How To Become A Medical Copywriter: A Complete Guide
The field of Medical Writing is a fast growing path for those who want to get involved with the technical side of things in Pharmaceutical Industry or Healthcare Profession.
With a background in the healthcare industry and having worked as a Writer for two years, I want to share some insight on how you can start your career in this field of work.
What Are Medical Writers?
Medical communicators are responsible for writing, editing and formatting content for a variety of media.
They work with physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers to produce materials such as articles and brochures. These individuals are in high demand because they help educate people about their health conditions. They also inspire them to take action on their own behalf.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical writers earned an average annual salary of $81,470 in 2021. So as you can see it is definitely profitable to be a healthcare copywriter
What does a medical copywriter Do?
Medical copywriters are professionals who create content for medical companies. They write website content for search engine optimization, brochures and other marketing materials for doctors and other healthcare professionals. Medical copywriters also write press releases, web articles and email marketing content.
Medical copywriters typically work for marketing departments of pharmaceutical companies or advertising agencies that specialize in the healthcare industry. They may also work as freelance writers or editors.
Medical copywriters usually have at least a bachelor’s degree in English or journalism. Some employers prefer applicants with graduate degrees in these fields. They also possess excellent writing skills, but they also need to understand medical terminology and the way information is presented to patients and doctors.
Medical copywriter Salary
How much do medical copywriters make?
Medical copywriters earn an average of $81,000 annually. The highest paid medical copywriters make more than $100,000 per year.
Medical copywriters typically work 40 hours per week. They may work on-site in doctors’ offices or from home. Many medical copywriters freelance and are self-employed, but some work for large companies like pharmaceutical companies or hospitals.
The median hourly wage for medical writers was $39.17 in May 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The top 10 percent made more than $60.10 per hour, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $23.51 per hour.
How popular/profitable is medical copywriting?
Medical copywriting is a growing field, and for good reason. The healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing in our economy, and many people are becoming more aware of their health and wellness than ever before.
The growth of this industry has led to an increase in demand for medical copywriters who can create compelling content for websites, blogs, newsletters, brochures and other marketing materials.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of writers and authors is expected to grow 4 percent from 2021-31. The BLS also reports that employment of medical writers is expected to grow by 24 percent during this period. This makes it one of the hottest careers in writing right now!
How to become a medical copywriter?
To become a copywriter in the medical field, you will need to be able to write clear and concise ads, brochures and other documents that explain to people how their new product or service works. You will also need to be able to create persuasive sales pitches that tell the reader why they should buy your product over another similar one.
You can specialize in medical copywriting if you have a degree in writing or communications. You can also learn by taking courses at community colleges or online courses offered through websites like Udemy.com or Coursera.org.
While there are no specific requirements for becoming a medical copywriter, you will need to be able to write well and quickly and have an eye for detail. You also need great interpersonal skills because you will be working closely with clients from all over the world and must be able to understand their needs and communicate with them effectively.
What are the requirements for being a good medical copywriter?
The essential requirements of this position include:
Excellent communication skills. Medical copywriters must be able to write clear and concise language that is easy to understand by a wide range of people.
Knowledge of medical terminology. The copywriter should have a good understanding of how different drugs work and the side effects they may cause. They also need to know how to use technical language appropriate for their audience.
Knowledge of SEO best practices. Medical marketers must be able to write content that is optimized for search engines, so they can increase their website traffic and sales leads from organic search results.
Excellent writing skills. The ability to write compelling copy is an essential skill for any medical copywriter. This includes being able to write clearly and persuasively about products such as medical devices, services or medical conditions so people are more likely to make purchases from you rather than your competitors.
How much does it cost to become a medical copywriter?
The cost of becoming a medical copywriter varies depending on the company and your experience level. A good way to get started is by taking a course or certificate program to learn the basics.
Courses range from $200 to $600, which is a small investment compared to the amount you could make if you’re successful as a medical copywriter. Once you’ve completed your course, you’ll be ready for an entry-level job as a medical writer with little or no experience.
If you already have some medical writing experience and just want to enhance your skills, there are many seminars available that teach the latest in medical marketing techniques. These seminars start at around $300 per day but can run into thousands of dollars depending on how long they last and who’s teaching them.
Once you’ve got your training under your belt, it’s time to look for work as a freelance medical copywriter. This option allows you to work from home while looking after family members or running other businesses — whatever suits your lifestyle best!
What kind of educational background is required for becoming a medical copywriter?
Medical copywriters are usually required to have an advanced degree in a field related to health care, such as nursing, MD or PharmD. They also need to be able to write well and be familiar with medical data.
The education you need for this career depends on where you work and what you’ll do. If you’re writing for a pharmaceutical company, for example, it would help if you have a degree in pharmacology or medicine. If you’re writing for medical device companies, it would help if you had training in engineering or science.
