Brochure, Study reports, Research proposals
• Regulatory Documents- Clinical study reports, web synopses, Subject narratives Regulatory submission documents

As each of the above mentioned types of medical writing is meant for a distinct set of target audience, hence, a medical writer must cater to the level of understanding of the respective audience and subsequently, the language used and the level of technical information has to be appropriate.  

“To be successful in medical writing, one must have the knowledge and skills required for writing different types of medical documents.”

6 Essential Skills for Medical Writers

As the salaries and compensation is much higher than other genres of content writing, more and more writers are inclined towards medical writing but they need to have the required skills. Companies generally prefer hiring a medical writer who is experienced, multifaceted, well-versed with the pharma industry, and can adhere to stiff deadlines. If you are looking to become a medical writer, you must develop these skills before applying anywhere.

#1. In-depth knowledge of life sciences and medical field

#2. Highly developed analytical skills

#3. Understanding of basics of journalism 

#4. Good command over language

#5. Consistently deliver high-quality work

#6. Ensure highest degree of accuracy 

The job of a medical writer is not a child’s play, it’s serious business as he is expected to remain accountable for each and every fact presented in the work, irrespective of the format in which it is presented.

“To make a profitable career as a medical writer, a formal training from a reputed service provider is quintessential, as it adds vital credentials to a medical writer’s profile.”

Become a Medical Writer with the Institute of Healthcare & Medical Coding by Henry Harvin.

Indeed, the Institute of Healthcare & Medical Coding (IHIMC) by Henry Harvin offer a  Medical Writing Course that is a leading professional certification (CMW) formulated to shape scientific fundamentals into formal and much more creatively structured medical documentation.

This Medical Writing Course targets those who are interested in working the pharmaceutical, healthcare and scientific research industries. Here is the information formatted as a blog:

Course Overview

It includes the creation of clinical, regulatory and educational documents for healthcare audiences. It trains participants in the specialised skills required to write everything from drug trial reports to medical news articles.

• Interactive Live Online Sessions: 24 hours of instructor-led interactive sessions + 8 hours of live doubt-clearing sessions + 192 hours of self-paced learning.
• Format: Online / Virtual Classroom.
• Rank: #1 Industry Training Provider —Thrive360.

The 10-in-1 Professional Framework

Like their other flagship programs, this course operates on the “10-in-1” model:

1. Training: 24 hours of intense, interactive live training.
2. Projects: 3 Capstone Projects (Clinical Study Reports, Patient Info Leaflets, etc.)
3. Internship: Support to learn about writing in the field.
4. Accreditation: Earn the prestigious Certified Medical Writer (CMW) honors.
5. 1-Year Placement: 100% placement assistance for after completion.
6. E-Learning: All recorded videos, case studies, and a huge resource library.
7. Masterclasses: 52+ Masterclass sessions to build your career & soft skills.
8. Hackathons:#AskIHIMC Hackathons and competitions Access for free
9. United States — Gold Membership to the Medical Academy for 1 year
10. Skill improvements: Interview prep, resume writing & business communication training.

Career Scope and Roles

Upon graduation, students can pursue numerous career options across the Global Healthcare Ecosystem:

• Regulatory Medical Writer: Writing up documents for Government Approval (FDA, EMA)
• Scientific Writer: Writing in peer-reviewed journals and academic publications.)
• Science Journalism: Freelancing for science, health and medical magazines.
• Medico-Marketing Writer — Creating brochures and educational materials for pharma brands.
• Pharmacovigilance Writer: Reports on drug safety and side effects

Other Courses offered by IHIMC

1. Post Graduate Program in Medical Coding
2. Medical Coding Course
3. Pharmacovigilance Course
4. Documentation Expert Inpatient (CDEI)
5. Medical Scribing Course

Recommended Reads:

• Top 40 Medical Writer Interview Questions 2022
• Top 30 Medical Coding Interview Questions
• Top 10 Medical Coding Courses in India
• Medical Coding Course Details
• Top 10 Medical Coding Training Courses in Chennai