Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better for medical faculty to create content or to use a medical writer?
I’ve worked successfully with clients in both scenarios. And of course, not all medical faculty are equal.
Medical faculty who practice in academic settings often have fantastic slides that make me envious.
Community-based program faculty (who speak less) often have poorer quality slides i.e. no referencing, excessive bullet points or number of slides for the time limit, lack of graphical elements, etc.
If using a medical writer, the medical faculty will need to do an initial teleconference to share their content ideas and review the writer’s draft.
If using a medical faculty to create content, use a medical writer to review for ACCME criteria (fair balance, lack of branding) and edit for quality and clarity.
How can I work the best with medical writers for CME projects?
Use project managers or have 1 to 2 people within your company that interact directly with the medical writer. I need to clearly know who I can go to with questions and who to send deliverables to.
If you want to integrate the medical writer more into your organization due to a more permanent working relationship, like retainers or long-term contracts, a thorough on-boarding is necessary clearly delineating your processes, review procedures, and identifying all personnel the writer may interact with.
Do you subcontract work to other writers?
No, I’ve learned my lesson here. I tried subcontracting but the results didn’t go well and I didn’t like its effect on my bank account. These days I either do all the work myself or provide referrals to peers with suitable experience for their needs.
I do partner with other writers on gaps analysis and strategic reviews that involve comprehensive literature searches, if the timeline necessitates.
What is the CMPP?
The CMPP is the credential for certified medical publication professionals; it’s analogous to the CCMEP credential. I started my professional life working in publications. Having written over 40 abstracts and 30 posters and edited or drafted 20 manuscripts, I can be an asset for disseminating CME outcomes results.
Send me ideas for more frequently asked questions through email (haleywriting-at-gmail-dot-com), Linked In, or Twitter.