Lindsey Heer, an independent medcomms specialist, provides an overview of the medcomms business and of the role of account and project managers in ensuring project delivery on time and to budget.
Recorded 7 March 2018 at a MedComms Networking event in Oxford. Produced by NetworkPharma.tv
Krish Kapoor, a medical writer at Cello Health Cypher reflects on starting her career in MedComms…
This week marks my 2 year anniversary of starting out in medical writing. If you know me IRL (or if you’ve skimmed my LinkedIn profile), you’ll know that before moving into medcomms I was a research scientist, first in academia, then in the commercial sector. Joining the medcomms industry has been a huge learning curve for me, and I wanted to share some key points on writing for anyone else thinking of a career in the same field.
Whilst preparing the new issue of our latest careers guide, The business of medical communications: a guide to getting started in account management (published January 2018) we invited people working in account management positions in MedComms to tell us why they are doing so….
“I work in MedComms as part of Fishawack’s ever-evolving project management team. Whether it’s in the office or on the football pitch, I’m a team player and believe that communication and cohesion are crucial to bringing about the right result. I enjoy working with clients, colleagues and numbers, and get a kick from managing projects from inception right up until the final whistle.”
Pete Aidley, Technical Lead, Project Management Team at Fishawack Communications
“I work in MedComms and although I don’t have a scientific background, it really allows me to feel close to the development of life-saving drugs, and knowing that the work I deliver ultimately ends in the care and needs of a patient is beyond rewarding.”
Kim Barber, Account Executive at Ashfield Healthcare Communications
We’re here to help you learn about careers in MedComms and then, if you decide it’s of interest, to help you get your first job! Good luck.
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We’re grateful for contributions from many members of the MedComms Networking community and specifically the following Sponsors: AMICULUM Ltd, Ashfield Healthcare Communications, Envision Pharma Group, Fishawack Group, Highfield:Communication, Lucid Group and Oxford PharmaGenesis.
My journey to become an Associate Medical Writer (AMW) for Ashfield Healthcare Communications (AHC) began on 21 November, 2016. I made the move North in pursuit of a career in Healthcare Communications, having spent several years working in roles that had left me feeling either unsatisfied professionally, or bored. It had always been my intention to go into Medical Writing, but after numerous rejections citing ‘a lack of experience’ I felt it wise to get in on the ground floor and work my way up. So it was with great enthusiasm that, having passed the interview and editorial test stages of the recruitment process, I began my new role as an Editorial Assistant (EA) for CircleScience (one of AHC’s agencies).
Two weeks after joining Allegro, a new training programme for Associate Medical Writers within Ashfield Healthcare Communications (AHC), I feel privileged to be part of this new initiative and excited by this new chapter in my career.
On my first day, I experienced none of the normal new-job apprehension. The other 14 new recruits and I were already friends after meeting at our Assessment Centre, a get-to-know-you lunch and the AHC Christmas party, and so we could chat properly instead of making nervous small talk. These events had also provided an opportunity to meet and socialise with our line managers and other key people within the business, and therefore I felt relaxed and comfortable. I’d had plenty of opportunities to ask questions about what we would be doing, and we’d all been sent some small details that make a first day easier – what to bring, what to wear, where to go, what to do if delayed – and so I knew exactly what to expect.
In this video we hear from Founder, Graham Shelton, and other senior Directors, staff and associates about the culture of Oxford PharmaGenesis and the key criteria they believe have contributed to their success.
[Find out more about Oxford PharmaGenesis]
