How To Turn into A Medical Author And Make $100,000 Every Yr

Trying to study learn how to turn out to be a medical author? Right here’s how you’ll find freelance medical writing jobs and work at home.

Right now, I’ve a fantastic interview about learn how to turn out to be a medical author with Austin Ulrich.

Austin began his freelance medical writing enterprise in 2019 and grew it on the facet for over 3 years. He finally stop his job as a pharmacist and now works full-time as a medical author.

He presently earns round $200,000 annually as a contract medical author.

Austin can also be a blogger. On his weblog austinulrich.com, he writes about creating freedom and time by incomes and preserving extra revenue. 

Right now’s interview solutions questions comparable to:

• What’s medical writing?
• What’s a contract medical author?
• Who hires medical writers?
• How a lot are you able to earn as a medical author?
• Do I would like a medical diploma to turn out to be a medical author?

Right now’s interview will enable you get began and even perhaps introduce you to a brand new technique to earn money from residence.

Associated content material on learn how to turn out to be a medical author:

How To Turn into A Medical Author

1. Please give us a bit of background on your self and what led you to turn out to be a medical author.

If you happen to had informed me 5 years in the past that I’d be working my very own enterprise as an expert author, I by no means would have believed you. I used to be busy ending up pharmacy faculty and specializing in what would come subsequent for me – 2 years of residency and a lifelong profession as a pharmacist. 

However by a collection of life occasions and experiences, I received into freelance medical writing and final yr made about double the revenue I might make working as a full-time pharmacist.

I had no concept that medical writing existed till early 2019 after I was wanting up methods to earn more money on-line. I attempted a lot of various things, from on-line tutoring to transcription providers and even educating piano classes, however nothing caught.

However after I realized about medical writing, I knew that it was one thing I may go for and have probability of success. I’ve at all times been form of a grammar nerd, and as I look again, I’ve gotten quite a lot of suggestions all through my years of college that my writing was fairly good.

After studying rather a lot concerning the occupation, I arrange a easy web site (screenshot beneath) and launched my freelance medical writing enterprise, Ulrich Medical Writing, LLC in July 2019.

Subsequent got here the onerous half – discovering shoppers and constructing a gradual stream of revenue. And I used to be the first breadwinner for our household of 4 (on the time, now it’s 6 – spouse + 4 children!), so I couldn’t take as a lot threat as if I have been going solo. It needed to be constructed steadily over time.

It took a number of years to construct up my facet hustle (with many 60+ hour weeks) till I had a stable historical past of constant revenue.

I stop my job as a pharmacist in Might 2022 and have been a full-time freelance medical author ever since.

Medical writing has allowed me to develop my entrepreneurial ventures, and I’ve just lately been engaged on my weblog the place I write about what’s new in medical writing, like AI tools for medical writing, and different ideas for aspiring medical writers.

2. What do you want about being a medical author? How has it modified your life?

My favourite a part of being a medical author is seeing how the ultimate deliverable comes collectively. I like the appear and feel of a high-quality piece that I’ve put hours into, and that exceeds expectations for my shoppers.

I additionally love the freelance a part of medical writing, because it permits me to have full management over my schedule, which initiatives I take or flip down, and the way a lot I cost. It’s additionally an enormous bonus that my work is 100% distant, so I can work anyplace I’ve my laptop computer and an web connection.

As I look again over the previous few years of rising my medical writing enterprise, I notice how important my pharmacy background has been. Early on, having the PharmD (Physician of Pharmacy) credential was an essential advertising and marketing device, demonstrating my worth to potential shoppers. 

So despite the fact that I’m not a training pharmacist, I preserve my licenses and credentials as a result of I’ve appreciated how that a part of my life performs a task in being a medical author.

Right now I’ve extra time with my household, extra flexibility with my schedule, and a better revenue than I initially anticipated to earn throughout my pharmacist profession.

It wasn’t straightforward, but it surely’s been value it. 

3. What’s medical writing? What’s a contract medical author?

That’s in all probability the most typical query I get lately. Once I inform individuals I’m a medical author, they form of give me a clean stare after which ask, “what’s medical writing?”

