WRITING RESOURCES

There are several reputable resources available for medical writing that provide valuable information, guidelines, and tools for individuals engaged in medical writing. Here are some of the best resources for medical writers:

​

• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE): The ICMJE provides guidelines for authors, editors, and publishers involved in medical research and publishing. Their "Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals" (commonly known as the ICMJE guidelines) outline the ethical and reporting standards for medical research articles.

• American Medical Writers Association (AMWA): The AMWA is a professional organization that offers resources, training, and networking opportunities for medical communicators, including medical writers. They provide access to industry guidelines, best practices, webinars, workshops, and a range of educational materials.

• Council of Science Editors (CSE): The CSE is an organization dedicated to promoting excellence in scientific communication. They offer resources and guidelines for scientific writing and publishing, including the CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, which provides guidance on editorial style and ethical publishing practices.

• European Medical Writers Association (EMWA): The EMWA is a professional organization for medical communicators in Europe. They provide resources, training, and networking opportunities for medical writers, including access to their journal "Medical Writing" and educational events.

• American Psychological Association (APA): The APA offers the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which provides guidelines for writing and citing in the social and behavioral sciences. Although primarily focused on psychology, the manual is widely used in healthcare and medical research writing.

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH provides resources and guidelines for grant writing and scientific communication. Their website offers tips on writing research proposals, clinical study protocols, and other documents related to medical research.

• The World Association of Medical Editors (WAME): WAME is an organization that promotes excellence in medical journal editing and publishing. They offer resources and guidelines on editorial policy, peer review, and ethical publishing practices.

• The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS): The CMS is a widely used style guide for writing, editing, and publishing. It provides guidance on grammar, punctuation, citation styles, and manuscript preparation. Many medical journals adhere to the CMS guidelines for formatting and referencing.

• Additionally, individual medical journals often have their own author guidelines available on their websites, providing specific instructions on manuscript preparation, formatting, and citation styles.

​

Other medical writing resources that you may be interested in are:

​

• Christiansen, SL. Ethical and Legal Guidance in Biomedical Publishing: The AMA Manual of Style, Tenth Edition. Chest. 2008; 134:1344-1346.

• Battisti, WP, et al. Good Publication Practice for Communicating Company-Sponsored Medical Research: GPP3. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:461-464. doi:10.7326/M15-0288

• ICMJ Guidelines. Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals: Writing and editing for biomedical publication. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics. January-June 2010; 1(1): 42-58.

• Sharma, S. How to Become a Competent Medical Writer? Perspect Clin Res. 2010 Jan-Mar; 1(1):33-37.

• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

• Council of Science Editors (CSE); European Association of Science Editors (EASE)

• Cochrane Collaboration Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)

 

These resources can serve as valuable references for medical writers, providing guidance on writing, editing, and publishing in the healthcare and medical research field. It's important to consult the specific guidelines and requirements of the target journal or publication when preparing a manuscript or other medical writing documents.