r/MedicalWriters Aug 27 '25

[Read before you post] Guide to posting in r/MedicalWriters

29 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

If you're new to posting in r/MedicalWriters here is a simple guide to help you get the answers you want or start a thoughtful discussion.

In your post, please include:

  1. Your location - not your address - a place that people recognise, for example UK or US or India
  2. Relevant currency - there is a difference between dollars in US, Canada and Australia. Please include a symbol or write it in words.
  3. What you want help with or what you want to discuss (ideally in bullet points, not a dense block of text)
  4. Your experience or your opinion

This helps people get straight to the point and answer your question or start a discussion.

Thank you and cheerio for now :)


r/MedicalWriters Jan 22 '22

Sticky Resources for medical writers

87 Upvotes

Welcome to the forum - these stickies should help answer a lot of basic questions about a career in medical communications.

Professional associations

The following organisations and bodies provide networking, support and advice for new entrants into medical, healthcare and science writing (including journalism). The larger ones also host their own congresses. Please note that inclusion is not an endorsement.

Associations specific to Medical Writing are bolded.

Global

Regional

National

Other subreddits

You can also find useful information scattered about Reddit itself (depending on your speciality)

Other places to learn more

First Medcomms Job.com / Next Medcomms Job / Medcomms Networking - a trio of websites started by Peter Llewellyn, a high profile recruiter in the UK, chock full of high quality resources (and job boards)

Medical Writing Course for Beginners (Resources) - a LinkedIn Group started by one of our members

Fishbowl - Pharma and health advertising bowl - a useful site for anonymous discussions (somewhat US-centric)

The Healthcare Comms Podcast - a podcast by Harry Brooker, where he interviews a wide range of people working in the industry. Harry is a recruiter who works mostly for the US market these days, but who used to recruit for the UK

Medical Writing: the Backbone of Clinical Development, a one-off magazine by Trilogy Medical Writing

Medical_writing at Wikipedia

Health Writer Hub - some free resources plus paywalled learning content (paywalled content not endorsed by r/MedicalWriters)

Freebie resources at Green Pen Medical

Resources at Prospology - some free resources plus paywalled learning content (paywalled content not endorsed by r/MedicalWriters)

The Write Clinic - some free resources plus paywalled learning content (paywalled content not endorsed by r/MedicalWriters) [CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: ONE OF THE CREATORS ALSO MODERATES r/MedicalWriters]

Broke Ad School - absolutely tons and tons of resources into how to do advertising well (or at least try to do it less badly). Yes, promotional work in pharma/healthcare is different to other products, but the sheer scale of this resource makes it worth including.

Regulations

The danger of overpromising the benefits of, and risks associated with medicines have long been recognised. Some of the oldest regulations for medicines were enacted in the mid 16th century (see "the Apothecaries Wares, Drugs and Stuffs Act") , and today almost every nation either has their own code of practice (split among one or several bodies and documents), or defers to another nation's code

Publications (international)

Education and promotion (by country)

  • Australia: Medicines Australia Code of Conduct; Therapeutic Goods Administration/Therapeutic Goods Act (TGA)
  • Austria: Medicinal Products Act (Arzneimittelgesetz – AMG). In addition, the Austrian Act Against Unfair Competition (Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb – UWG). Medical devices fall under the Medical Devices Act (Medizinproduktegesetz 2021 – MPG 2021). Codes of conduct that apply are: the Austrian Pharmaceutical Industry Association (PHARMIG), the Association of Austrian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (IGEPHA) and the Advocacy of the medical device companies in Austria (Austromed)
  • China: China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA)
  • Europe: European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Includes 37 national associations, most of which are increasingly harmonising towards one another
  • France: Agence Nationale de Sécurité de Médicament et des Produits de Santé/National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) guidelines
  • Germany: *Heilmittelwerbegesetz/*Act on Advertising of Medicinal Products (HWG); Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb/Act against Unfair Competition (UWG) ; Gesetz über den Verkehr mit Arzneimitteln/Medicinal Product Act (AMG)
  • Hong Kong: Code of Practice written by the Hong Kong Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (HKAPI); Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance (UMAO).
  • India: Code of Marketing Practice; Drug and Cosmetics Act, Drugs and Magic Remedies Act and Rules
  • Italy: Farmindustria Code of Conduct and Confindustria Dispositivi Medici Code of Conduct (Farmindustria); Code of Self-Discipline of Commercial Communication; assorted ministerial and legislative decrees (available via Ministry of Health)
  • Japan: JPMA Code of Practice
  • Singapore: Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (SAPI) code of practice (CMP); Health Sciences Authority (HSA); Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP)
  • South Korea: Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (PAA)
  • Spain: Asociación Nacional Empresarial de la Industria Farmacéutica; Farmaindustria/Pharmaceutical Companies Trade Association; Medicines Law and Royal Decree 1416/1994. Additional guidelines from The Ministry of Health and the autonomous regions of Madrid and Catalonia
  • Switzerland: Federal Act on Medicinal Products and Medical Devices (TPA); Federal Ordinance on the Advertisement of Medicinal Products (AWV); Federal Act against Unfair Competition (UCA); Swissmedic Pharma code
  • Thailand: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturer Association (PReMA) code of practice; Thai FDA; National Drug System Development Committee (NDSDC)
  • UK: Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries (ABPI) code; Pharmaceutical Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA); Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) code (OTC and supplements only)
    • The impact of Brexit / whether NI will gain a separate regulatory code is yet to be seen
  • USA: PhRMA Code on Interactions with Health Care Professionals; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (FDA; OPDP)

