Unlock Your Career Potential with a Medical Writing Certification

What Is a Medical Writer

Before we go further, what does a medical writer do exactly? A medical writer is a necessary component of medical communication, which includes:

• Research
• Regulatory affairs
• Health education
• Pharmaceutical marketing
• Public health policy formulation

The roles of medical writers vary based on the specific role, but overall, they’re responsible for translating complex technical and medical data into accessible information for various audiences.

Let’s dive deeper into the different types and categories of medical writing to help you better understand the roles you may take in your new career.

Medical writing certification courses cover a broad spectrum of material to prepare you for various specific roles after graduation. So, let’s break down the different types of medical writing reflected in medical writing courses so you can consider which role sounds most appealing.

Technical vs. Accessible

We can broadly divide medical writing roles into technical and accessible writing styles. Technical writing is intended for audiences familiar with the terms and jargon, such as academic writing, whereas accessible medical writing is intended for a broader audience.

For example, WebMD is an excellent example of medical writing aimed to be accessible to anyone on the Internet rather than people with medical training. Conversely, writing in medical journals aimed at clinicians or researchers will employ more specialized terminology.

Editing vs. Copy Editing vs. General Writing

Multiple experts are involved in creating any medical writing materials, just like other types of writing. The typical roles involved in taking an assignment from idea to final deliverable are:

• Writer: The medical writer has in-depth knowledge of the specific domain, allowing them to create accurate and accessible content. The medical writer will typically translate dense technical language into easily understandable material, although this varies based on the specific role.
• Editor: A medical editor receives the writer's assignment and then ensures the information's accuracy and consistency. They’ll also catch any errors in grammar or spelling. Editors don’t typically require the same credentials as the writer, but they’ll still need a strong grasp of the topic.
• Copy Editor: While the copy editor won’t be present in every project, they’ll often be involved in materials intended for the general public. The copy editor makes the material as understandable, engaging, and interesting as possible.

Each of these roles is crucial in the creation of new material, and getting started with any of them is a great way to begin your career.

Subcategories of Medical Topics

We’ve mentioned that medical writing is a broad category encompassing a variety of specialties, but what are those specialties? Let’s break down the common specialties and keep in mind that any of these can serve as the entry point for your new medical writer career. Possible careers include:

• Regulatory writing: You'll focus on creating documents specifically for regulatory agencies and governments. You may draft submissions for legal approvals for pharmaceuticals or medical devices, which need to describe clinical trials.
• Education or academic writing: Creating educational content involves detailed descriptions of medical devices or pharmaceuticals for academic purposes. These documents are necessary for healthcare professionals to use for evaluation or reference. Your work may also be used by biotech companies, healthcare facilities, and academic institutions.
• Scientific writing: Working in this specialty involves collaborating with researchers to create writeups for scientific documents to submit to peer-reviewed journals, conferences, or professional summaries. You may also write grant proposals to help fund research.
• Healthcare communications: A healthcare communications writer creates material intended to give information to patients or the general public. You may write for websites, news outlets in the healthcare industry, and help with press releases.
• Promotional writing: This career is similar to healthcare communications but focuses more on advertising materials for pharmaceuticals or medical devices. You’ll need the additional skills of a copywriter to create effective advertising content.

A medical writing certification prepares you with the essential skills and knowledge you need to succeed in this diverse field. You’ll learn several core competencies necessary for a lasting career, such as:

• Medical terminology
• Regulatory compliance
• Ethical standards
• How to effectively communicate complex medical information
• Writing in a clear and concise manner
• Mastering document structures and guidelines
• Honing critical thinking skills
• Understanding how to conduct research by using reputable sources
• Creating evidence-based medical documents

So how do you get started? Attending a certification course will teach you the above skills and background knowledge to help you succeed.

Overview of the Certification Process

The best way to start your new career in this field is by attending one of the many medical writing certification courses from different educators. There are plenty of providers of these courses, but it’s crucial to investigate each educator's reputation and the certifications you’ll walk away with.

The Center for Professional Innovation and Education (CfPIE) is a global leader in high-quality training and certification through a range of life sciences, including medical writing certification.

Our medical writer certification program offers extensive benefits, which include:

• Opportunity to earn the title of Certified Medical Writing Professional (CMWP).
• Access to comprehensive courses covering documentation, grant submissions, and product marketing specific to medical writing.
• Training in both technical and accessible writing to prepare for any career you choose.
• Education on regulator requirements from various agencies you’ll likely encounter.
• Insights and practical information about the submission process for grant proposals.
• Expertise in the guidelines and strategies for effective medical products

You’ll be ready to forge your new career after completing our comprehensive medical writer course, whether that means writing grant proposals or marketing materials.

However, the course alone isn’t the certification — you’ll need to complete a comprehensive exam covering all of the above topics to become certified.

Possible Requirements

We typically recommend having a background in writing or scientific fields. For example, a background in journalism, life sciences, or medicine will go far in preparing you for a career as a medical writer.

Enrolling in a certification course may have strict requirements depending on the educational institution.

Why should you become a certified medical writer? Some of the key benefits of earning your certification are:

• Earn a credential that speaks to your professional credibility and overall capability to accomplish stated responsibilities.
• Certification helps open doors to more employment opportunities, and many organizations may require certification to even land an interview.
• Higher salary potential than without a certification; we’ll explore earning potential more below.
• Learn how to stay aware of changing regulations, evolving life sciences, and maintaining a leading-edge skill set.
• Gain access to a professional network of other students, educators, and possible career placement opportunities based on the course provider.

Anyone considering working in a new field will understandably want to know its earning potential. So, how much do medical writers make? PayScale breaks down a few stats to help understand what you can expect, including:

• The average medical writer's salary in 2023 is $81,000, with the lower end earning $61,000, and the experienced writers on the higher end earning $110,000.
• The average medical editor's salary in 2023 is $70,500, with the range going from $41,000 to $93,000.
• For both jobs, certifications, degrees, and experience will help you reach the upper salary range.

Succeeding in this career requires a strong attention to detail, an understanding of compliance requirements, and medical knowledge.

For most people, we don’t advise starting a writing career with medical writing. It’s worth exploring other types of writing beforehand to
get a feel for making a living by writing content.

Experience is crucial for growing your writing career. You may wish to start off with an internship or junior role to start gaining experience. You can also work in adjacent areas such as account or project management to build up overall industry experience.

On top of work experience, you should also focus on becoming proficient with the leading-edge tools and technologies in medical writing. Instead of simple word processors, there’s a growing shift to advanced content management systems. You may also wish to gain additional skills in technical communication, illustration or graphic design to bring more to the table.

Deciding to start a new career in medical writing can be a great way to blend medical understanding and writing proficiency.

Earning a medical writing certificate is a strong first step, and getting started, from there, you can embark on any of the possible entry points we explored above. You can also earn a medical editor certification to start gaining experience in the industry, and then you can later become a writer or copy editor.

CfPIE is an industry leader in professional certifications for medical and pharmaceutical specialties. We offer medical writers training led by instructors with real-world experience and crafted to prepare students for a lasting career in the industry.