What to expect in a first medical writing job
A first medical-writing job involves coordination as well as drafting, continued learning and support through unfamiliar projects. Early posts can build confidence, medical vocabulary and an understanding of the kinds of work a writer enjoys.
Coordination and other non-writing work
One medical-writing director recalled in 2010 being surprised on entering the field by how much time went to planning, research, communication with colleagues and assembling documentation; some days seemed to contain very little writing.
Learning and confidence
One writer described starting with some specific knowledge and confidence in his writing, then recognising how much remained to learn and improve. After a few years, he found a tentative balance between what he knew and increasing confidence in writing about it.
A former newspaper reporter moved from editing a medical school's alumni journal to an author's-editor role at a large clinic, where she learned from her manager and developed and taught medical-writing classes for physicians. Working with physicians across specialisms required a broad medical vocabulary that she regarded as useful throughout a writing career. That early role also helped her discover an interest in teaching, which she later pursued through association workshops.
Support for first projects
New writers should seek a coach and a mentor, with a coach helping them through their first projects. In one writing department in 2008, new writers were generally assigned a coach. Recommended learning resources included relevant AMWA and employer workshops, books and employer-recommended live training.