what excerpta medica expects from freelance medical writers
TRANSCRIPT
What Excerpta MedicaExpects From
Freelance Medical Writers
Joanna Bligh, MEd, RT, CMA Senior Medical Writer/Editor
Rosa Real, MDMedical Director
www.excerptamedica.com
OverviewPart I• Have you got what it takes?
– Minimum qualifications for freelance medical writers (FMW) at Excerpta Medica
• Database plunge – Matching FMW with Excerpta Medica Team– Scope of project– Target journal/audience
• We’re still at it! • The Excerpta Medica writing processPart II• Always the editor
– Examples of FMW and Excerpta Medica e-mail communication
www.excerptamedica.com
Part I
Freelance Medical Writers (FMW) and the
Excerpta Medica Team Structure
www.excerptamedica.com
How To Get in the Door: Minimum Qualifications for FMWKey elements
High educationalbackground Excellent writing skillsExperience
ProfessionalismCreativityAccessibility
Great attitude Organization skills Responsibility
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Minimum Qualifications for FMW (cont’d)
Degree status
• MD (clinician, academian, or researcher)
• PhD
• PharmD
• MPH
• MS in scientific area
• Clinician (NP, PA, RN, allied health professional)
• BA in journalism
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Minimum Qualifications for FMW (cont’d)
Experience• At least 5 years of writing experience• How many papers have you authored or written?• For what audiences? • In what journals?
– Impact factor– Peer reviewed vs non-peer reviewed
• Writing for non-print (eg, Web sites) • ACCME Guidelines• Review articles vs original research • Writing samples
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Matching FMW With an Excerpta Medica Team
Medical Director
In-house Medical
Writer/Editor
Freelance Medical Writer
Medical Copyeditor
Program Manager
Strategic Communication Director
Client
Excerpta MedicaTeam structure
www.excerptamedica.com
Matching FMW With an Excerpta Medica Team (cont’d)
Scope of project• Choose FMW based on
– Therapeutic area of expertise; based on degree status AND writing experience
– Experience writing for particular type of target journal
– Familiarity with writing article in particular genre (eg, review, original research, sales manual, continuing medical education [CME] vs non-CME)
– Background in writing for specific target audience (eg, consumers, sales representatives, clinicians, other healthcare professionals)
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica
• Business Development proposal approved
• Teams chosen; start-up meetings take place
– Deliverables discussed
• Target journal and physician/authors selected
• List of objectives for project content
• Identify branding messages from client – Timelines reviewed
– Budget discussed
AND
– Medical writer chosen from Excerpta Medica’s freelance writer database (if needed)
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)
Conference call with FMW
• Contract discussions
– Signed contract and confidentiality agreement
• Content discussion
• Timelines
• Remuneration
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Inter-writer Variability
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)
Conference call with FMW (cont’d)
• Physician/author involvement
– Affiliation
– Research; published literature; clinical background
– Specific focus related to theme of article
• Client/pharmaceutical company involvement
– Branding messages to be included
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)
Conference call with FMW (cont’d)
• Content review
– Detailed outline provided by Excerpta Medica; generally 1500 words, 50–75 references (approved by client and physician/author)
– References (RefMan format)
– Article specifications
• Word count
• Excerpta Medica Style Guide for Writers
– Discuss style of journal
– Target audience
– Expectation of deliverables (eg, manuscript submission or reviewers’ comments from journal)
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)Conference call with FMW (cont’d)
• Timeline
– Clearly stated, must be honored; however, if extra time is needed, Excerpta Medica is contacted immediately
• First draft manuscript must meet the Team’s approval
– If the draft is not approved by the Team, rewrite is required
• Remuneration
– Based on contract, not hourly fee
– May be offered bonus for completion prior to expected date (eg, 2 weeks)
– Fee may be based on number of drafts
– FMW can invoice after draft is approved by Team
– Range: $3–$5K (4000-word review manuscript)
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)
Conference call with FMW (cont’d)
• Writing queries from FMW
– Team will provide contact information of either Medical Director, in-house Medical Writer/Editor, or other Team member for any communication during business and non-business hours
– Queries may include medical content, RefManformatting, clarification of project, etc.
