the medical writing help

the medical writing help

Medical Writing Assistance

1. Introduction to Medical Writing

The field of medical writing is ever-expanding and is generally viewed as a very profitable career by many freelance writers. Due to continuous scientific and technological breakthroughs, medical writing has gained flexibility in terms of working conditions and a good lifestyle. Most of the writers have a science background, and it is quite easy for them to gain access to international organizations such as the International Society for Medical Writing (ISMW) and the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA), where they can take up certified courses which further help them to brush up their skills. These associations work to promote the development of the medical writing field by providing self-regulation and support to the medical writers. A career in medical writing can start straight after post-graduation, where a candidate is appointed as a publication associate or medico marketing writer and then move to higher positions. On the other hand, few professionals from medical and paramedical fields opt to get into this field at a later stage.

Medical writing is a form of communication of clinical as well as scientific information by means of writing scientific documents. It is a specialized field of writing with content that varies from evidence-based scientific data and information to educational, advocacy, and marketing materials. Medical writing is an interdisciplinary field that applies knowledge of both science and skilled writing and is often listed inside the broader category of technical writing.

2. Importance of Medical Writing in Research

Medical writing can take many forms, including clinical trial documentation, content for healthcare websites, health-related magazines or news articles, publications for medical journals, writing health-related video scripts, content for advertising healthcare products and services, and regulatory documents. The people involved in this work might be healthcare professionals, doctors, research scholars, individuals from the clinical field, or from the development or marketing team of a pharmaceutical or healthcare company. The main aim is to communicate the information or the results of a clinical study to the target audience.

Medical writing involves an in-depth analysis of a predefined subject with the intention of providing information, interpretation, or instructing others on how to carry out a specific task. It is an essential part of clinical research, which helps in the development of pharmaceuticals and healthcare services. It is a specialized field of writing with its own set of skills. Though it is related to scientific and medical terminologies, it is more sophisticated than medical writing. It is a very essential skill required for medical professionals to excel in their area of research or career. With the increasing demand for research activities in the field of medical sciences, medical writing has become a widely accepted and practiced profession. It provides an opportunity for researchers or medical professionals to publish their ideas and reach a larger audience. It also provides a large scope to work as a freelance writer or be employed with companies or organizations involved in healthcare services, providing a very rewarding career to the individual.

3. Key Elements of Effective Medical Writing

One of the chief challenges that faces the person who is preparing any document is to express the precise meaning of what he wants to say. This may sound simple but is actually a complex task. The first essential to effective medical writing is good written English. The need for good English is frequently overlooked by the doctor or scientist who has to write, with the result that a translation of his thoughts into a foreign language reveals that his command of English idiom, syntax and grammar is inadequate. In any language, the basic rules of good writing in terms of clarity, conciseness and logical organization, apply, but it is usually easiest to express oneself in one’s native language. It is also the case that in many scientific subjects, English is the outstanding language. Take for example an author who has to write a report on a tropical disease for possible publication in an English language medical journal. His own knowledge of the disease and its management may be substantially greater than his English colleagues, and the use of his findings could avoid duplication of research. But if the report were written in the author’s mother tongue, while the technical content might be understood by various medical workers throughout the world who read that language, that readership is bound to be narrowly limited because medical workers are very slow to learn foreign languages. Written with the use of simple English grammar, this might not be easily understood by an expert in that field who does not speak the author’s language. Medical terminology itself poses great problems to those who have to translate the writing of others.

4. Common Challenges in Medical Writing

There are several reasons for poor quality of medical writing. An obvious reason is that English is a second language for many writers. Others fail to learn the writing skills due to heavier emphasis on logical and critical thinking skills. In addition to writing skills, medical writing requires a great understanding of the target audience and the subject. Failure to understand the subject often results in technical errors. A recent experience of a colleague is a great example. He was unaware of the bioavailability of a certain drug and this resulted in improper use of the word in a manuscript. At the same time, knowledge of medical terminology can also affect the ease of understanding of medical writing. Using complex medical terminology can sometimes confuse the audience. High search costs can lead the audience to abandon the reading.

Medical writing is a scientific art, which requires a unique set of skills. This is because medical writing has to convey medical information in a clear, concise manner such that the information is useful to the target audience. Medical writing also needs to excel at the writing fundamentals. However, poor quality writing is still considered a major reason for rejection.

The process of writing and publishing an article in a medical journal is an extremely painstaking and difficult task. With the objective of publishing research data, the task becomes even more arduous when the writer is not aware of the common pitfalls in medical writing. This paper attempts to discuss such challenges faced by researchers and offers specific solutions.

5. How to Improve Your Medical Writing Skills

Increase your awareness of your own writing process and provide ways to improve your writing of papers, reports, and grant applications. Learn about medical writing and its different types, understand how to prepare a medical manuscript, use and research the literature, and assess and improve your own writing. Interestingly, medical writing improves with a solid understanding of the publication process and ethics. Future articles will address the internal workings of journals, how to respond to editors’ requests for statistical revision, and the complicated yet vital task of maintaining authorship integrity. Steps to place your foot efficiently in the publication door, get an early acceptance of abstracts and case reports, improve your medical writing, and ensure a successful research to publication career. Adhering to appropriate authorship issues, then deciding when to engage a professional medical writer, are important considerations as you progress in your medical writing endeavors.