This article has been contributed by Cassidy Bayley, an Associate Medical Writer at Ashfield Healthcare Communications.

In March 2020, the sudden and all-consuming worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 marked a very interesting beginning to my first job in medical communications. In the weeks leading up to my official start date as an Associate Medical Writer, I was enjoying my honeymoon in a small beach town along the South African coast. Due to lockdown restrictions instated while I was there, I made it back to the UK with little time to spare. Ironically, back home in Manchester, I was no closer to entering the front doors of Ashfield Healthcare Communications (AHC) than I would be had I remained on the beach – either way I would start my first day virtually! Continue reading →

This article has been contributed by Selma Rayon, an Associate Medical Writer at Ashfield Healthcare Communications.

When I started seeking employment in the medical communications sector, I knew I was drawn to the medical writing path. The difficulty was that there were few entry-level positions that offered training, relative to the amount of applicants! Almost every position being advertised required some level of professional experience in medical writing, in which I was lacking – so when I was offered a place at the allegro programme, I knew this would be a fantastic opportunity to receive the necessary training, support and opportunities to develop the skills and mind- set for medical writing. Continue reading →

Tilly Shackley is an Associate Medical Writer with Real Science and has reflected on her first three months working as a medical writer in MedComms.

It is always challenging to know what to expect when entering into a new career, especially if it is in a niche field, such as medical communications. 3 months ago, I had my first day as an Associate Medical Writer at Real Science Communications, fresh from the labs after completing my MPhil in clinical medical research. Since then, I have been on a very steep learning curve and I have loved every minute of it, despite some challenges. I had a think about what advice I would give to myself on my first day and compiled six points that I wish somebody had told me. Continue reading →

In this synchronised audio and slide show, Jack Bills, Account Executive at AMICULUM, explains how he found his way into MedComms and describes his current role. This presentation was recorded at the Open Careers Event, FirstMedCommsJob: Introduction to MedComms, held in London on 20 June 2019.

[Find out more about AMICULUM here]

This article has been contributed by Deborah Porter, an Associate Medical Writer at Ashfield Healthcare Communications.

As someone who has spent their entire working life in the NHS, I thought I was a bit long‑in‑the‑tooth for a change of career. For years I had wanted to take a different path in my scientific journey, but never quite found the courage. Then, at the start of 2019, I decided I was going to be brave and go for it. I knew I wanted to stay in science and that I wanted to write, so it seemed like a good choice to become a medical writer. I began applying for Associate Medical Writer positions, and was lucky enough to catch the attention of the Allegro team at Ashfield Healthcare Communications. Continue reading →

This article has been contributed by Alex Binks, an Associate Medical Writer at Publicis Resolute.

After spending more than three years doing cancer research in a lab for my PhD, I knew that it was time for a career change. Although I loved the people, my research, and the ability to put “Dr” on every online form I could get my hands on, I felt myself gravitating more and more towards opportunities to explain science to wider audiences. As a result, I made the switch to MedComms and started work as an Associate Medical Writer at Publicis Resolute. Here are a few of my favourite things about the move from lab life to working in a MedComms agency. Continue reading →

Emma Perry, a Senior Account Executive at Publicis Resolute, has written an acrostic, spelling out her enthusiasm for medical communications…

Many people ask me how I started working in medical communications, and the answer is quite straightforward.

Essentially, I really enjoyed the fast-paced environment and day-to-day variety in my previous PR agency, but I missed the science! Continue reading →

Rhiannon Roberts has been an Associate Medical Writer with Real Science for 10 months now, and reflects on her experience of MedComms so far…

As I came towards the end of my PhD in Cell Biology, I started looking at the obvious (and what I thought at the time was the only) next step – a postdoc in the same field. I didn’t know much about MedComms, and I had definitely never considered a career in it.

During my search for a postdoc position I became worried about getting stuck in the same field/doing the same experiments forever. At this point a friend of mine who had already made the leap out of academia encouraged me to explore the world of MedComms. I haven’t looked back.

Continue reading →

David Griffiths, Senior Medical Writer at Bioscript, writes about his day which he describes as comprising “technical excellence and tea-fuelled multitasking”…

The first thing I like to do when I arrive at my desk in a morning is check my emails and update my to-do list from yesterday afternoon, based on anything that’s come in overnight. Sometimes there’s lots of messages, particularly during busy periods in preparation for congresses, but fortunately there’s just a few additional actions for me today.

[Read more on Bioscript’s company Blog… ] Continue reading →