What Do Medical Writers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for medical writers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what medical writers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Medical Writers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about medical writers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Medical Writers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
Popular Job Titles For Medical Writers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Technical Writers
- Proposal Writers
- Medical Writers
- Technical Writers/Editors
- Proposal Coordinators
- Principals
- Specification Writers
- Report Writers
- Technical Proposal Writers
- Procedure Writers
- IT Technical Writers
- Technical Writer Interns
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for medical writers can be found.
Best Industries for Medical Writers
Medical Writers Jobs By Industry
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 19.5%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 8.4%
- Employment Services: 8%
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 6.6%
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services: 5.8%
- Software Publishers: 4.8%
- Other: 46.9%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of medical writers can be found working in the Computer Systems Design and Related Services sector. In 2022, about 19.5% of all jobs for medical writers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (8.4%), Employment Services (8%), Scientific Research and Development Services (6.6%), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5.8%) and Software Publishers (4.8%).
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What Do Medical Writers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what medical writers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work medical writers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that medical writers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for medical writers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Medical Writers
Based on 44,914 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Medical Writers
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Technical Writing | 18,684 | 42% |
Project Management | 10,227 | 23% |
Technical Documentation | 8,716 | 19% |
Templates | 7,227 | 16% |
Marketing | 6,523 | 15% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Medical Writers
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Writing | 24,525 | 55% |
Communications | 22,643 | 50% |
Editing | 14,109 | 31% |
Detail Oriented | 13,122 | 29% |
Research | 12,584 | 28% |
Based on 44,914 job postings related to medical writers, technical writing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 42% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, technical documentation, templates, marketing and proofreading were also highly sought.
As for common skills, writing was the most desired skill found in job postings for medical writers, followed by communications, editing, detail oriented, research and english language.
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Technical Writing | 18,684 | 42% |
Project Management | 10,227 | 23% |
Technical Documentation | 8,716 | 19% |
Templates | 7,227 | 16% |
Marketing | 6,523 | 15% |
Proofreading | 5,545 | 12% |
Journalism | 5,476 | 12% |
Request For Proposal | 5,397 | 12% |
Microsoft SharePoint | 4,898 | 11% |
Technical Communication | 4,260 | 9% |
Medical Writing | 4,251 | 9% |
Software Documentation | 4,132 | 9% |
Workflow Management | 4,057 | 9% |
Agile Methodology | 3,992 | 9% |
Microsoft Visio | 3,800 | 8% |
Standard Operating Procedure | 3,788 | 8% |
Style Guides | 3,512 | 8% |
Computer Science | 3,472 | 8% |
Proposal Writing | 3,310 | 7% |
Proposal Development | 3,092 | 7% |
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Writing | 24,525 | 55% |
Communications | 22,643 | 50% |
Editing | 14,109 | 31% |
Detail Oriented | 13,122 | 29% |
Research | 12,584 | 28% |
English Language | 12,220 | 27% |
Microsoft Office | 10,362 | 23% |
Management | 9,771 | 22% |
Microsoft Excel | 8,833 | 20% |
Microsoft PowerPoint | 8,796 | 20% |
Verbal Communication Skills | 8,271 | 18% |
Presentations | 7,333 | 16% |
Microsoft Word | 7,218 | 16% |
Operations | 7,014 | 16% |
Grammar | 6,068 | 14% |
Problem Solving | 5,975 | 13% |
Leadership | 5,843 | 13% |
Planning | 5,755 | 13% |
Interpersonal Communications | 5,131 | 11% |
Self-Motivation | 5,070 | 11% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Medical Writers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Technical Writers | 44,594 | 60.2% |
Proposal Writers | 8,271 | 11.2% |
Medical Writers | 4,905 | 6.6% |
Technical Writers/Editors | 2,463 | 3.3% |
Proposal Coordinators | 1,565 | 2.1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was technical writers, with 21,070 unique job postings. Proposal writers were second, with 2,542 postings, followed by medical writers, technical writers/editors and proposal coordinators.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to medical writers.
Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Technical Writers | 44,594 | 60.2% |
Proposal Writers | 8,271 | 11.2% |
Medical Writers | 4,905 | 6.6% |
Technical Writers/Editors | 2,463 | 3.3% |
Proposal Coordinators | 1,565 | 2.1% |
Principals | 1,136 | 1.5% |
Specification Writers | 1,051 | 1.4% |
Report Writers | 1,441 | 1.9% |
Technical Proposal Writers | 896 | 1.2% |
Procedure Writers | 1,358 | 1.8% |
IT Technical Writers | 986 | 1.3% |
Technical Writer Interns | 927 | 1.3% |
RFP Writers | 678 | 0.9% |
Technical Documentation Writers | 838 | 1.1% |
Contract Technical Writers | 561 | 0.8% |
Clinical Study Managers | 358 | 0.5% |
Technical Content Writers | 740 | 1% |
Lead Technical Writers | 437 | 0.6% |
Engineering Technical Writers | 474 | 0.6% |
Grants Management Specialists | 405 | 0.5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for medical writers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for medical writers.
How much do medical writers make?
Medical Writers: How do you become one?
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