Experience - A challenge as well as an opportunity

Earlier this month, I was speaking at the 4th Annual Conference of the Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR). I was there as a last minute replacement for the scheduled speaker who could not make it. My topic for the day was 'Opportunities and Challenges in Medical Writing'.

Lack of experienced medical writers in India is a major challenge. However, young medical writers can even look at it as an opportunity.

Medical Writing is relatively new in India. Oh yes, some of the oldest writings in the field of medicine like the Sushrutasamhita and the Charakasamhita are from India. What I mean here, is that Medical Writing as a  profession is a relatively new concept in India. There are very few medical writers in India who have a writing experience of over 5 years.

Data from an online survey I conducted in 2008, part of which was later presented at the 68th Annual Conference of AMWA in Louisville, KY the same year, showed that most medical writers in India had less than 5 years of experience. Nearly 90% of the respondents had less than 10 years of experience in the field.

This becomes a challenge for people deciding to outsource their writing to India. More often than not when I have had to hire writers for my work, I almost had to handhold them and teach them how to maintain uniform quality in their work. This is often more time consuming than doing the project on my own. However, with a little guidance some of the writers have learnt the skill really well. I am glad when I see their work.

And that's why I say that lack of experienced medical writers in India may be a challenge for service buyers. However, for service providers, it is an opportunity that they can cash on. If the young medical writers in this country work with sincerity and discipline, they can develop great skills. In this field, if you can provide the quality a client expects and stick to the deadlines, nobody is going to ask you about the training you have received or the number of years of experience you have in this field.

P.S. The complete report of the results of the first ever Survey of Medical Writers in India is available as a free bonus on ordering the ebook Becoming a Medical Writer (Indian Edition).