What is a medical communicator?

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What is a medical communicator?

• Medical communicators write, edit, or develop
  materials about medicine and health.
• They do this by gathering, organizing,
  interpreting, and presenting information in a
  manner appropriate for the target audience.

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Who are medical communicators?

• Writers
• Editors
• Proofreaders
• Journalists
• Project managers
• Multimedia producers
• Public relations specialists

• Publishers
• Educators
• Researchers

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Where do they work?

• Freelance (self-employed)
• Pharmaceutical industry (Pharma)
• Drugs
• Biotechnology
• Medical devices
• Agencies
• Contract research organizations (CROs)
• Medical education
• Medical communication
• Advertising or public relations

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Where do they work? (cont)

• Health care
• University medical centers
• Hospitals or health care systems
• Managed care organizations
• Nonprofit organizations
• Professional associations
• Advocacy groups
• Foundations

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Where do they work? (cont)

• Medical publishers
• Journals
• Textbooks
• Web sites
• Patient education
• Government agencies or contractors

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Where do they work? (cont)
Source 2008 AMWA Member Survey
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What do they write or edit?

• Journal articles
• Abstracts, posters, and slide presentations for
  scientific meetings
• Meeting summaries
• Continuing education programs for health care
  professionals

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What do they write or edit? (cont)

• Grant proposals
• White papers
• Position statements
• Medical textbook chapters

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What do they write or edit? (cont)

• Regulatory documents
• Investigational New Drug (IND) documents
• New Drug Application (NDA) submissions
• Protocols
• Summaries of efficacy and safety
• Reports of clinical trials

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What do they write or edit? (cont)

• Sales training materials
• Advertising/marketing copy
• Press releases
• Materials for lay audiences and patients
• Magazine, newspaper, or Web articles
• Brochures
• Books
• Other educational materials

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What media do they use?

• Print
• Web sites or templates
• CD-ROM
• Electronic newsletters
• Audio/video
• Podcastsand beyond

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What educational background do medical
communicators have?

• Undergraduate degrees
• Science (biology,chemistry)
• Nursing
• English
• Journalism
• Technical writing
• Communication

• Graduate degrees
• Science
• Pharmacy
• Medicine
• Public health
• Journalism
• Technical or professional writing

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What skills do they need?

• Communicate effectively
• Identify audiences needs and target
  communication to meet those needs
• Think critically
• Gather and integrate data
• Analyze and interpret data
• Aptitude for understanding medicine and health
  sciences

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What skills do they need? (cont)

• Ability to
• Perform literature searches
• Simplify complex concepts
• Manage time and meet deadlines
• Master new software programs

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What attributes should they have?

• Detail-focused
• Well organized
• Deadline-oriented and flexible
• Able to work independently and on a team
• Thirst for knowledge
• Accepts criticism
• A sense of humor

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Why would I want to be a medical communicator?
Job satisfaction
Source 2007 AMWA Salary Survey
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Why be a medical communicator? (cont)
Satisfaction with pay
Source 2007 AMWA Salary Survey
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What do they earn? (by education)
Source 2007 AMWA Salary Survey Net Gross -
Expenses
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Increase in Mean Income 2004-2007
AMWA Members
Inflation Rate
Sources 2007 AMWA Salary Survey
www.inflationdata.com
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What do they earn? (by job level)
Source 2007 AMWA Salary Survey
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What do they earn? (by employer)
Source 2007 AMWA Salary Survey
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What is the career outlook?

• Growth industry
• Medical writing market doubled 2003-20081
• Projected increase in jobs faster than average
  through 20162
• Medical/scientific publishing among fastest
  growing media sectors 2001-20063

1 CenterWatch Monthly. December 2008. 2 US Bureau
of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook
Handbook, 2008-09 Ed. 3 Morgan Stanley Industry
Report. Scientific Publishing Knowledge Is
Power. 2002.
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Is medical communication a growing field?
Number of AMWA Members
Blue line actual numbers Black line upward
growth trend
Year
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How do I become a medical communicator?

• Career exploration1
• Learn new skills
• Science professionals learn writing skills.
• Humanities-based people learn about medicine and
  research.
• Certificate and degree programs in
  medical/technical communication

12008 AMWA Member Survey
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How do I get a job as a medical communicator?

• Join AMWA
• Network with other AMWA members
• Enhance skills through AMWAs education
  program
• Use Jobs Online postings on AMWAs Web site.

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What is AMWA?

• Leading organization for medical communicators
  gt5,600 members
• Dedicated to promoting excellence in medical
  communication and providing educational resources
  to support that goal
• Founded in 1940

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Why join AMWA?

• Receive education
• Make connections
• Achieve recognition
• Access professional resources

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Receive education

• Certificate programs
• National annual conferences
• Chapter conferences
• Self-study workshops
• On-site workshops at company facilities

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Make connections

• Networking at national and chapter meetings
• Job opportunities posted online
• Searchable membership and freelance directories
  on AMWA Web site www.amwa.org
• Listserves
• Bulletin board

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Achieve recognition

• Awards competitions
• Medical books
• Journalism
• Member announcements and profiles in AMWA
  Journal
• Volunteer opportunities

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Access professional resources

• Member publications
• Free access to medical research tools
• Discounts on meetings and products
• Salary survey
• Discounted membership fee for students

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Where are AMWA chapters?

• Canada
• Carolinas
• Delaware Valley
• Empire State-Metro New York
• Florida
• Greater Chicago
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Mid-America

• Mid-Atlantic
• New England
• North Central
• Northern California
• Northwest
• Ohio Valley
• Pacific Southwest
• Rocky Mountain
• Southeast
• Southwest

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AMWA Chapters
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How can AMWA help me?

• Sharpen or expand skills
• Stay informed about issues and trends that affect
  the profession
• Learn about employment opportunities
• Network with medical communicators
• Gain insight into various medical communication
  businesses

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How do I join AMWA?

• If you feel that AMWA is the resource for you,
  you can join by going to the Web site at
  www.amwa.org and clicking on Membership.
• American Medical Writers Association
• 30 West Gude Drive, Suite 525, Rockville, MD 20850

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Other questions?

• Visit AMWAs Web site for more information about
  becoming a medical communicator
• www.amwa.org
• e-mail amwa_at_amwa.org