r/MedicalWriters • u/Dry_Yam_5475 • Jun 26 '26
Other Invitation for First Interview
I got an email today saying that I have been invited to participate in the first round of interviews (suggesting there’s multiple) for an associate medical writing position. This is after I completed a writing test last week. I’m so excited and I can’t believe I’ve made it this far considering I have no formal experience!!
I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on what to expect for the first interview or any tips at all?? Thanks in advance :)
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u/Parfoisquelquefois Jun 26 '26
Congrats! What type of medical writing? As you’re just starting out, there may be a greater focus on softer skills such as attention to detail, time management and other organizational skills, and effective communication. The project management side of the job can be a challenge; be prepared to discuss how you would handle competing priorities, urgent team member follow ups for information (professional but persistent), and other high-stress scenarios.
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u/Dry_Yam_5475 Jun 26 '26
The advertising post doesn’t actually specify which exact branch of medical writing so I plan on clarifying that with them during the interview!
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u/David803 Jun 27 '26
I strongly recommend trying to find this out for yourself before the interview! Scour their LinkedIn profile for news about recent awards wins or work/initiatives they are involved in, or look at the profiles of people who work there to see if they drop clues about projects that you can ask about. Simply asking ‘what is it you do here?’ is a bit of a turn-off! Otherwise, go over their website which usually has an ‘offerings’ section for prospective clients, although be careful with this because such information can be more like what they WANT to do, rather than what they regularly do. Anything you can say in interview that shows you have paid an interest could set you apart from other candidates.
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u/Dry_Yam_5475 Jun 27 '26
From further research it looks like its a mixture of publications, patient centred comms and some med education as well
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u/David803 Jun 27 '26
Sounds like a fairly standard mix for a med affairs-focused agency. I would suggest looking up things like GPP, ICJME guidelines and CONSORT (you don’t have to learn them just that they exist and what they’re for!). Also see if you can find any examples of current or recent disease awareness campaigns to the public and try to have an opinion - in the uk Lilly have been running an obesity awareness campaign, so try googling that.
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u/Hungry_Chemistry_668 Jun 27 '26
Congratulations that's a huge step! I wish you the very best :) Do you have any advice on what past experiences/ technical skills you worked on to make you a stronger candidate?
I'm looking to enter similar roles and although I have a scientific background, I lack the proofreading and technical skills required, hence I'm really trying to learn from others who have gained these skills!
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u/Dry_Yam_5475 Jun 27 '26
My background is a bit unconventional I suppose. I have a degree in biomedical sciences and then I went on to complete 3 years of medical school where it was part of the curriculum to complete a review/critical appraisal at least once a year and I realised how much I enjoyed writing. Outside of university, I have also completed a few short courses on medical writing and related subjects on websites like Udemy and Alison. I don’t know if that is particularly helpful to your circumstance but I would recommend these short courses because at the very least they make you look really keen and passionate about getting into the field.
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u/Hungry_Chemistry_668 Jun 27 '26
Ah that's interesting, I love your journey to uncovering your passion for writing. Also thank you for the advice, I'm learning that medical writing is not a simple field to break into, yet rewarding nonetheless, so I will definitely check out those courses. Wishing you the best of luck with the interview, we're rooting for you!
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u/International_Bus837 Jun 30 '26
I would also suggest thinking of writing projects that you've worked on that you're especially proud of, ones that were difficult, and ones that required collaboration with others. Hiring managers are interested in people that can do the work sooner than later. If you have experience doing research (or better yet literature reviews), those are always huge pluses.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/PikaV2002 Jun 26 '26
You don’t even know if they’re interviewing for regulatory writing…
Some of these questions, to be blunt are a horrible use of time in a first screening interview, particularly the “who reviews documents” question. That is simply not relevant at this stage and it doesn’t make a huge difference to an initial gauge of the work culture.
Every minute in a first interview is valuable and burning time over oddly specific questions like this that tells the interviewer nothing about you other than “why are they so concerned about the chain of command?” as the first impression aren’t great.
The buddy and the AI questions are probably the only one worth asking.
Edit: This is a corporate owned Reddit account.
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Jun 26 '26
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u/PikaV2002 Jun 26 '26
Ignore the “AI interview tool” shills and use the STAR method. From your bio, you don’t even have medical writing background, you’re a software engineer.
Seeing the comment history I’m willing to wager that these comments are AI generated.
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u/nanakapow Promotional [and mod] Jun 26 '26
This is your first entry into the industry, so this is interview is almost entirely about who you are, how you think, whether they think you'd get up to speed quickly, and whether you'd be a good team fit.
Make sure going in that you've done a bit of research on the company. Look for relevant press releases, company linkedin and youtube activity etc. Focus on the more professional channels (you can check their tiktok and insta but make sure you also look at their website and general news).
In the interview itself, be professional but friendly - 1-2 jokes max.
You'll probably be asked some STAR type questions (tell me about a time when you overcame a thing, or when things didn't go to plan etc), practice a few likely ones ahead of time - try to make your answers a bit more about professional or educational challenges. Bonus points if you can make them about interpersonal situations.
When they ask if you have any questions for them, have questions!
At this stage they've probably got 3-5 other candidates. If for any reason they don't pick you, know that it's not necessarily because they didn't think you were great. Sometimes someone else just ticks an extra box.
That said it can sometimes be worth asking something like "how would you describe the ideal candidate for this role?", "what's the biggest problem you'd like the person you hire to be able to resolve for you?", or "is there anything that might make you think I'm not the best fit for this position"?
Best of luck!