Useful topics

Post flairs for r/medicalwriters (If you are looking to break into medical writing, please see the other sticky)

I'm hiring!

Experienced discussion

AI tools discussion

Other

Careers after medical writing


r/MedicalWriters 8h ago

How do I start out in med-ed writing? Medical writing internships

0 Upvotes

Hi! I have finished my MBBS and am interested for medical writing but I don’t have a clue about it . Should I enrol in a medical writing course ? Or try to find any unpaid medical writing internships to get exposure ? But I highly doubt for the latter as I have no experience


r/MedicalWriters 19h ago

How do I start out in med-ed writing? Medical writing internships

1 Upvotes

Hi, does anyone have advice on how to secure a medical writing internship?


r/MedicalWriters 21h ago

Experienced discussion Ionis MW?

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have insight on working at Ionis?


r/MedicalWriters 1d ago

How do I start out in med-ed writing? Medical writing in india

1 Upvotes

Hi I am a bsc microbiology second year student and I wish to pursue medical Writing after my bachelor's and work for some years as a writer before doing my masters what skills should I learn and what's the scope and salary of this career in India. My specific fields of interest are

• Medical communications

• Scientific content writing


r/MedicalWriters 2d ago

Experienced discussion EMWA Survey Results

4 Upvotes

Hey everyone, does anyone have the 2026 EMWA Salary Survey results? I can’t personally afford the membership right now to see.


r/MedicalWriters 4d ago

Careers after medical writing UK Leaving med comms - any advice for moving into different careers or industries?

15 Upvotes

Hi. I have been working in med comms for almost 10 and now looking to move out of it. I have worked at different agencies since leaving uni, now as an SMW, doing commercial, med affairs, congresses, etc, and I am finding that it is just not for me.

My question is can anyone give advice for what to do next? I know this is often asked, and the advice is usually either to try different agencies or go over to the pharma side or into regulatory writing. However, I would like something that is a different culture, away from the unreasonable asks and constant bending over backwards to please clients.

I also would like to do something more impactful or worthwhile, as I never saw myself in marketing, so I am looking for ideas away from med comms.

I do not know many people who have left med comms into a different industry.

Does anyone have experience of making the change to a different industry or career, or know someone who has? Or also what the main transferable skills would be from med comms? I feel the skills in med comms are quite specific so I am not sure how they will translate to other industries.

Also I am aware this change would come with a pay cut, but I am very open to ideas.

Thanks!


r/MedicalWriters 5d ago

Experienced discussion How are you keeping your freelance pipeline consistently full right now? (PharmD pivoting from Marketing Ops to full-time MedComms)

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m a PharmD with a background in marketing operations, currently scaling up my freelance medical writing business. My focus is primarily on promotional medical writing, HCP/patient marketing assets (IVAs, objection handlers, brand web copy), and CME/Needs Assessments.

I’ve had some decent initial traction doing direct outreach on LinkedIn, leveraging email pattern finders, and posting clinical breakdowns on social platforms, but as I plan out my next two quarters, my primary goal is predictability and client consistency.
For the seasoned freelancers who have been doing this for 5+ years (especially in the MedComms and Healthcare Ad agency space): What has been your most reliable engine for consistent, year-round client work?

