Despite not being limited to that, a medical writer in Canada plays a vital role in providing the public with healthcare information. They also write grant proposals for healthcare, medical policy documents, Food and Drug Administration regulations, and other healthcare documents. Canada’s significant demand for medical writers keeps growing.
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According to a report, the global medical writing market is predicted to reach over $9 billion by 2032. However, breaking into the medical writing field requires specialized training and experience. For instance, a nursing degree, such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), meets many medical writing job requirements.
A medical writer in Canada produce medical content for publications in print and digitally. You will need to understand the duties and responsibilities of a medical writer to help you decide if a career in this role suits your interests, passion, and skills. In this article, we discuss the responsibilities of a medical writer, highlight the steps to becoming a medical writer in Canada, explain their job outlook, and review their salary and skills.
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What is a Medical Writer?
A medical writer applies clinical research principles in developing and producing health care or medicine documents. These documents are clear, concise, and accurately describe research results and product use. They’re also available in various formats, including traditional print publications, electronic publications, website content, videos, and podcasts.
What Does a Medical Writer Do?
Medical writing covers a wide range of subjects and media. Medical writers edit medical reference materials, disseminate new findings to the public, and produce training materials for medical practitioners. The media, medical institutions, advertising firms, or pharmaceutical businesses could employ them.
Strong writing skills, clinical training, and healthcare experience are usually prerequisites for jobs in healthcare communications. Research abilities are another resource that medical writers commonly use. Those who require a background in healthcare may find them helpful in explaining complex medical matters, depending on their area of expertise. Or draft regulatory documents requiring detailed knowledge of medical equipment and processes.
How to Become a Medical Writer
1. Get a bachelor’s degree
A career as a medical writer typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree because that allows you to meet the basic requirements for a job in this role. This degree can be in a science-related field, but a degree in language or humanities can also be acceptable. Most employers prefer candidates with degrees in life sciences, such as biology, or a related field like statistics.
Having a degree in a science-related field may familiarize you with medical terminologies. Still, you may dedicate another portion of your time to mastering English and learning how to structure documents to present complex information logically. A degree in the languages may help you understand English while learning science and medical terminologies.
2. Acquire a master’s degree
Many employers also request medical writers to have higher degrees, such as a master’s or a doctorate. A graduate degree may help you gain specialized field knowledge, advancing your career. It shows employers your dedication to improving your expertise.
A graduate degree in science-related courses is generally sufficient for most roles, but some employers may accept a language or humanities degree. While some employers may not require graduate degrees, obtaining them can make your resume distinct, increasing your selection chances.
3. Complete a certificate course
After obtaining all relevant degrees, you may enroll in medical writing courses to enhance your understanding of English grammar and the medicine and health sector. Getting the certificate from these courses may help show your competency and commitment to the profession. Consider researching schools that offer medical writing programs to expand your capability and skills.
4. Establish your niche medical field
Medical writing covers various medical niches, including pharmacy, pharmacology, and botany. You may choose one of these fields and continuously develop content to master it. Create a portfolio of your best writing in that field as you improve. Employers may require you to submit a portfolio with your application as it enables them to understand your work and skills quickly.
5. Gain professional experience
Put your skills into practice by working for relevant companies. Work experience may help you understand the medical writer’s work environment and employers’ expectations of you. You may develop transferable skills, allowing you to explore related career options like a medical editor or data analyst.
Professional experience may also increase your self-confidence and make you independent. Consider taking entry-level roles in these companies as a laboratory assistant or medical researcher to develop skills that may promote you to the medical writer role.
6. Network with other professionals
Networking may increase your chances of success as a medical writer. It allows you to understand industry trends, access job opportunities, and get career advice and support. Joining a professional association may let the employer know your commitment to the industry and motivate them to hire you.
Employers may also hire you because they expect you to bring your industry knowledge and connections to their company. Consider joining the Medical Writers Association to strengthen your business connections and raise your profile.
7. Develop your skills
Dedicate time to developing your skills by learning protocols and guidelines specific to highly specialized fields. For example, if you’re a writer for a pharmaceutical company, it’s essential to write about food and drug regulations. You may develop your skills by expanding your medical vocabulary and learning relevant software programs.
Also, you must familiarize yourself with writing software programs and their uses in making charts and graphs. You can also learn about the various forms of medical writing, such as regulatory writing, continuing medical education (C.M.E.) writing, and consumer health writing.
Salary and Job Outlook of Medical Writer
According to Talent.com, the average salary of a medical writer in Canada is $100,600 per year. Consider a career in medical writing due to the industry’s growth potential. According to the Government of Canada, new job openings arising from expansion demand may total 15,700 over 2019-2028.
There’s a high demand for professionals in this role because pharmaceutical companies and government agencies require them. They need influential medical writers who can convey medical information in a straightforward but specialized manner.
Education and Eligibility
A strong foundation is essential for a successful career in medical writing. A bachelor’s degree in life sciences, medicine, or another comparable field is frequently the recommended first step. Still, other routes can be taken, such as having excellent science communication abilities and relevant professional experience.
Certification in Medical writing course helps you improve your skills even more while providing you with the specific knowledge and capabilities you need to handle the industry’s complex issues.
Working Environment of a Medical Writer in Canada
Medical writers can be freelance writers or full-time employees in a medical writing, regulatory, or medical communications agency. Freelance medical writers may have more flexibility with jobs and clients, while in-house medical writers may have better job security. Medical writers typically work with deadlines and interact with people based on their position, the type of writing, and the work environment.
Skills of a Medical Writer
- Writing: Medical writers need strong writing skills. These skills enable them to adjust their writing style and communicate with readers.
- Mastery of English: Medical writers may also require a brilliant understanding of English for clear and precise communication in various written formats. Understanding the English language allows medical writers to structure complex information.
- Research: Medical writers use research skills to find and evaluate helpful information about a topic. Drafting medically accurate and regulation-compliant documents requires sufficient research.
- Editing: Medical writers are usually experts in checking errors and inaccuracies. Their editing skills often help when they verify references, review their writings, and submit articles or theses.
- Time management: This includes organization, prioritization, and planning. They help the medical writer productively use their resources when writing to meet deadlines without compromising quality.
Conclusion
There, you have a comprehensive guide to becoming a medical writer in Canada. Apply Now!