How to Become a Medical Writer (my best advice for newbies in 2026)

I still remember the first time I had to write something where being “pretty good” wasn’t acceptable. In medical writing, close enough isn’t close enough. If you mess up a definition, a dose, a claim, or even a timeline, you can create real downstream problems.

That’s why I like medical writing as a career path. It rewards people who are curious, methodical, and willing to learn. And it has a nice side effect, once you’re good at medical writing, you’re good at writing in almost any high-stakes environment.

If you want to learn more via video, watch the video below. Otherwise, skip ahead.

1. The Simplest Definition of a Medical Writer

A medical writer creates accurate medical and scientific content that’s usable for a specific audience, such as patients, healthcare professionals, internal teams, regulators, or the general public.

That sounds broad because it is broad. A “medical writer” can mean:

• Someone writing patient education leaflets in clear, accessible language.
• Someone creating scientific publications for a pharmaceutical brand.
• Someone preparing clinical trial documents where formatting and traceability matter.
• Someone developing training content for medical devices.
• Someone crafting medical web content that must be accurate and carefully worded.

When people struggle in this role, it’s often for one of two reasons:

1. They don’t like spending time in source material (e.g., papers, protocols, guidelines, datasets).
2. They want writing to be “expressive,” but this job prioritizes precision.

If you enjoy structure and learning, this role might be a good fit.

2. What Medical Writers Actually Produce

Most people imagine “medical writing” as medical journal articles. That’s part of it, but much of the work is more operational than expected.

You might produce content like:

• Clinical study reports and clinical summaries.
• Protocols and investigator brochures.
• Patient-facing leaflets or medication guides.
• Scientific publications and manuscripts.
• Training materials for healthcare teams.
• Content for medical websites and educational hubs.
• Regulatory documents that need to meet strict requirements.

Your output will vary depending on the audience. For example, patient documents focus on clarity and comprehension, regulatory documents prioritize completeness and consistency, and publications emphasize scientific credibility and narrative flow. The same medical topic can require different writing approaches depending on who the content is for.

3. The Core Responsibilities I’d Expect in Almost Any Medical Writing Role

Most medical writing roles, regardless of the niche, center around a few key responsibilities:

• Gathering information from people and sources.
• Turning that information into structured, usable content.
• Revising until it meets requirements and passes review.

In practice, this often involves:

• Interviewing clinicians, researchers, and subject matter experts (SMEs).
• Reviewing primary research and source documentation.
• Drafting content using templates or guidelines.
• Adding tables, figures, or graphics to aid comprehension.
• Formatting content for different audiences and channels.
• Managing review cycles, including comments, approvals, and version history.
• Proofreading with meticulous attention to detail.

If you’ve worked in technical writing, much of this will feel familiar. The key difference lies in the subject matter and the stakes involved.

4. The Traits That Make Medical Writers Valuable (And Rare)

Successful medical writers who consistently earn well and stay in demand often share these traits:

• They’re comfortable admitting, “I don’t know yet.”
• They excel at locating authoritative sources.
• They remain open to feedback without defensiveness.
• They produce clear, precise writing under constraints.

Most importantly, they can translate complex information without oversimplifying it. A medical writer’s job isn’t to make medicine “simple”; it’s to make it understandable.

This requires two critical skills:

• Scientific literacy: The ability to interpret evidence accurately.
• Communication skill: The ability to present information in a way that’s usable for the target audience.

If you’re looking to develop these skills, studying how other medical writers advance in their careers is a great starting point. Check out this overview of the medical writing career path for more insights.

5. The Qualifications That Matter (And the Ones People Overhype)

Let’s address degrees and qualifications. While credentials can be helpful in medical writing, it’s your ability to prove your skills that ultimately secures the job.

Common educational backgrounds in medical writing include:

• Life sciences (biology, chemistry, biotechnology).
• Pharmacy.
• Public health.
• Nursing or clinical backgrounds.
• Journalism or communications paired with strong science exposure.

In specialized niches like clinical trials or regulatory writing, direct experience in clinical research environments is often advantageous. However, many professionals enter the field through adjacent roles, such as:

• Lab technician positions.
• Clinical research coordinator roles.
• Medical editing.
• Technical writing in healthcare or medical devices.

If you’re early in your career and lack a “perfect” educational background, don’t worry. The better strategy is to choose a specific area of medical writing, create a few relevant samples, and demonstrate your grasp of accuracy and process.

6. How I’d Become a Medical Writer Step-by-Step

If I were starting from scratch today, here’s the plan I’d follow:

Step 1: Choose a lane before you choose a job

The term “medical writer” is too broad for a first move. Start by picking one focus area for 60–90 days:

• Patient education.
• Medical web content.
• Scientific publications.
• Regulatory or clinical trials.
• Medical device writing.

You can always switch later. However, selecting a specific lane early on makes it easier to create relevant samples and communicate effectively in interviews.

Step 2: Build 3–5 samples that match your chosen lane

Create targeted samples that mirror the type of work you aim to do.

Examples:

• Patient education lane:
  • One patient leaflet written in plain language.
  • A “what to expect” procedure explainer.
  • A medication guide-style summary.
• Regulatory lane:
  • A mock clinical summary.
  • A rewritten protocol section with rationale.
  • A structured safety narrative sample.
• Publications lane:
  • A structured abstract rewrite.
  • A lay summary of a published study.
  • A short narrative review-style explainer.