You can find lots of good information online about what kind of education is required for becoming a medical copywriter. Check out the website of the American Medical Writers’ Association (AMWA) which offers resources on how to get started in this field.
Medical Copywriter Courses
Here are some of the best places to find medical copywriter courses:
Coursera
Coursera offers courses specialized in technical writing. The courses included are technical writing fundamentals, business writing, technical writing for the web, and technical writing for scientists.
Each course has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars (out of over 1,000 reviews). All the courses take two to six months to complete and are free to audit before enrolling in them if you’re not sure this specialization is right for you.
With the 7-day free trial option available with no obligation to pay anything until after your first month of enrollment, Coursera is one of our top picks for places where you can find medical copywriter courses online!
Udemy
Udemy is an online platform for learning, offering more than 80,000 courses in almost every subject you can think of. Udemy’s medical copywriter courses are taught by industry experts and cover topics like creating sales-oriented emails, writing compelling ad copy and understanding the psychology behind why people buy things.
One thing that separates Udemy from other online learning sites is its price. You can get these medical copywriter courses for much cheaper than traditional college tuition (which often costs thousands of dollars).
edX
edX is an online learning platform that offers courses from top universities and institutions, including Harvard, MIT and Berkeley. It’s free to take the classes (though there are fees for certification) which means you can learn medical copywriting at your own pace.
Alison
Alison is a UK-based online course provider. They have a wide range of courses, including medical copywriting. The courses are self-paced and you can study at your own pace. They’re also free to take—you just need to register with Alison first.
If you pass the course, they’ll award you with an official certificate of completion which you can chose to pay for or not.
Skillshare
Skillshare offers courses in a wide range of topics, ranging from digital marketing to coding to photography and beyond. You can learn medical copywriting from Skillshare, too!
With over $100 million in scholarships awarded to students since it was founded in 2008, Skillshare is a great place to find online educational resources. And it’s no wonder—the site has a solid reputation for offering quality information on all things related to entrepreneurship, careers and education.
With so many options available from this one platform alone there’s no excuse not to be able to score yourself some knowledge-filled classes at an affordable price point!
OpenLearn
OpenLearn is a free online learning platform from the Open University, offering courses on a variety of topics. The materials are available to download and print. The courses are designed to be accessible for everyone regardless of their previous experience or qualifications. Some courses include formal assessment, but most do not.
MIT OpenCourseWare
MIT OpenCourseWare is an online learning platform that offers over 2,000 courses in a wide variety of subjects. It’s designed for independent learners and lifelong learners looking to build on their existing knowledge. Here you can explore topics of interest or take your new skills and concepts to the next level.
The site also has a community of more than 1 million learners from around the world that you can connect with through forums, chat rooms and social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook.
Academic Earth
Academic Earth is a free online learning platform that offers more than 1,000 online courses, including about 50 on medical writing. The course topics include research skills, how to write for the web and print media and how to create an effective marketing plan.
While these subjects will help you develop a solid foundation in medical writing and communication, it’s not quite enough to prepare you for your career as a medical copywriter.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a free online learning platform that offers courses in math, science, economics and more. It also provides a course on medical copywriting and you can take it at your own pace.
Canvas Network
This website is a free online platform that allows you to create and share courses. Canvas Network is used by universities, colleges and other institutions to offer online courses. If you are interested in finding medical copywriting courses, Canvas Network is a great place to start your search!
Stanford Online
This is also is a free online education initiative by Stanford University. Stanford Online offers free online courses in many subjects, including medical copywriting.
Class Central
Class Central is a search engine for online courses, much like Coursera or Udemy. If you are looking for free medical copywriting courses, Class Central has compiled a list of the best resources out there. You can also use the platform to find paid online medical copywriting classes if you have the money and time to invest in it.
MOOC List
If you are looking for a free online course on medical copywriting, MOOC List is probably the best place to start. A “MOOC” stands for “massive open online course,” and this site lists free courses from top universities around the world.
The site currently has over 12,000 courses listed. So it can be difficult to sift through all the options unless you know exactly what you’re looking for. If you search for “medical copywriter,” however, MOOC List will show several relevant results at once—all of which are free!
Who Hires Medical Writers?
Medical copywriters are hired by a variety of different entities, including hospitals and medical device manufacturers. They may also be hired by pharmaceutical companies or publishing companies that write educational materials.
In addition, some freelance medical writers take on the role of ghostwriter for doctors and other healthcare professionals who want to write their own books but lack the time or resources to do so themselves.
The Best Places To Find Medical Copywriter Jobs
The best place to start looking for medical writing jobs is on job boards. These sites are easy to find and provide a great opportunity to get your foot in the door with some of the larger companies in this field.
Additionally, you can search these sites by location, so you will be able to see more opportunities near where you live or want to work.
