JAMA Medical Student Elective in Medical Editing

Medical students:

JAMA offers a 4-week elective in medical editing to third- and fourth-year US medical students. The elective is full-time and must be taken for academic credit. For information and an application, you can send an e-mail to: jamams@jamanetwork.org

Graduate Program in Science Journalism at Boston University

Want to be a science journalist? Boston University offers Graduate Program in Science Journalism. This program is dedicated to improving the understanding of science, medicine and technology worldwide.


A career in science and medical journalism offers a rewarding opportunity to explore and investigate any number of critical contemporary concerns—from medical and environmental policy to culture clashes and matters of social justice. BU’s one-year Master’s in Science Journalism program is run by internationally known journalists, every one an active and highly regarded expert in the field.

Learn more about this program here.

ACRP articles on research careers for physicians working in industry

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) has several interesting articles in the April issue of the Monitor.

You can read the article by opening the link here and then skipping to page 21 where you will find an article written by Jonathan P. Gertler, MD titled, "Pathways, Strategies, and Contributions for MDs in Industry."

On page 25, you'll find an article titled, "A Close Look at Medical Writing."

You can also read the Sept 2011 issue of the Monitor that is focused on Careers in Clinical Research.

On Forbes: "A Defense of Professional Medical Writers"

You don't usually find articles about medical writers on Forbes. However, this one caught my attention because it was titled, "A Defense of Professional Medical Writers" and it ended up being a guest post written by Karen Woolley on behalf of the Global Alliance of Publication Professionals. Now the big question: Why?

Why did Karen write this post and publish it on Forbes? She was responding to a blog post written by Dr. Tom Yates on industry sponsored editorial assistance. You'll have to read all the articles to get the full picture.

Job Posting: Senior Medical Editor

Senior Medical Editor
M3-USA
Washington , DC 20036

Reports to: Director of Professional Services

Based at: Washington DC

Job summary:
Ensure the publication of MDLinx website and newsletters according to daily schedule and quality guidelines. Plan and manage editorial activities relating to the review and creation of peer-reviewed journal article summaries, and learning activities, across multiple medical specialties. Manage international editorial staff.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

1. Guide editorial team and medical writers to select and develop content for clinical practitioner audience.
2. Review article summaries for clinical relevance and accuracy
3. Manage and monitor work flow from editorial team
4. Maintain and develop journal database
5. Support communication with members
6. Track article statistics and provide insight into member activity
7. Provide medical knowledge support to sales, marketing and market research teams as needed
8. Additional responsibilities as assigned

Featured Physician Executive: Barbara Gastel, M.D., M.P.H.

Interested in medical writing? This week, our featured physician executive is Barbara Gastel, M.D., M.P.H.

Barbara Gastel, a physician specializing in biomedical writing and editing, is professor of integrative biosciences, humanities in medicine, and biotechnology at Texas A&M University, where she coordinates the master's degree program in science and technology journalism.

Dr. Gastel earned a BA from Yale and an MD and an MPH from Johns Hopkins. After medical school, she did an American Association for the Advancement of Science mass media fellowship at Newsweek. She then worked in communication and administration at the National Institutes of Health. She also has taught science writing at MIT, and she spent two years as visiting professor of technical communication at Beijing Medical University (now Peking University Health Science Center). Before coming to Texas A&M University in 1989, she was assistant dean for teaching at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.

71st Annual Conference of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)

If you're interested in medical writing, make sure to attend the 71st Annual Conference of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). AMWA is the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. Here's a brief overview of the organization:

• Mission: AMWA's mission is to promote excellence in medical communication and to provide educational resources in support of that goal.
• Membership: More than 5,600 members in the US, Canada, and 30 other countries. Members work for pharmaceutical companies, universities and medical schools, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, journals, and many other businesses and organizations. Many work as freelance writers and editors.
• Organizational Structure: Headquartered in Rockville, MD, AMWA is governed by a board of directors composed of a 13-member executive committee and representatives from its 19 US and Canadian chapters.

