We all want our doctors to be familiar with the latest developments in medicine, and to be able to offer us as patients the very best and informed healthcare. It is important that doctors in the fields of anaesthesia, critical care, and pain are up to date and familiar with the latest developments in these rapidly developing areas of medicine, with new techniques and drugs emerging which improve outcomes for patients. As professionals, we cannot stand still and we must always strive to improve outcomes for our patients.
The post The importance of continuing professional development in medicine appeared first on OUPblog.
by Rosrin WuithiranAward-winning medical writer Nancy Monson has been writing professionally for the past 20 years. Writing for both consumers and medical professionals, she has covered medical topics for websites, videos, blogs, and more. Her articles range in topics in health, nutrition, psychology, and medicine and have appeared in
Woman’s Day,
Glamour, and
Fitness, among many titles. She has also written health books such as
Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Pastimes and
The Smart Guide to Boosting Your Energy. Nancy also offers a medical freelance writing how-to book,
Just What the Doctor Ordered: An Insider’s Guide to Medical Writing at
www.medicalwritingbook.com.
She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Association of Health Care Journalists. You can find her writing porfolio at
www.nancymonson.com. WOW
! is excited to speak with Nancy about the world of medical writing.
WOW: Welcome, Nancy! What steered you into the field of medical writing?Nancy: I actually fell into the field about 25 years ago. I originally wanted to be an actress, but I always had a facility for writing.
WOW: So how did you get started in medical writing?Nancy: I got a job as a freelance typist for a New York City medical communications company, working evenings, so I had days free to go to acting auditions. Over the course of several years, a couple of editors at the company realized I had potential and gave me opportunities to go to medical meetings and report on presentations, and taught me to edit medical materials.
WOW: That's great they encouraged you to get into the field. Do you have a medical degree?Nancy: No. I have a Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in communications from Boston University’s College of Communications.
WOW: Did not having a degree cause a problem? Did editors inquire whether you had the sufficient background to write on medical subjects?Nancy: No, not really, because I started when the medical communications industry was still fairly young and that wasn’t an issue. They were looking more for editors and writers and were willing to teach people the medicine. I’ve since been in the business for so long and I have so much experience that it’s not an issue. I also have a lot of contacts who know I’m very competent and dependable. However, it appears that advanced degrees are being requested more and more of medical writers.
WOW: How difficult is it to find references and experts to support findings and statistics for your articles?Nancy: It’s not difficult thanks to the Internet—it used to be a lot harder when I physically had to go to a medical library and do research. T
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Great interview. I'm glad to hear you don't have to have a medical degree.
Nancy, you mentioned magazines you write for... do you write for any websites too?
Thanks,
Liz
I am just dipping my toes into the medical writing pool. I just finished an article for the Springfield Business Journal on medical advancements. I spent two weeks talking to clinicians and researchers about their work in cardiology, neurology and orthopedics. I had one compliment my writing and he also referred me to the American Medical Writers Assocaition. I have also written an article on sleep disorders.
I am a former EMT and sleep technician who has had an overwhelming passion for medicine my entire life. I wanted to be a neurosurgeon when I was younger. Instead, I became a writer. However, I'm afraid that and my two articles aren't enough to compete in this competitive market. Plus, I've read the bios of some of the writers on the American Medical Writers Association web site.
How hard is it to break into this field without an advanced degree today? My degrees are in legal studies and anthropology, not exactly hard sciences. This is an area I want to explore in my depth. WOW ought to offer a class on medical writing.
*more depth
Fantastic information. Thanks for sharing! When I began freelancing, I wrote for a health and fitness magazine. No medical degree. :) I've also written a number of health-related articles for regional publications. My experience has been research, research, research; find qualified experts, especially for regional markets; and use strong examples.