ASPIRE’s Curated Career Resources: Medical Writing and Communication
If you are interested in a career in writing or communications, having a portfolio of writing samples (in addition to your peer-reviewed journal articles) will be important, as will being able to showcase other ways you’ve been involved or gained experience. Take a look to see if any of these ideas might be helpful to you as you build your writing and science communication skills.
Writing Opportunities
ASPIRE Annual Report; BRET Office of Career Development (inquire with Kate Stuart: kate.stuart@vanderbilt.edu)
Basically Speaking, Newsletter for the Basic Sciences School of Medicine at VU
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-sciences/basically-speaking-newsletter-archive/
Scientista Foundation (Women in STEM) – internships and blog opportunities
http://www.scientistafoundation.com/
StemPeers – fellowship and intern opportunities
https://stempeers.org/
SciWri Club – internships and blog opportunies
https://sciwri.club/
Professional Societies:
AMWA American Medical Writer’s Assn: www.amwa.org
Southeast Chapter: https://amwa-southeast.org/
Program to showcase your writing:
Contently (can set up a free portfolio): https://contently.net/
Campus Resources:
Biomedical Research and the Media: Topics for this module include writing stories for print journalism, media relations, social media, and media training in interviewing. Participants will complete three writing assignments during the module. At the conclusion of this module, participants will understand the process of interviewing one or more sources and writing a publishable news story on a biomedical research or health topic; understand the daily interactions between the local and national media and a medical center such as Vanderbilt that seeks to influence both public health and its national reputation via media relations; and understand the key role of social media in the modern media environment.
Practical Strategies for Strong Writing: In this module, experts from the Vanderbilt Writing Studio teach scientists to become more effective writers. Sessions focus on understanding reader expectations, foundational principles of argumentative structure, and writing cohesive paragraphs and sentences. A third session is held that consists of a hands-on workshop, working with consultants at the writing studio to assist participants with a piece of their own work. The practical strategies taught in this module can be applied to all types of documents, from grant applications to peer-reviewed manuscripts.
ASPIRE Internships: various, throughout the year
https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/career-development/aspire-internships/
Vanderbilt Writing Studio: writing support, resources, and annual writing consultant positions (paid): https://www.vanderbilt.edu/writing/
CSET 5100 Advanced Science Communication Tools and Techniques
https://as.vanderbilt.edu/cst/
CSET 5100 is a one-semester graduate-level course focused on building skills for communicating ideas in science. Required readings including news articles, essays, feature-length articles, books, blogs, press releases, and other works. In addition to written work, students will create written and multimedia projects to present science information. Students will learn to recognize and critique the structure and content of science reportage. In graded assignments, students will apply that knowledge to craft. They will develop skills in interviewing, storytelling, organizing, fact-checking, choosing a structure, and using appropriate multimedia tools to tell a story directed at a particular audience.
National Resources
Science Writing News Roundup newsletter: https://sciencewriting.substack.com/
AAAS Mass Media Fellowship (applications open Oct-Jan)
https://www.aaas.org/programs/mass-media-fellowship
This 10-week summer program places science, engineering, and mathematics students at media organizations nationwide. Fellows use their academic training as they research, write, and report today’s headlines, sharpening their abilities to communicate complex scientific issues to the public.
Nascent Medical, LLC (Emma Hitt Medical Writing): https://nascentmc.com/
Sign up for free weekly email (The Hitt List) containing freelance and staff medical writing opportunities as well information about the 6-week course Emma Hitt offers. The BRET Office has a binder of the slides from this entire course that you may borrow to review.
Whitsell Innovations, Inc., Internship (applications open Jan –Feb)
https://www.whitsellinnovations.com/careers/
Whitsell Innovations (WI), Inc., is a full-service medical and scientific writing company headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the 1st quarter of each year, we accept applications for our internship program. Our internship is a paid position requiring a ~10-hour commitment per week, over up to 18 months. Our ideal candidates are PhD-level scientists who are considering transitioning from their postdoctoral laboratory position into a career in industry; however, all applicants with an appropriate scientific background will be considered. A passion for science, writing talent, a strong work ethic, and a desire to learn about written communication in a regulated environment are prerequisites for our program. Topics the interns will learn include:
- An overview of scientific communication in the life science industries (pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device)
- How to interpret and apply the documentation that governs medical and scientific communication from: the Food and Drug Administration (and other global regulatory authorities), the International Congress on Harmonization, and the US Code of Federal Regulations
- Medical and scientific publications and publication planning
- Pharmacovigilance research and writing
The Med Writers – part-time/freelance, full time and internships
https://themedwriters.com/
A small medical writing company, The Med Writers, is looking for medical writers who have a medical or biomedical degree and some writing talent. This could be freelance or a permanent position depending on your availability. We write for medical, scientific, educated and non-educated audiences, and do all types of marketing and technical writing projects.
This is a telecommute position, where you work from home. You must have your own computer with Internet access and Microsoft Word. We communicate via email, phone, Skype, Hangouts and other online means. After you write and submit assignments, whenever possible we will send back an edited version showing you corrections so you can learn what each client prefers. This position is for someone who embraces feedback in order to improve.
Requirements
The qualifications are set out below. Please DO NOT apply if you do not meet all or most of these qualifications.
- Available for freelance, part-time or full-time telecommute writing position
- Must have a biology or related Bachelor’s degree
- Must have a Masters in science writing or MD, PhD or related medical/biomedical degree
- Some experience with medical/scientific writing (would be nice if you’ve written articles for a lay audience before)
Resources compiled and updated by Aubrie Stricker, PhD Candidate, Cell and Developmental Biology
Do you have other resources you would like to share? Reach out to Ashley at ashley.brady@vanderbilt.edu