Medical writer is a communication profession, accessible to people with a solid scientific background. It is therefore a "natural" option for PhDs interested in a career far from the bench, but not so far from research.
Met during a Career Afterwork, organized by the MAASCC (the career development center for scientists at Pasteur Institute), Elodie Pauwels, PhD in genetics, agreed to answer our questions. With her 5 years experience as medical writer, she shares with us her background, her experience and sheds light on this profession in this ABG interview.
Transition from research to medical writing
My name is Elodie Pauwels and I am a medical/scientific writer at 4Clinics. After completing a technical degree in biochemistry at the ENCPB and the Magistère de Génétique de l’Université Paris VII, I completed my doctorate in the United States where I defended my thesis in December 2012, and came back to France shortly afterwards.
I now have 5 years of experience as a medical/scientific writer in CRO (contract research organization): my job consists in writing or controling the quality of medical-scientific documents mainly for the pharmaceutical or biotechnological industry.
I may have to translate or review the translation of these documents.
For example, I am in charge of writing clinical study reports, which are then submitted to the health authorities. For this, I am in direct contact with:
What I like about writing such reports is the overall perspective on the clinical study, having the first opportunity to describe and exploit its results. I also like the opportunity to move from one subject to another, from one therapeutic area to another; I am constantly learning.
What I like least about my job is perhaps the rigidity of regulatory documents - there is no room for creativity, and sometimes you need to have a sharp eye to detect the slightest detail or inconsistency in substance and form, and a certain administrative burden because the review of any document must be documented.
In order to be a good medical/scientific writer, it is first of all essential to enjoy writing, writing and communicating in English, and to be very rigorous: customers' expectations can be quite high (for example, on the wording of sentences, and the rules for using capital letters, spaces, commas or abbreviations).
The experience of academic research has helped me because during the years spent in the laboratory, researchers develop several skills:
The main reason why I left academic research is the desire to have a stable job; I saw researchers around me doing a series of post-docs and short contracts... Having two days off per week (on weekends!) is not negligible either.
Finding my first position as a medical writer was not easy. Right after defending the thesis, I had no idea that this profession existed. When I returned to France, I contacted former professors and colleagues so as to study the possibilities in the field of science communication, since I didn't want to get too far away from science. I have been on specialized job boards, such as ABG or Leem. After identifying the profession of medical/scientific writer, I contacted former Magistère alumni in this type of position to get a better idea of their profession and how the transition to it had gone.
I had my CV posted on the ABG website, and I was checking the ads daily. That's how I went back to the research laboratory for a few months. I had also registered with APEC, to no avail, since the process took so much time.
In the medical writer's job ads I applied for in 2013, having a doctorate was not necessarily a prerequisite, but most definitely an asset. At the beginning of my job hunt, a former colleague working in the pharmaceutical industry reviewed my CV and gave me advice on how to improve it. I did not specifically ask for help to prepare for the interviews; each interview was a training ground for the next one.
Although I lacked experience as a writer, my efforts eventually came to fruition after several months. The most curious thing is that it was one of the applications that took me the least time, via LinkedIn. I don't remember writing a cover letter for this position. What made the difference?
I started my first job as a writer the day after the only job interview I had for this position!
I never felt any pressure on this during the interviews. The profiles of researchers who have spent years specializing on a topic, and of physicians/pharmacists are different, or rather complementary. Even if the job add states that it is preferable to be a physician/pharmacist, this should not prevent a PhD from applying: preferable does not imply mandatory.
Several factors acted as motivation, and it is quite difficult to classify them. There was, of course, the unique opportunity that was presented to me, but also my taste for travel and expatriation, and finally my desire to improve my level of professional (and everyday) English.
I was very fortunate in the process: my work visa was funded by the research centre that hosted me, and I received a salary there that allowed me to live properly.
The recruitment was very simple: at the end of my Master 2 internship in a research laboratory, I was part of those offered to cross the Atlantic ocean and help setting up a "twin" laboratory while pursuing the research work.
In addition to practicing English, this experience has allowed me to develop skills such as:
Real assets when you apply for a position in a company located in several countries, for a position requiring interaction with international clients, or for a position based in a locality you are discovering.
Step outside your comfort zone and do not hesitate to go abroad for a while if get the opportunity. It's good to question yourself before you act, but don't be too reluctant. Life as an expatriate is so rewarding: take the leap and immerse yourself in another culture! It will open your mind, change the way you see and understand things, expand your network, and of course offer you a wonderful experience.
I am not in charge of recruiting PhDs, however if I were to recruit for a position such as mine, I would obviously test the English level of the candidate: he/she needs to know how to introduce him/herself, present his background in a fluid way, and conduct a conversation.
Be aware that there are sometimes writing exercises during recruitment, which also aim to test the ability to analyze and synthesize.
I would also expect the candidate to investigate the position he/she's interested in. A way to show that could be by having read basic regulatory texts, or by asking technical questions.