Working with institutional support offices

Institutional support offices help medical writers handle the grant, communication and research-review tasks surrounding a document.

Writers working with physician-scientists and clinical researchers in hospitals or laboratories should get acquainted with support staff, because completing the work is likely to require more than clear prose. ¹

Offices and responsibilities

• Grants and contracts: most organisations have a contact working closely with each division, and larger organisations often have a team. These staff rely on medical writers for research abstracts and progress reports; writers rely on them to ensure grant-supported research complies with each funding agency's rules and policies.
• Public relations: its work often differs substantially from medical writing, but collaboration can benefit both groups. Disseminating research results to targeted audiences or the public may be a shared objective.
• Institutional review board: its information and resources can help writers learn about federal regulations, research design and ethics, and institution-specific policies.

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