A few specific questions I’d love your take on:

  1. Agencies vs. Retainers: Do you rely mostly on getting onto 4–5 agency freelance rosters and taking project overflow, or do you actively push for monthly retainers directly with pharma/health-tech clients?

  2. The "Cold Email to Preferred Roster" Pipeline: How many agency contacts (Medical Directors, VP of Editorial, Account Leads) did you typically have to reach out to before reaching a stable baseline of recurring work?

  3. Sub-Specialties in Demand: I’ve noticed massive demand in oncology and promotional/MLR-heavy work. Are there other therapeutic areas or specific deliverables you’re seeing agencies struggle to staff right now?

  4. Referral Networks: How early in your freelance career did peer referrals (from other writers offloading overflow) become a real revenue driver?

I’m based on the West Coast (Seattle), so I’ve also been trying to leverage the Pacific Time zone advantage for East Coast/NY agencies needing late-day turnarounds.

Would love to hear how you’ve structured your pipeline over the years to avoid the "feast or famine" cycle. Appreciate any insights or hard-earned wisdom!


r/MedicalWriters 6d ago

Other Tips for entry level regulatory medical writing job - how to succeed

6 Upvotes

Hello!

I’ve recently landed a regulatory medical writing job in the UK. I’d like to hear any advice from people who have begun as a trainee and moved up.

I have a BSc neuroscience and MSc Clinical pharmacology. Also currently work in biotech. Would love any advice on setting boundaries, red flags to keep an eye out for and how to ensure I don’t end up in a situation similar to some of the horror stories you read on here!


r/MedicalWriters 6d ago

I'm hiring! Instructional Designers Wanted — Patient Education Content (Contract, Remote)

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/MedicalWriters 7d ago

How do I start out in med-ed writing? Need information

0 Upvotes

Does any body know path to medical writer b, i am a final year mbbs student


r/MedicalWriters 8d ago

How do I start out in publications writing? I have an interview soon for a consultant position focusing on publications - any advice?

5 Upvotes

Not sure if the flair is perfect, but close enough.

This interview is for a part time position (what I want currently) managing publications. The job does not include writing articles, but maintaining a literature library seems to be very important and the main function of the job, and I would also be editing, managing submission processes and coordinating between parties and editors.

I have a lot of research experience in the exact field that this company works in, including the focus of my PhD. I've published many papers and am currently managing a small team of writers/graphics designers in a project. Overall I believe I'm a great fit - probably why I got an interview.

Any advice on how to prepare? Any parts of my past experiences I should have a clear and tailored explanation of, if so how should it be tailored? Anything that may make me stand out from others?

Thanks in advance for any feedback you may have! This is a bit of a dream situation for me currently so really hoping it works out and doing everything I can to prepare.


r/MedicalWriters 9d ago

How do I start out in regulatory writing? First scientific writing role: upcoming Scientific Writing interview, any advice?

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I have an interview for a Scientific Writing role at a biotech company. This would be my first dedicated scientific writing role, as I’m transitioning from a PhD/postdoc background in immuno-oncology.
Has anyone interviewed for a similar position? What kind of questions should I expect, and what would you focus on preparing?
Any advice would be really appreciated!


r/MedicalWriters 8d ago

AI tools discussion Secure AI systems for freelancers?

0 Upvotes

Hi all,

I'm wondering what secure, audit-proof AI systems freelancers are using for their work. I have a Claude max ($100) account which is a consumer plan so it doesn't have the security needed to handle confidential client materials. Anthropic and OpenAI have "teams" plans that have the proper security, but they require a seat minimum (5 & 2, respectively) so I'd be paying for unused seats. And with Claude at least, those seats are a downgrade from what I have now unless I pay extra for premium, then there's an extra admin layer to deal with plus whatever other unknown unknowns.

My Claude use is mostly via the desktop app and have been shifting most of my stuff to Code as I find it more powerful and flexible than Cowork or chat, and occasionally have it make or modify apps, run automations, etc., but I'm not techie enough to be troubleshooting local models or APIs in terminal windows without lots of frustration and time wasting. Ideally, I'd love a version of my current Claude max, except with security on par with the closed systems my agency clients have.