– DO NOT send superfluous queries
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)
Dear Ms. Bligh:
Enjoyed "meeting" you and appreciate your thinking and advice. I realized after we'd signed off that there were a couple of "procedural" issues that might be worth raising --one relatively important, the others relatively minor:
1. This concerns referencing: I'm very hopeful this method will be OK. I've found that in working on the *draft* of a medical paper, it's much easier (and, for me, greatly preferable) to use the kind of referencing system used in psychology and the humanities than the numbering system used in the medical literature. The reason for this is that it'spretty much of a nightmare to work with a referencing system that orders citations by first use, second use, etc. until everyone has agreed what the final wording and sequence of the text will be and what specific references will be used to support each point…
Conference call with FMW (cont’d)
• Example of superfluous query
Email1.doc
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Project Development at Excerpta Medica(cont’d)
Conference call with FMW (cont’d) • Generally open for discussion
– Payment range– Writing time– Number of drafts
• Excerpta Medica’s wish list • Maintain a group of 10 available FMW who are
frequently used, are intimately familiar with the Excerpta Medica writing process, and are versatile
• Send critique of FMW’s work
www.excerptamedica.com
Project Development at Excerpta Medica: Summary
Program Management
Opens project
Project Medical ResearchManagement + Group* + Analyst
Start-up Meetings
• Issue project timelines and set up account folders• Literature search• Prepare outline • Send outline to client• Obtain articles• Enters into RefMan Database
Medical Group
• Initiates author contact• Provides approved outline
•• Identifies Identifies FMWFMW
Medical Group
• FMW conference call• Sends materials to FMW
FMW
Submits first draft
Medical Group
• Reviews draft to ensure client/author objectives• Returns to FMW for rewrite, as needed
Editorial
• Copyediting• Fact-checking• Permissions
Medical Group
• Reviews draft• Forwards to client and author
Client/Author
• Makes comments• Revisions are returned
Client/Author
Final approvals
Client
Medical - Legal review
FMWSubmits second draft, as needed
Journal submission
FMW = Freelance Medical Writer.* Medical Group = Strategic Communication Director; Medical Director; and Medical Writer/Editor.
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Part II
The Do’s and Don’ts of Communication
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Examples of E-mail: Do’s
Dear Ms. Bligh:I am submitting for your consideration my resume and writing samples in response to Excerpta Medica’s call for freelance medical writers…
Sincerely, Annette Vios
Medical WriterNew York, NYmedicalwriter.com
FMW and ExcerptaMedicaintercommunication
• Make your first contact with a perspective agency a beautiful thing
Email2.doc
www.excerptamedica.com
Examples of E-mail: Don’ts
“Joanna, hi. Just checking in to see about those writing projects that were coming. What’s happening? Appreciate you getting back to me…”
FMW and Excerpta MedicaIntercommunication(cont’d)
• Too familiar
Email3.doc
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FMW and Excerpta Medica intercommunication (cont’d)
• Don’t send a file so large that most computers can’t read it
• This came from an FMW as a holiday card:
Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
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Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
To Whom It May Concern:When I graduated from medical school, I never thought I would do anything but deliver babies. Quickly, reality set in. Babies are born at 3 AM, and I prefer to sleep. I transitioned into what my colleagues call the “dark side,” but couldn’t be happier. I enjoy educating physicians to improve patient care. Bringing my medical experience into the pharmaceutical industry is my ultimate career goal…
FMW and Excerpta Medicaintercommunication (cont’d)
• Too much information
Email4.doc
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Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
Hi, Joanna, I got an email from a colleague about your need for freelance medical writing staff…Thanks,Torrance
FMW and Excerpta Medicaintercommunication (cont’d)
• Please don’t use my first name if I don’t know who you are; this is an example of a first communication
Email5.doc
www.excerptamedica.com
Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
Joanna, I saw your notice for medicle writers via a web site…Thanks.Paul
FMW and Excerpta Medicaintercommunication (cont’d)
• Make sure your first communication by e-mail is copyedited
Email6.doc
www.excerptamedica.com
Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
Dr. Bligh:
Thank you for your e-mail requesting…
Best regards, Cynthia
FMW and Excerpta Medicaintercommunication (cont’d)
• Be careful about making mistakes in the title, name, or affiliation of the person you are communicating with
Email7.doc
www.excerptamedica.com
Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
Dear Dr. Green:
Thank you for your resume…
Sincerely, Joanna BlighSr. Medical WriterExcerpta Medica685 Rt 202/206Bridgewater, NJ 08807
FMW and Excerpta Medicaintercommunication (cont’d)
• Follow the writing format of the sender
Email8.doc
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Examples of E-mail: Don’ts (cont’d)
[no greeting]
There are two writing samples attached…
Donna
FMW and Excerpta Medicaintercommunication (cont’d)
• Follow the writing format of the sender
Email8.doc
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Summary
When seeking work from an agency or medical education company as an FMW, make sure you • Clearly indicate your degree status after your name
• Emphasize your breadth of experience and therapeutic areas of interest
• Highlight your needs in completion of the project (eg, timelines, fees, listening in on physician/author conference calls, or contacting Excerpta Medica Team members)
• Think before you communicate by e-mail; how will your message be received by a busy staff member?