We have been discussing non-clinical careers and how to evaluate some of the different areas that Dr. Kim mentions in his primer to non-clinical career options. Having discussed administration and finance, we begin discussion of one of the major options for physicians-medical writing. By it’s nature there are hundreds of books that highlight clinicians that have written elegant books. Perhaps that’s because medicine, at it’s finest, is a mystery novel with twists and turns that no one can predict and whose outcome is not guaranteed. This is also why House MD is such a popular show to a wide audience. Each patient is a story and the genres range from comedy to drama to horror with every story is based in fact.
This is perhaps the most difficult topic to find books that would help determine your interest in the field. I have read many a fine book written by physicians (Dr. Gawande’s comes to mind quickly). And although there are good books written by docs, I haven’t found one that goes through the process of creating that tome. Having tried once, and quite poorly at that, to write a chapter, it is quite difficult and can quickly have you pulling your hair out trying to craft out the correct phrase. Here are some books that I thought show the gamut of writing quality.
On one side we have Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman
White Coat, Black Hat: Adventures on the Dark Side of Medicine
My Own Country: A Doctor's Story
One of the great things about medical writing is that you can do it anytime. Pen and paper is all you need and you can start out small, writing on your own blog or submitting articles to a local paper or small magazine. The tools you need you have already, all it takes is a bit of that elusive free time.
About the author
Mehul Sheth is a Board Certified Pediatrician who works for Allscripts, a leading Health IT company. He has designed and delivered social media strategies for varied medical organizations. He is also an award-winning clinical teacher and holds positions for both local and national AAP committees as well as a career coach. He loves spending his free time with his wife and three kids.
No comments:
Post a Comment