Getting Technical: Is There a Difference Between a Medical Technical Writer and a Medical Writer?

Both terms describe someone who communicates medical and health information to specific audiences.

A medical technical writer is another term used to describe a medical writer. From our perspective, the terms are interchangeable. Medical writing is technical writing for medical and health concepts.

Certificate vs Certification: Which Path Is Right for You?

When people are looking to establish or further a career as a medical writer, they often have questions about the differences between earning a certificate in medical writing and certification, which means earning the Medical Writer Certified (MWC®) credential.

5 Tips for Equity and Inclusion in Medical Writing and Editing

Talking so everyone can hear

We have heard the words “equity” and “inclusion” many times in recent months. But we may not all have connected them with our work as writers and editors in health, medicine, and science. How can medical communicators help create a more equitable, inclusive world?

As writers and editors, we can play a role in giving all people the opportunity to understand and use health information so that they can participate in clinical trials, understand their health care providers’ instructions, and take other actions that help reduce and eradicate social, economic, and health disparities.

Applying Writing Tutors’ Communication Techniques as a Medical Editor

This blog is based on an article written by Misty Bailey, MA, ELS(D), Kirsten Benson, EdD, and Anne Marie Weber‑Main, PhD, that was originally published in the AMWA Journal.

As a medical editor, your challenge is to use techniques that effectively balance the need for clarity with respect for the authors’ ideas. In other words, communication approaches need to empower authors while accomplishing the common goal of producing an easy‑to‑read piece of writing that clearly and effectively communicates the authors’ message and intent. 

How to Avoid Common Medical Style Mistakes

Medical writing can be a lucrative, rewarding career, but it takes a commitment to understanding grammar and stylistic guidelines. A solid grasp of grammar, punctuation, and medical word usage is required. Some errors are common among new medical writers and even among some experienced medical communicators. A good place to begin fortifying your writing foundation and preventing these errors is a medical style guide.

The Importance of Quality Control in Medical Writing

It’s hard being right all the time.

In fact, we aren’t. Even the best medical writer makes the occasional mistake. It’s challenging to ensure that your project’s content, style, and format are high quality.

That’s where our good friends the quality control (QC) specialists come in. QC specialists look at a document with “fresh eyes” that can spot mistakes an author may overlook. They may also have specific expertise in editing styles, data formatting, data presentation, or document design.

That’s why QC reviews are critical to medical writers.