Medical Writing Certificate Programs and Courses
Medical writing certificate programs are available at the graduate level, though a master's degree program is a more common training program in this field. Courses include a mix of science and journalism topics. Continue reading for more information on this field, training programs, courses and employment opportunities.
What You Need to Know
Medical writing involves writing on topics such as health, medical supplies, medical techniques, medical research and medical studies. You can train for this career through certificate programs or by completing a master's degree. Once your education is finished, you can find employment in media, marketing or scientific fields.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Programs</b></td><td>Non-credit and graduate certificate programs are available; master's degrees are more common</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Courses</b></td><td>Community reporting, science journalism, science feature writing, investigative and policy reporting, health communication</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Future Career Options</b></td><td>Journalistic writer, medical liaison, quality reviewer, project manager</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---WhatIsMedicalWriting">What Is Medical Writing?</h3><p>Your work could include translating complicated science topics and jargon into language that people who aren't scientists can understand. The job requires knowledge of statistics and the scientific method, as well as good communication skills. Your audience might include other medical professionals, legislators or the general public.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatTypesOfCertificateProgramsAreThere">What Types of Certificate Programs Are There?</h3><p>Graduate certificate programs in medical writing are available. Some colleges and universities also offer non-credit certificate programs through their continuing education divisions. However, the majority of medical writing training options are master's degree programs. You can find abbreviated Master of Science programs in medical writing that last only a year, as well as graduate programs without a thesis requirement. You also can find science writing or health writing certificate programs that can give you the skills you need to pursue a career in medical writing.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWillITake">What Courses Will I Take?</h3><p>Depending on the program you choose, you might need specific knowledge of journalism or science. Some programs require you to take science courses, such as chemistry and biology, while others focus more on writing courses. In either case, you'll learn to communicate health issues in a variety of media, including print, broadcast, social media and online publications. You'll learn to address a wide audience and approach a variety of topics related to:
</p><ul><li>Medicine, including drugs and pharmacology
</li><li>Anatomy
</li><li>Health communication
</li><li>Science journalism
</li></ul><p>Additionally, some programs offer the opportunity to undertake an internship with a journal, radio station or local newspaper.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCareerOpportunitiesExist">What Career Opportunities Exist?</h3><p>You might be able to write for mainstream publications, like newspapers or magazines, conveying health information to the general public in the form of news articles. Medical writers also work in medical marketing, where they explain technical uses of equipment or drugs to both doctors and the public for the purposes of convincing them to buy the products in question. You also might find opportunities writing for regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration. A program in medical writing also can prepare you to write in-house reports for an organization in order to present complicated research or scientific information to shareholders or staff members who don't have a science background.</p>