If you prefer to be a remote medical copywriter, check out our other post here to find positions: 22 best places to find remote copywriter Jobs (Ultimate Guide)
Here are some of the best places to find medical copywriter jobs:
Indeed
Indeed is a good place to start your search. It’s easy to search for jobs by location and keyword. But like other job boards, you’ll want to filter the results by salary range and job title so that you’re not overwhelmed with thousands of irrelevant options.
LinkedIn is a great place to find new jobs, especially if you’re looking for work in your area. “You can narrow your search down by keyword or location,”. “For example, if you are searching for positions in Dallas, Texas, simply type ‘medical writing jobs dallas’ into the search bar.”
- Use the Job Search Tool. It’s free to post your resume, and you can also browse open positions in your area.
- Post Your Resume. It’s easy to share a link to your profile with hiring managers who are looking for someone like you!
- Look at Ads on Facebook. There are tons of ads posted by companies looking for candidates. Be sure not to miss out on these opportunities by opting out of seeing ads from your favorite brands!
- Join Groups That Interest You and Seek Advice From Other Professionals in Your Field Of Work
Craigslist
Craigslist is a great place to look for jobs, and it’s free. You can post your resume and browse the listings. It’s not reliable because employers will often post fake job postings as a way to get information about you like your email address. So be careful when responding with personal information!
In some cities, Craigslist is still the best way to find medical copywriter jobs from home.
FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a job search engine for telecommuting, remote and flexible jobs. The site has over 10,000 remote and flexible job listings in over 40 categories.
Mediabistro
Mediabistro is a good place to find medical copywriter jobs. You can search for jobs by location and category. There are many jobs posted on Mediabistro, and you can also find freelance writing jobs.
Remote.io
- Remote.io is a great resource if you’re looking for remote jobs. They have a ton of listings in general, and even more specifically for medical copywriters. But be warned—many of their listings require that you be physically located in the same city as the company hiring (at least at first). However, if your job search includes a move out of state, this can be an excellent way to find opportunities before you relocate!
JournalismJobs.com
If you’re a journalist or other media professional, JournalismJobs.com is one of the best places to find medical copywriter jobs. It’s a job board for journalists and other media professionals with openings for medical copywriters. The jobs are posted by media companies, news organizations, PR firms and marketing agencies, and individual freelancers.
This site has hundreds of listings from all over the world. The United States is its biggest market by far but it also covers Canada, India, Europe, Australia/New Zealand/South Africa etc.
Jobspresso
Jobspresso is a job board specifically for copywriters and content marketers. It’s also the place to find medical copywriter jobs, both nationally and internationally.
The website has job listings from a variety of sources, including large companies like Microsoft and smaller firms that specialize in writing or design work.
You can browse through the site by company or location. For example, if you’re looking for medical copywriter jobs in New York City, you can see all of them listed on one page with just a few clicks.
All of Jobspresso’s listings are free to access—there’s no charge to apply for any position listed on their site.
Guru.com
Guru.com is a freelance marketplace that connects businesses with talented freelancers. The company was founded in 1998 and has since grown to offer more than 700,000 jobs across all industries, including copywriting.
Since Guru is one of the top sites on the web for finding freelance work, it’s no wonder they have a very active copywriting community. On average, there are more than 20 new freelance writing jobs posted every day (including medical copywriting). So you’ll have plenty of opportunities to apply!
PeoplePerHour.com
PeoplePerHour is another platform that connects freelancers and clients. It’s a good place to find medical copywriter jobs. It also has plenty of other opportunities for freelancers who are looking for work. The company has a pool of over 1 million clients from all around the world. So if you’re looking for a job on PeoplePerHour, there are plenty of opportunities to choose from!
The interface is pretty intuitive, making it easy for new users to understand what they need to do in order to start taking on projects. However, if you’ve never used this site before and don’t know how it works then check out some of their tutorials on YouTube so you can get an idea of how everything works.
Upwork.com
Upwork.com is a freelancing site that you can use to find medical copywriter jobs. The site offers a large number of job postings, and it’s easy to apply for them. Simply click the “Apply Now” button on the job listing page.
You’ll also be able to see how many employers are actively looking for candidates with your skills and expertise, as well as what they’re charging per project, how much they’ve paid out in total so far, and which companies are currently hiring.
The Career Path of a Medical Copywriter
As we mentioned early on in this post, to break into the medical writing field, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in English or communications. After graduating, you can then specialize in medical writing by pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing. Many people continue their education with a PharmD or an MD.
If you want to become a medical writer but don’t have degrees for it yet, keep in mind that experience is also very important when applying for jobs as a freelance writer.
You should build up some work history before applying for full-time positions with companies looking to hire freelancers. This will help get your foot in the door and show that your skills match what they’re looking for!
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this article helpful and that it has helped you to decide if becoming a medical writer is right for you. If you’re still unsure, don’t be afraid to ask questions!
There are professionals in the field who can answer any questions that may arise along with providing advice on how best to pursue your career. Good luck!