The goal is not to appear senior, but to demonstrate that you can handle medical content accurately and responsibly.

Step 3: Get one real-world project (even small)

This step is often skipped because it’s uncomfortable, but completing one real-world project makes your “no experience” story believable.

Potential projects include:

• Volunteering with a health nonprofit.
• Assisting a researcher with manuscript editing.
• Supporting a clinic’s patient education materials.
• Taking contract work on medical web content.

For more insights into early roles, read about entry-level medical writer responsibilities.  

Step 4: Practice review cycles (because you’ll live in them)

Medical writing is highly collaborative, so expect to receive frequent feedback. To stand out, practice:

• Responding to comments professionally and without ego.
• Tracking versions effectively.
• Tightening language without altering meaning.
• Verifying all content against credible sources.

Developing review maturity is one of the quickest ways to make yourself indispensable in this field.

7. How Long It Takes (The Honest Answer)

The timeline depends on your starting point:

• If you already have a science background and solid writing skills, you can build hireable samples within a few months.
• If you’re new to both science familiarity and professional writing, it may take longer since you’ll need to develop two skill sets simultaneously:
  • Medical literacy: Understanding complex scientific material.
  • Professional writing process: Structuring, revising, and polishing content.

The key to speeding up the process is focus. Choose a specific area, create relevant samples, complete one real-world project, and start applying.

8. What Medical Writers Earn (With Real Data Links)

Medical writing salaries vary due to the range of niches and seniority levels. However, here are two reliable data sources to provide a baseline:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports pay data for “writers and authors,” offering a broad benchmark. The median annual wage is $72,270. For more details, refer to the BLS writers and authors wage data.
• The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) provides a compensation report specific to medical communication professionals, including medical writers and editors. It’s a valuable industry-specific reference. Visit the AMWA Medical Communication Compensation Report overview.

Practical Advice: Avoid focusing on a single number. Instead, consider the niche:

• Regulatory and clinical writing often commands higher salaries compared to patient education or general content.
• Corporate pharma roles pay differently than agency roles.
• Freelance pricing varies from salaried roles and depends on project scope and expertise.

For higher earning potential, specialize in areas with:

• Strict accuracy requirements.
• A heavy reliance on templates and compliance.
• Complex subject matter that creates scarcity in expertise.

9. What a Typical Workday Looks Like (Especially in Clinical Trials)

A day in clinical trials writing isn’t about “creative writing.” Instead, it involves:

• Reading source material, such as protocols, study data, and prior submissions.
• Drafting sections using structured templates.
• Ensuring language consistency across multiple documents.
• Attending cross-functional meetings with clinical, statistics, regulatory, and safety teams.
• Resolving reviewer comments and updating tracked changes.
• Checking formatting and submission readiness.

Many underestimate how much of this role involves document operations, such as:

• Managing naming conventions and version control.
• Following review workflows.
• Keeping documents aligned across teams.

If you love systems, precision, and structure, you’ll enjoy this lane of medical writing. However, if you dislike review cycles and highly organized processes, this role may feel challenging.

For those preparing for interviews in this niche, refer to this helpful medical writer interview questions guide.

In medical writing, you don’t need to be the “best writer in the room.” Instead, success comes from being the most reliable communicator, accurate, structured, and collaborative. These qualities lead to being hired, promoted, and referred.

FAQ

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the medical writer career.

What does a medical writer do?

A medical writer produces clear, accurate medical and scientific content. Depending on the role, this can include:

• Clinical study documents (e.g., protocols, clinical study reports).
• Regulatory writing.
• Journal manuscripts.
• Continuing education materials.
• Patient-facing education content.

What’s the difference between a medical writer and a scientific writer?

Medical writing focuses on healthcare and often involves regulated work, such as clinical or patient-safety-related documents. Scientific writing is broader, covering academia, general science communication, or lab-based content, and may not require regulatory formats or compliance.

Do I need a medical or life sciences degree to become a medical writer?

Not always, but it’s helpful, especially for regulatory or clinical-focused roles. Employers look for evidence that you can understand complex scientific material, write with precision, and adhere to document standards. A strong portfolio and relevant experience can open doors even without a formal degree.

What skills matter most for medical writing?

The key skills include:

• Strong research abilities.
• Clarity and accuracy in writing.
• Attention to detail.
• Comfort with technical terminology.
• Discipline in version control.
• Collaboration with SMEs (e.g., clinicians, statisticians, regulatory teams) while maintaining critical nuance.

What kind of writing samples should I include in a medical writing portfolio?

Include 2–4 samples that demonstrate your ability to write for different audiences, such as:

• A patient-friendly explainer (written in plain language).
• A professional summary (technical and concise).
• A structured document excerpt (e.g., methods-style writing or a mock clinical summary).

Ensure your samples are clearly labeled and avoid using real patient data.

Is medical writing a good long-term career?

Yes. Medical writing is a stable career path due to its alignment with industries requiring ongoing compliance, such as pharma, biotech, CROs, and healthcare. Many medical writers progress to senior roles, regulatory strategy, publication planning, or leadership in medical communications.

If you are new to medical writing and are looking to break-in, we recommend taking our Medical Writing Certification Course, where you will learn the fundamentals of being a medical writer, how to dominate medical writer interviews, and how to stand out as a medical writing candidate.