Whether you are a novice or a veteran medical writer/editor you probably have a bit to learn. Fortunately, resources are available to help you. We recommend consulting them freely. Here is a sampling:
Medical Writing Texts. Individual authors
- Zeiger M. Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers. 2nd ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2000. Very thorough, very detailed, and very useful for the beginner as well as the advanced writer/editor.
- Bass BG, Kryder CL. Accidental Medical Writer: How We Became Successful Freelance Medical Writers. How You Can, Too. Brian Brass is past president of the American Medical Writers Association. This book gives beginning freelancers the benefit of the authors’ mistakes, lessons, and valuable tips they have learned along the way.
- Huth EJ. Writing and Publishing in Medicine. 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 1998.
- Taylor RB. Medical Writing: A Guide for Clinicians, Educators, and Researchers 2nd ed. 2011. Springer.
- Stuart MC. The Complete Guide to Medical Writing. 1st Edition
- Hull M. Medical English Clear & Simple: A Practice-Based Approach to English for ESL Healthcare Professionals.
- Hilary Glasman-Deal. Science Research Writing for Non-native Speakers of English. 1st Ed.
Medical Writing Texts. Organizations
- AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors. 10th Edition. A must-have, essential resource for all medical writers/editors.
- The Chicago Manual of Style. University of Chicago Press Staff.6th Edition. An authoritative, respected source for guidance and process in medical writing.
- American Medical Writers Association. New Medical Writers Toolkit. A first-line resource.
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. A set of guidelines produced by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (formerly the Vancouver Group) for standardizing the ethics, preparation and formatting of manuscripts submitted for publication by biomedical journals. See: Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals: Writing and editing for biomedical publication. J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2010 Jan-Jun; 1(1): 42–58.
Online references
- Rogers SM. Mastering Scientific and Medical Writing. A Self-help Guide. Online ISBN 978-3-540-34508-4. $34.99 Amazon
- Huth EJ. Medical Style and Format. Wiley Online Library. Online ISBN 0-89495-063-0. $39.95
- Goodman NW, Edwards MB. Medical Writing: A prescription for Clarity. 3d ed. Cambridge University Press. Online ISBN: 9780511543517. $36.89 Amazon
- Taylor RB. The Clinician’s Guide to Medical Writing. Springer. Online ISBN 978-0-387-27024-1. $34.95 Amazon
Online medical writing courses
- American Medical Writers Association
- University of Chicago Graham School
- University of California San Diego Extension
Introduction to Medical Writing and Editing. Course No. FPM-40605
- Writing Assistance, Inc. Free medical and technical writing courseware-from MIT
“On line catalog of course material designed to help those who may never get a chance to enroll at a school of MIT’s caliber. With free access to past class materials, students gain access to past class syllabi, lectures and more.”
- Duke Graduate School. Scientific writing resource.
Free online course in scientific writing. - Stanford University. Writing in the Sciences.
Free online course in scientific writing.
English grammar texts
Much medical writing suffers from plain, ordinary faulty English grammar and usage. The following resources can help the medical writer be better in all ways.
- Strunk W, White EB. The Elements of Style. Fourth Edition.
The classic that every writer should know and use.
- Newman E. Strictly Speaking: Will America be the Death of English? Bobbs-Merrill Co.A delightful book by the former newscaster, journalist and author, who skewers stereotypes, clichés, errors and jargon.
- The McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage. Second edition.
- Thurman S. The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment
- Schrampfer Azar B. Fundamentals of English Grammar - Second Edition