Jobs

The field of medical writing is a diverse landscape with many career opportunities. Services Canada Occupational Outlook (2006-2008) states that writing occupations in Quebec continue to benefit from the “strong performance posted by the information and professional, scientific and technical services industries,” including specialty information channels and the Internet.  In the USA, The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics states specifically that the demand for writers with expertise in science and medicine will increase in coming years because of the “continuing expansion of scientific and technical information and the need to communicate it to others,” especially for a general audience.

From my own professional experience, there is no shortage of work for medical writers. Most freelance writers I know have more than enough work and those who wish to work as an employee generally have little difficulty finding work with good pay. I am constantly being approached by business in need of medical writers, and in the past few years have found myself mentoring several writers and editors new to the field, who were then quickly ‘snapped up’ into either freelance contracts or full-time positions.

Examples of Medical Writing

  • Clinical research report writing
  • Grant and proposal writing
  • Internet content and web design
  • Journal abstract and article writing
  • Medical education
  • Medical journalism
  • Pharmaceutical advertising and marketing materials
  • Physician speeches and presentations
  • Product monographs and regulatory documents
  • Sales training manuals
  • Script writing for videos, CD-Roms and DVDs
  • White papers
  • Writing for medical journals
  • Writing for the popular press and media

Examples of Employers of Medical Writers

  • Academic institutions
  • Contract research organizations (CROs)
  • Foundations and patient advocacy organizations
  • Health Canada and government organizations
  • Hospitals and research institutes
  • Journals, magazines and book publishers
  • Managed care organizations
  • Medical education companies
  • News media
  • Pharmaceutical advertising agencies
  • Pharmaceutical and biotecnology companies