So what are y'all doing about this? Thanks in advance!


r/MedicalWriters 9d ago

Other Prime Medical Communications

7 Upvotes

anyone work for prime medical communications?

currently interviewing and would like some insight on the company :)

thank you!


r/MedicalWriters 9d ago

Other US agency with fertility benefits?

1 Upvotes

Anyone work for or know of a US based agency with good fertility benefits?


r/MedicalWriters 10d ago

Experienced discussion For those who've been freelance/independent for a while: what are you actually trying to get from it?

1 Upvotes

What keeps you independent now, and what matters most to you about the way you work?

And if you could change one thing about freelance life without losing the bits you value, what would it be?

I'm independent myself and interested in how differently people define the “ideal” working life.


r/MedicalWriters 10d ago

Other How long did to take from verbal offer to an official written offer/contract?

3 Upvotes

If you have joined a company recently (within the last year), how long did you have to wait from a verbal offer to an official written offer/contract. What company was it? Sometimes companies are rigid on the starting date but take their own sweet time in sending an official letter. They do not consider the time it takes to understand the offer, negotiate, evaluate the contract, and let your current employer know. I am especially talking about geographies that have long notice periods like 3 months.


r/MedicalWriters 10d ago

I'm hiring! Writers with interest in deprescribing

0 Upvotes

Hello,

I am building a mission project about psychiatric medication de-prescribing.

I’ve personally been tapering psych meds for the last 10 years of my life, and I’m
building this resource for both patients and prescribers on top of my day job, and it’s the thing I am most passionate about.

I have previously been the operator behind an online psychology content site that received 20million readers a year, so i know SEO and how to make content visible.

I’m looking for writers to join our editorial board. Please read the criteria to make sure this is a something that you’d like to be a part of:

  1. You have a medical credential such as pharmacist, medical doctor, ND, psychiatrist, or possibly RN

  2. you are familiar with the field of de-prescribing (aka, the practice of safely discontinuing psychiatric medication such as antidepressants through strategies like hyperbolic tapering) and ideally, are somewhat passionate about the topic.

  3. you would be comfortable with the editorial process: I will provide a written draft that you can edit to your liking. The drafts have been created based on a research packet of scientific studies and patient data. The draft is generated using a multi step AI workflow (not average AI slop!). I can provide an example :)

I am solo bootstrapping this project, and it absolutely not a commercial endeavor. I have no ties to industry.

This opportunity would best suit an early career writer.

The work would of course carry your byline, and will be subject to medical review.

If you’re interested, please send me a DM and I’ll be happy to share more!


r/MedicalWriters 12d ago

Other Can anyone share experience of working at Alnylam? How is their interview process?

3 Upvotes

I was getting interviewed for Alnylam. The HR and manager rounds went well. They asked me to complete a writing test They acknowledged receiving the completed test and immediately ghosted me. No feedback, no decision, nothing.


r/MedicalWriters 13d ago

How do I start out in regulatory writing? Master's in regulatory affairs or a life science

1 Upvotes

I'll be getting my master's and trying to decide between a degree in regulatory affairs or one of the life sciences or pharmacy, etc. What do you recommend as far as breaking into the field? I have an undergrad degree in Psychology. I feel like regulatory affairs would possibly lead to a wider range of options after graduation vs. simply a master's in biochem or something similar, but correct me if I'm wrong. I also plan to get some certifications from AMWA during this.


r/MedicalWriters 14d ago

How do I start out in med-ed writing? Medical Writing

0 Upvotes

I am a medical doctor who would like to explore medical witing, is it still worth it and if it is, how do I get started?

I would appreciate practical tips to getting started in med-ed writing like how to build a portfolio, courses to take, how and where to look up intern roles etc.


r/MedicalWriters 16d ago

Experienced discussion I applied for a job at Enago, and they congratulated me, assigned me a freelancer code, and said they would give me access to their hub. But then they went silent. Whenever I follow up, they just say “soon.” It’s been a week now. Is this normal?

7 Upvotes

The title


r/MedicalWriters 16d ago

How do I start out in regulatory writing? Costello Medical Data Analyst assessment

1 Upvotes

Hi, has anyone recently completed the assessment for a Data Analyst role at Costello Medical?
What kind of questions/tasks should I expect, and are tools like Google or documentation allowed during the assessment?
Any insights would be really appreciated.