Can't attend the annual conference? Look for a local AMWA chapter in your area and get involved.

Learn more about AMWA and the conference here: http://www.amwa.org

Job Posting: Scientific Editor

Scientific Editor
Continuing Education Alliance - Stamford, CT 06902

Continuing Education Alliance, a dynamic and unique medical education company based in Stamford, CT, is searching for a scientific editor with prior medical publishing, medical communications experience. A Master's degree or higher in biologic sciences or healthcare field is required. Candidates should have the ability to analyze and interpret complex clinical data to assist in developing continuing education activities in various formats. This is a diversified position that requires a take-charge, organized, enthusiastic person who can handle multiple assignments and deadlines. Candidates should have experience working with medical faculty as well as assisting in the research and content development for preparation of manuscripts, slides, needs assessments, and online programs in multiple disease states.

American Medical Writers Association's 2011 annual conference

Interested in a medical writing career? Make sure you don't miss the American Medical Writers Association's 2011 annual conference in Jacksonville, FL. Oct 20-22, 2011.

The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), founded in 1940, is the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. The association offers a highly regarded continuing education program, including distance learning and a certificate program; an annual conference featuring prominent speakers, discussion sessions, and workshops; networking opportunities through the annual conference and chapter activities; job services, including Jobs Online and a Freelance Directory; a Web site with comprehensive information, member discount opportunities, and listserves; and the AMWA Journal, an indexed, peer-reviewed publication.

71st Annual Conference of the American Medical Writers Association

Get ready for the 71st Annual Conference of the American Medical Writers Association

Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront

Oct 20-22, 2011

The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), founded in 1940, is the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. The association offers a highly regarded continuing education program, including distance learning and a certificate program; an annual conference featuring prominent speakers, discussion sessions, and workshops; networking opportunities through the annual conference and chapter activities; job services, including Jobs Online and a Freelance Directory; a Web site with comprehensive information, member discount opportunities, and listserves; and the AMWA Journal, an indexed, peer-reviewed publication.

Visit: http://www.amwa.org

Working in medical communications

Ken Sutor is an accomplished medical writer with 15 years of experience in healthcare communications and he started his own business, trading as Ascendancy Medical Writing, in 2010. Ken is one of a number of MedComms specialists who've produced short videos, using their own style and words, to explain their work and to pass on tips to people looking to start a career in medical communications. For more information and contact details for Ken see http://www.as-mw.com

The MedComms Networking Community is an informal initiative, led by Peter Llewellyn of NetworkPharma, which encourages networking and dialogue amongst individuals working in and around specialist medical education, medical communications and medical publishing businesses primarily based in the UK.

From academic to medical writer: A guide to getting started in medical communications

From academic to medical writer: A guide to getting started in medical communications, written by Dr Annick Moon, Published by NetworkPharma.

Careers guide now available - Updated Edition - March 2011.

This guide focuses primarily on the role of the Medical Writer in medical communications agencies. The Medical Writer’s role is to use science and language to deliver education and communication programmes for the pharmaceutical industry, while working to the highest ethical standards and adhering to industry regulations and guidelines. The aim of this guide is to give the industry information you need to decide if you are suited to the role of Medical Writer, and to provide the insider knowledge you need to excel at interview.

You can get this free guide here.

Starting a career in medical writing

Nigel Eastmond is a freelance medical writer and consultant, trading as Eastmond Medicomm, and here he talks about his background and his day-to-day work in medical communications. Nigel is one of a number of MedComms specialists who've produced short videos, using their own style and words, to explain their work and to pass on tips to people looking to start a career in medical communications. For more information and contact details for Nigel see http://www.eastmondmedicomm.com

Here's his video:

The MedComms Networking Community is an informal initiative, led by Peter Llewellyn of NetworkPharma, which encourages networking and dialogue amongst individuals working in and around specialist medical education, medical communications and medical publishing businesses primarily based in the UK.

15th Annual Medical Writing Conference in Princeton (AMWA-DVC)

American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) has regional chapters and the Delaware Valley Chapter (DVC) has an annual conference coming up in Princeton, NJ.

