There are several types of professional writing in the field of medicine, each serving different purposes and audiences. Here are some of the main types:
- Regulatory Writing: This involves creating documents required by regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, for the approval of drugs, biologic agents, and medical devices. Examples include clinical study reports, safety updates, and application submission dossiers.
- Scholarly Publications: Medical writers work on manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, as well as posters, abstracts, and presentations for medical conferences. They often collaborate with researchers and physicians to disseminate research findings.
- Health Communication: This type of writing is aimed at lay audiences and includes patient education materials, website content, and news releases. The goal is to make medical information accessible and understandable to the general public.
- Continuing Education for Professionals: Writers in this field develop documents for continuing education activities for healthcare professionals. This includes needs assessments, slide sets, and outcomes analyses.
- Grant Writing: This is a specific type of persuasive writing geared toward acquiring funding from federal and state agencies, non-profit groups, and other organizations.
- Promotional Writing: Also known as medical copywriting, this involves creating marketing materials to promote drugs, medical devices, or interventions. This type of writing is often used in advertising and public relations.
- Career Writing: This involves creating documents to further one's own career.
(ChaptGPT, 2025)
