Medical Technical Writing Courses and Degrees

<h3 id="section---WhatYouNeedToKnow">What You Need to Know</h3> <p>A few colleges offer an associate degree in technical writing, though the majority of degree programs that focus on the medical industry are at the bachelor's and master's levels. Medical and scientific writing are usually included as a concentration in a technical writing program, though some healthcare-related programs might include a technical writing course or two in the curricula. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>Classes</b></td><td> Healthcare communication, public policy, information design, web design, instructional text design, rhetorical analysis</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Degrees</b></td><td> Associate degree in technical writing; medical focus comprises bachelor and master degrees</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Programs</b></td><td> Technical writing; science and technical communication, professional and technical communications</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatClassesAndUndergraduateProgramsAreAvailable">What Classes and Undergraduate Programs are Available?</h3> <p>Courses teach you how to compose a number of healthcare-related materials, including manuals, professional correspondence, research manuscripts and public health educational materials. Additionally, you'll learn how to write for print and the Web. An associate's degree in professional communications may be available. You might find these courses in a Bachelor of Science in Technical Writing and Communication degree program: </p> <ul><li>Style </li><li>Document and information design </li><li>Web design </li><li>Rhetoric </li><li>Visual verbal communication </li><li>Non-profit advocacy </li><li>Cognitive psychology </li><li>Organizational communication </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatAboutGraduateCoursesAndPrograms">What About Graduate Courses and Programs?</h3> <p>At the master's level, you'll participate in writing workshops, create a portfolio, research a thesis and publish your writings in a journal. Depending on the program, you might be able to take some of your classes in a hospital environment. You might be able to find a Master of Science in Communication with a concentration in Science Communication or Technical Communication or a Master of Science in Professional and Technical Communications. These topics might be explored in your master's degree program: </p> <ul><li>Contemporary writing </li><li>Instructional design </li><li>Communication </li><li>Technology </li><li>Grant writing </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatAreThePrerequisites">What are the Prerequisites?</h3> <p>Depending on the degree you're pursuing, you'll need to satisfy specific prerequisites. Most bachelor's degree programs require you to complete courses in math, statistics and computer programming. At the master's level, you'll usually be required to submit a writing sample for the admissions committee to review. Schools generally offer medical technical writing programs in a traditional classroom format, making online studies difficult or impossible to find.</p>