Despite the fact that most individuals haven’t heard of it earlier than, you’d be shocked how usually in your each day life you encounter one thing a medical author has created.

Medical writing is the method of creating scientific or medical paperwork and supplies that talk info to healthcare professionals, researchers, sufferers, and most of the people. It’s a broad definition, and medical writers can work in quite a lot of totally different areas.

Anytime you learn medical info on-line, it was possible created by a medical author and certain reviewed by a healthcare skilled. 

Medical writing additionally consists of creating supplies like scientific and medical journal articles which might be printed in peer-reviewed journals, healthcare skilled training slide decks and paperwork, and regulatory paperwork for pharmaceutical firms.

A contract medical author is somebody who gives medical writing providers to firms on a contract foundation. Many firms, comparable to healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical firms, and medical communications companies, have on-staff writers that deal with most of their content material.

However when somebody has a mission that exceeds the bandwidth of their workers writers, that’s the place freelancers are available. Freelance medical writing is much like common freelance writing, but it surely’s extra specialised.

Many firms additionally work with freelance medical writers commonly as a result of it really works nicely with the ebb and move of their content material course of.

4. Who hires medical writers?

Any firm that produces written supplies possible hires medical writers.

In keeping with the American Medical Writers Affiliation (AMWA), there are various sorts of firms that rent medical writers, together with contract analysis organizations, medical training firms, authorities companies, and extra.

I’ve personally labored with a number of sorts of firms on this checklist. Many of those firms are interconnected within the net of medical info, so the deliverables I’ve created for my direct shoppers additionally move by to peer-reviewed medical journals, pharmaceutical firms, {and professional} affiliation supplies.

5. How a lot do you earn as a medical author? What number of hours do you spend every week on medical writing?

Employed medical writers and freelance medical writers are likely to have barely totally different revenue ranges.

In keeping with a 2019 medical writer salary survey performed by AMWA, employed medical writers make a median gross annual revenue of $107,000, with a spread of $79,000-$112,000. And freelance medical writers make a median gross annual revenue of $151,000, with a spread of $77,000 to $203,000.

If you begin working as a medical author, you’ll are likely to earn extra on the decrease finish of the vary (and should you work fewer hours). The extra expertise you get, your wage is more likely to enhance after a number of years towards the upper finish of the vary.

The very first mission I secured as a contract medical author was a $4,000 mission creating 8 slide decks for a medical convention, and I ended up making about $75 per hour. Since then I’ve gotten higher at estimating how lengthy sure initiatives will take. I’m additionally extra environment friendly in how I work, in order that helps elevate my “efficient hourly price” as nicely.

I spend about 30-35 hours per week on medical writing on common. As a result of nature of freelancing, some weeks are 40+ hours and a few weeks are lower than 30 hours.

I’ve discovered that the easiest way to earn “efficient hourly price” as a contract medical author is to cost by the mission. So whereas I’ve an thought of an hourly price that I’d prefer to make, I at all times cost by the mission as a result of it leads to higher incentives for me and the consumer. 

Charging by the hour incentivizes the author to spend as a lot time as they’ll to create the deliverable to allow them to invoice the utmost quantity. With mission charges, the author is incentivized to spend much less time, however nonetheless create a top quality product because it’s their title on the road. In the long run, the consumer has a high-quality deliverable sooner.

6. Can anybody turn out to be a medical author? What professions would this be match for? What {qualifications} do it’s good to be a medical author?

There are not any set necessities to turn out to be a medical author, so technically anybody can turn out to be a medical author. That mentioned, you’ll have to persuade potential employers or shoppers to rent you.

In case you have a background as a medical or medical analysis skilled, this generally is a enormous benefit to entering into medical writing. You’ll possible have already got the technical information wanted to know medical info – you’d simply have to concentrate on honing your writing abilities.

There are lots of docs, pharmacists, nurses, and PhDs which might be profitable medical writers.

On the opposite finish of the spectrum, many medical writers have a bachelor’s diploma in communications or journalism and so they study the medical half by programs or certifications.

7. How can an individual discover their first medical writing job? How can an individual get into medical writing with no expertise?

The primary medical writing job is at all times the toughest. If you happen to’re seeking to be employed as a medical author (suppose W-2 worker), most job postings say that you simply want 3-5 years of expertise. In order that results in the conundrum, how do you get expertise should you can’t get a job?

