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Health and Medical Writing

Understand and write about medical studies

Health and Medical Writing
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WHEN 8 weeks, January 21 - March 18
Chats Wednesdays, 9-10 pm ET

WHERE Online. Click here for more information.

LEVEL Intermediate

PRICE
$499 ($475 for )
more info

Course Details

It's possible to break into the lucrative and growing health and medical writing market without an M.D. after your name. The key is knowing how to find, read, and understand medical studies. Master that, and you can pitch new trends and discoveries to editors before the editors even hear about them.

In this class, you will learn how to dig up fresh story ideas, find credible sources, and translate doc-talk into readable English for mainstream magazines and websites. You'll also find out how to stay ahead of the curve and not talk down to your readers when writing for trade publications.

In this class, you will learn:

  • What important medical terms mean and where to find definitions and background material
  • How to interpret a medical study, including study design and medical statistics
  • How to locate and interview medical experts and patients
  • How to sniff out the non-story before pitching it to editors
  • How to pitch a health/medical story, and to whom
  • Strategies for covering medical controversies
  • How to put it all together into various types of pieces: daily news, features, longer magazine pieces

This class is open to:

  • Experienced non-specialist writers who want to add health and medical writing to their portfolio
  • Doctors or scientists with some journalism experience
  • Medical writers who want to improve their skills

Admission Requirements
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history), and a writing sample (less than 2,000 words).

The online classroom has several interactive components:
  • Instructors post lectures once a week. You can read them online, print them, or download them at your convenience.
  • Students post completed assignments for feedback and discussion by the instructor and class.
  • Weekly chats allow your class to get together via instant message. Transcripts are available for review if you can't attend.
  • Technical support is available from mediabistro staff.

 Health and Medical Writing (PDF)
View a sample syllabus for this class here

Related Courses

Tell me when courses like this are scheduled.
• Research and Reporting – ONLINE (Class starts January 28)

Instructor Bio

Mary Pinkowish's Courses

Health and Medical Writing – (Class starts January 21)

Mary Pinkowish
Mary Pinkowish writes for physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals at the trade publications Patient Care and Geriatrics. Her articles have appeared in Barrons, Real Simple, Ode, Westchester Magazine, Martha Stewart's Blueprint, Fitness, and Business2.0. She's frequently asked to write on psychiatry, cardiology, infectious disease, and healthy eating.

Mary is a frequent contributor to Livestrong.com and has also written for Health.com. She is also the co-author of What are the Seven Wonders of the World? and Sprezzatura, both published by Anchor Books, New York.
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