Hiring a Medical Writer is Like FLipping a coin: How to Avoid the Gamble
In the high-stakes world of health-related marketing, the quality of your content can mean the difference between winning trust and losing credibility. Hiring the right medical writer, however, often feels like a gamble, a coin toss that could go either way. With each writer you bring on, it is impossible to know if they will be a valuable asset or a potentially harmful mistake that can, at best, be a waste of time and, at worst, harm your brand's reputation.
The key to success lies in derisking the process as much as possible, using proven strategies to effectively vet and prove each writer before hiring them. By using the right approach, you can guarantee that your brand will get content that is accurate, engaging, and trustworthy.
Understanding the Stakes
The stakes in healthcare content are exceptionally high when compared to other industries. Accurate information can empower, educate, and even save lives, while misinformation can have dire consequences for your readers and for your brand.
Content marketing managers have the critical responsibility of ensuring that every piece of content not only aligns with the brand's voice but also upholds the highest standards of medical accuracy. The content you publish reflects directly on your brand's integrity and the trust your audience places in you.
The Challenges of Finding Qualified Medical Writers
Identifying writers who are adept in health-related fields and can communicate well in their writing is no small feat. The challenge is twofold: you must find someone who is not only a skilled writer but also has a deep understanding of medical topics and the nuances of the healthcare industry. Many writers may have a surface-level knowledge of health topics but lack the expertise to write authoritatively on complex subjects or to translate medical jargon into consumer-friendly language.
The regulatory environment of health-related content adds another layer of complexity. A qualified medical writer must navigate these regulations with precision, ensuring compliance while still engaging the reader. This delicate balance requires a writer with a unique set of skills and experience, making the search for the right candidate all the more challenging.
Key Qualities to Look for in a Medical Writer
With your brand’s reputation on the line, knowing the key qualities of a top-notch medical writer is crucial. You need a writer who not only has a firm grasp of medical concepts but can also convey them with clarity and persuasive power that resonates with your specific audience.
The single most important factor when looking for medical writers is having someone on your team with a medical background. This will help you ensure that you have the expertise necessary to recognize and evaluate potential medical writers. Some key qualities that you should consider when evaluating medical writers include:
Medical licensure - Ideally, any medical writer you use should have licensure as a healthcare professional in the country your audience is in.
Expertise in the field - In addition to medical licensure, any medical writer you use should have at least three years of real-life clinical experience.
Marketing-related writing experience - All medical professionals can write, but their experience is typically dry and clinical. It is important to choose a writer who understands how to be engaging and help you meet your marketing objectives in addition to providing medical expertise.
Evaluating a potential medical writer’s value is almost impossible unless you have a firm grasp on healthcare concepts yourself. If you don’t have a medical background, collaborating with someone who does is essential.
Vetting Potential Writers
Vetting potential medical writers is a critical step in assembling a reliable content team. Important components of vetting writers include:
Conducting thorough interviews.
Evaluating past experience working with content teams.
Reviewing a variety of past writing samples.
Checking references.
Testing their medical knowledge.
Double-checking licensure and clinical certifications.
One effective strategy can be to give each potential writer a test assignment on a current medical topic to assess their ability to research, understand, and communicate complex information accurately and engagingly. It is important that, whatever your vetting system is, you apply it consistently among the pool of writers you are evaluating.
The Pitfalls to Avoid
Hiring a medical writer is often a gamble, but it can be less of a gamble if you are aware of the pitfalls and know how to avoid them. In the quest for the right medical writer, here are some problems any content marketing manager should steer clear of:
Not using a medical expert when vetting - Not all health writers are created equal; it is important to ensure that you always have someone knowledgeable helping you vet them.
Sacrificing quality for cost - While budget constraints are real, remember that subpar content can cost you more in credibility and corrections down the line.
Ignoring the evidence of past work - Always review a writer’s portfolio for relevant and recent work that showcases their expertise in the medical field. You can tell a lot about an individual from their portfolio.
Neglecting the fit with your brand’s voice - The writer’s style doesn’t necessarily need to align with your brand’s messaging and tone, but they should have a proven track record of writing that meets the requirements of various brands.
Using too small a pool of candidates - Good medical writers are rare. For every writer needed, you will need a pool of at least 30 candidates and should evaluate at least five people for your shortlist.
Failing to choose a licensed healthcare professional - No one understands healthcare like a professional. Failing to hire someone who is medically licensed and has taken care of patients is a recipe for disaster for health-related brands.
Building a Reliable Team
Creating a team of dependable medical writers doesn't happen overnight. It requires a proven process that can be used time and time again to weed out subpar writers and only choose the best there are. Ultimately, the goal of any content manager is to have a team they can trust to build content so they can be confident every time. Building a large pool of candidates for each position and investing the time to carefully vet each potential writer will help you build a writing team you can depend on.
Avoid the Gamble with Med Content Pros
Many content marketing managers are hesitant to take a gamble with freelance writers or want to avoid days of painstakingly evaluating dozens of candidates to potentially find one that might work. There is, however, a better choice!
Partnering with Med Content Pros offers a surefire way to secure reliable health-related content your brand can be confident in every time. Our team of vetted medical writers is handpicked for their expertise and commitment to excellence. Our writers also use a proven process, ensuring that your brand can confidently publish content that resonates with your audience and upholds the highest standards of medical accuracy.
We are so confident in the quality of the content we produce that we guarantee your money back if you’re not 100% satisfied with your content. Your peace of mind is our goal. Learn more about our services and access health-related content you can have complete confidence in every time.