Medical Writer Job Description

Medical writing is a niche yet special field – it takes a seasoned professional to convey medical details, documents, research, procedures, and instructions clearly. With such important materials, it’s imperative that a medical writer is detail-oriented and clear. 

If you’re on the lookout for an exceptional medical writer but don’t know where to start, then posting a great job description is the first step to attracting the right candidates. 

Scroll down below to view the sample template, which should only serve as a guide and may be edited according to your organization’s needs. We also provide a comprehensive description of the role below.

Medical Writer Job Description Template

About the Company

This is where you make a first impression with prospective hires. In this section, write a concise paragraph about your company and what candidates can expect from working with your team. 

Here are a few details you may include in your introduction: 

• Products & services

• Company size

• Company’s mission & goals

• Key clients

• Company culture & work environment 

Medical Writer Job Description

As a medical writer, you will be responsible for writing documents, articles, journals, brochures, and product manuals for our organization. You will cover topics in clinical trials, treatments, procedures, medical devices, pharmaceutical drugs, medical research/breakthroughs, and other educational materials. 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Write and edit high-quality medical journals, abstracts, white papers, articles, brochures, regulatory documents, and product manuals about healthcare-related topics such as [new medicinal discoveries/treatments, educational materials, clinical research, and product instructions]. <Omit what is not applicable/add what is applicable> 

• Communicate with medical experts, patients, or representatives from pharmaceutical companies for medical resources and verifications. 

• Conduct research on [treatments, illnesses, diseases, pharmaceutical drugs, clinical studies, and medical products]. <Unless you have a research specialist>

• Create content calendars and timelines for our website, newsletters, and PR.

• Conduct interviews with subject matter experts, healthcare thought leaders and providers about medical breakthroughs.  

• Identify industry trends by reviewing related literature searches.

• Collaborate and verify data with our internal study team.

• Thoroughly study reports and cross-check information. 

• Conduct frequent and thorough quality control checks on each submission. <Unless you have a proofreader> 

• Ensure that documents adheres to the organization’s writing guidelines, and are appropriately stored and organized. 

Skills

• Broad & In-Depth Expertise in Clinical Concepts and Regulations

• Journalism

• Technical Writing 

• Analytical Thinking

• Critical Thinking

• Literature Research

• Data Interpretation

• Project Management

• Medical Communications

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in journalism, English, life science, biology, research, statistics, or any related field. 

• A Master’s Degree in life science, biology, medical science, or any related medical field. <Optional according to your requirements>

• 3+ years of writing experience in the healthcare or pharmaceutical industry.

• Experience in managing multiple content and studies at different stages. 

• Great attention to detail. 

• Excellent verbal communication skills.

• Exceptional technical writing skills.

• Knowledge of medical terminologies and jargon.

What Is Medical Writing? 

Medical writing is the creation and distribution of relevant materials related to the field of medicine or healthcare. It requires extensive knowledge in both writing and science, which demands candidates to have quite a niche and specific skill set. 

The main purpose of medical writing is to communicate medical advancements, clinical breakthroughs, and new research to the public and healthcare professionals. Thus, it’s important for a medical writer to demonstrate creativity, rigorous research, and keen attention to detail.

What Does a Medical Writer Do?

Medical writers communicate scientific and medical data to various audiences, ranging from the general public to doctors and the academe. A medical writer can create various content formats such as journals, news articles, brochures, and blog posts for the purpose of educating and informing. 

Thus, this role is not only increasingly in-demand but also extremely essential in today’s modern society as technological and medical advancements have been consistent. 

Should Medical Writer Certifications be a Prerequisite? 

Not many companies require their candidates to have a medical writing certification, but it is definitely a plus. However, it’s important to note that a medical writing certification can’t exactly replace a bachelor’s or master’s degree in such a technical and relevant field. A medical writer candidate must demonstrate broad domain knowledge nonetheless. 

Here are some credible medical writer certificates good candidates may possess: 

• Certification from American Medical Writers Association

• Professional Certificate in Medical Writing from UC Sandiego

• Professional Diploma in Medical Writing from James Lind Institute

• Henry Harvin’s Medical Writing Course

• UConn Medical Writing Certificate from School of Pharmacy