Freelance Medical Writer Jobs: How to get Started

The Freelance medical writer field is referred to as the most accidental field of entry. A high percentage of medical writers never went into freelance writing to be medical writers. They accidentally ended up there. But there are things they all have in common. Secondary Education. There are four fields that seem to produce the most accidental medical writers.

1. Science Degree
2. Journalism Degree
3. Medical Degree
4. Communication Degree
5. Setting up a Business

• Science Degree

Many of the writers that have come to become medical writers, have some sort of a science degree. Mostly this is because medicine involves many different fields of science, not just medicine itself. So there are many sub-niches that fall in the medical field, and this opens doors for many science majors. Such as engineering can be used in many different sub-fields, like prosthetics. Or a Chemist could be used in pharmacology or working with many different areas in medicine.



• Journalism Degree

A journalism degree, means the writer known not only how to write, but how to research as well. They can be used where the information is gathered, but needs to be presented in a way that many can understand. Knowing how to present words and phrases that can develop a high level of readability amongst the populace.



• Medical Degree

A good number of medical writers come from the medical research field. They already have writing skills, from doing research articles and reports. Sometimes an article they wrote will get them requested to write articles for other companies or researchers. So they end up becoming a medical writer on the side, and some even move to this full time. With their knowledge in medicine, and their writing skills, they make excellent research writers.



• Communication Degrees

Communication majors are just like Journalism majors in that they have many of the same skills. The difference here is, that many Communication majors are more adept in the field of research than journalism majors are. Journalism majors who have worked with newspapers and tv, have lost much of their research skills. Communication majors that have worked in the field are used to constantly research for what they are working on.



• Setting up a Business

Now for the hard part. Setting up a business is in three parts, develop a website, set up a payment account, and promotion. Potential clients need to see your work, a website is beneficial. Using a payment system that the client can pay into makes it easier to be paid quicker. Promoting what has been written and what skills the writer has essential.