My suggestion is to emphasise what abilities and expertise you do have. I had written a number of scientific articles and slide decks in pharmacy faculty and residency. So these have been my writing samples that demonstrated I may write nicely.

If you happen to don’t have any samples of your writing, create some! After studying extra about what kind(s) of medical writing you need to do, decide a subject you’re excited by and create a 2-3 web page article or 10-slide deck. Even these small samples display that you realize what you’re speaking about and may put collectively high-quality supplies.

Getting began as a contract medical author with no expertise tends to be a bit tougher than with freelance writing in different fields, however when you get into medical writing, your incomes potential will be larger, at the same time as a newbie. 

8. Is there demand for medical writers?

Since I’ve gotten into medical writing, the necessity for medical writers has solely elevated. In keeping with AMWA, there was growing demand for medical writers in recent times.

I imagine demand will proceed to rise as a result of there are at all times new medication being created that must be written about, and new analysis being achieved within the medical area.

Medical writers play an essential position in speaking that info precisely.

It’s additionally value mentioning that medical modifying is a completely separate, however associated, area of medical communications. Medical editors are usually extra centered on checking paperwork for grammar and elegance, and the work is much less artistic than writing the paperwork. 

However medical editors are additionally a key a part of the medical communications world, and also you’ll discover editors working for medical and scientific journals, healthcare organizations, and different firms, ensuring written supplies are optimized and proper earlier than going out into the general public area.

9. Is it onerous to get a medical writing job?

As talked about above, it may be troublesome to get your first medical writing job. It’s going to in all probability require some networking and speaking with potential employers or shoppers to get you a greater probability of getting employed. 

Merely filling out job purposes with none “actual” medical writing expertise will not be as efficient, as a result of your utility could get rejected routinely in the course of the screening course of.

When you’ve landed your first medical writing job or freelance gig, be sure you do a fantastic job. That turns into your greatest advertising and marketing device – in case your shoppers just like the work you do, you’ll by no means have a scarcity of alternatives.

10. What different ideas do you will have for somebody who desires to turn out to be a medical author?

My #1 tip for anybody excited by medical writing is to take a look at the AMWA.org web site. They’ve tons of assets for studying about medical writing and learn how to get began. 

If you happen to’re critical about medical writing and also you don’t have a lot expertise with the medical area or with writing, taking a medical writing certification course just like the Essential Skills Certificate Program from AMWA can assist you get the fundamental information and abilities it’s good to get began.

Once I was first beginning as a medical author, I joined AMWA and located my first few shoppers by the job board on their web site. I additionally attended the annual medical writing convention and received to community with different established and aspiring medical writers.

You’ll additionally discover that many medical writers (myself included!) are greater than keen to share ideas or speak about what works to get into medical writing. 

Finally, medical writing is a good occupation that’s solely going to develop within the coming years. Writing isn’t for everybody, however if in case you have a knack for placing sentences collectively, you’re excited by medical or scientific matters, and also you’re keen to place within the work, you will be profitable as a medical author!

How To Discover Medical Writing Jobs

I hope you loved right this moment’s interview on learn how to turn out to be a medical author.

Medical writing implies that you can be writing on the subject of medication or well being care, however you don’t must be a health care provider or have a Ph.D. to get began with some medical writing jobs. As an alternative, some medical writers have a bachelor’s diploma in communications or journalism, after which they study the medical half by programs or certifications that they take. For instance, you could resolve to take some life sciences, chemistry, or biology programs so as to get began.

As a medical author, you could be working for a lot of totally different sorts of shoppers, comparable to pharmaceutical firms, medical gadget firms, medical colleges, tutorial establishments, on-line publishers, biotechnology firms, medical professionals, scientists, and a lot extra. Chances are you’ll be writing promoting or advertising and marketing supplies, abstracts, weblog posts, instructional supplies, manuscripts, journal articles, and extra.

The typical wage or revenue of a contract medical author can range, however you could possibly earn between round $75,000 to over $200,000 per yr.

Do you need to discover ways to turn out to be a medical author so as to discover medical writing jobs?