Register now for the 15th Annual AMWA-DVC Princeton Conference!

Saturday, May 14, 2011
Wyndham Princeton Forrestal Hotel & Conference Center
800 Scudders Mill Road
Plainsboro, NJ

An intensive 1-day program of knowledge and networking! Choose from 4 credit workshops plus 2 all-new How-to Sessions.

2011 AMWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Conference

2011 Annual Mid-Atlantic AMWA Chapter Conference

Date: Friday, 20 May 2011
Venue: Hilton Garden Inn

7301 Waverly Street
Bethesda, MD 20814-3330
(301) 654-8111

Courses:

• Bart Harvey will present CP/EW #3008, “Making Effective Slides,” and ADV #729, “Understanding Sample Size and Study Power”;
• Charmaine Cummings will present ES 2006, “Essential Ethics for Medical Communicators”; and
• Tom Gegeny will present ES/EW/FL #2012, “The Internet: How and Where to Find the Information You Seek.”

Non-clinical careers in medical writing

Author: Mehul Sheth, DO FAAP

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. All you need to know about the book is in that title. The book is poorly written, meanders and in the end really doesn’t tell us anything more than what we already knew: pharma companies have a profit motive. It takes the potential of a great story and minimizes it to some cheap laughs and poorly told stories. What I found most interesting was the film adaptation, Love & Other Drugs, was incredibly better than the book. The movie captured more of the potential story than the book it was based on-rare.

Online Master of Science in Biomedical Writing

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia offers a master of science (MS) in biomedical writing degree and also graduate certificates in regulatory and marketing writing.

Now more than ever, professionals with expertise in both science and writing are in demand. Pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, healthcare organizations, nonprofit organizations, consulting firms, and professional journals all seek qualifies medical writers. The biomedical writing programs at Mayes College can help you take advantage of these opportunities.

If you already have clinical or pharmaceutical experience and wish to change career directions, or certificate programs allow you to focus on the essential skills required for regulatory or marketing writing.

Medical writing jobs for physicians

Interested in medical writing?  If you enjoy writing, you may find a nice job writing as a freelance writer or a staff writer. There are writing opportunities in journalism, professional medical education, promotional education, advertising, regulatory writing, blogging, and many other areas in the field of medical communications.

You can find medical writing jobs here.

Don't know where to begin? You can read all the articles here related to medical writing here.

AMWA-DVC Freelance Workshop on Medical Writing

Please save the date for the AMWA (Delaware Valley Chapter) Freelance Workshop on April 2, 2011,
8:30 am to 4:15 pm

Crowne Plaza Valley Forge
260 Mall Boulevard
King of Prussia, PA 19406

Morning presentations will cover these topics:

- The 10 Hottest Skills for Freelance Medical Writer in 2011
- Breaking Out of Your Niche: New Opportunities for Freelances
- Five Bad Behaviors: How Freelances Sabotage Their Success
- Everything You Need to Know About Running Your Business, But Don't Really Want to Ask
- Plus a session from an industry insider

Medical Communications Workshop 2011

22nd Annual Workshop on Medical Communications
Core Curriculum March 7 & 8 | Pre-workshop Tutorials March 8 | Workshop March 8-10
La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, CA

Sharpen your medical communications skills to maximize your effectiveness.

SESSION TOPICS:
• Regulatory Review
• Riding the Inspection/Audit Wave
• Medical Communications Experience with Risk
• Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS)
• Using Virtual Solutions

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
• Medical Communications Responses: What’s Everyone Sayin’
• Statistics
• How to Lead and Deliver Value As a Medical Science Liaison
• Evidence-based Medicine
• Medical Information Support: Determining Service Levels for Expanded Access Programs, Investigational, and Post-patent Expiry Products
• Quality Monitoring Methods and Strategies for Contact Centers
• Medical Communications at Medical Congresses
• Medical Science Liaison Management
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Global Integration
• Medical Communications and Managed Care Customers
• Today’s Pharma Contact Centers
• Copyright Challenges