The recent rise in new emerging technologies continues to emphasize on increasingly importance of medical writing for healthcare professionals, including pharmacists. Writing skills are essential for success in the field of pharmacy though less popular than science and mathematics among pharmacy career pursuer.
Pharmacist writers
Importance of communication skills imparted to pharmacy students is emphasised during education since pharmacists work with healthcare providers in hospitals, counsel patients in retail pharmacy, handle manufacturing or research processes and present business plan in corporate setting. Pharmacists endure many writing duties that include writing annual report assessments, editorial letters to journals, recommendations letters, publication articles or clinical proposals. The writing ability to portray results and medical literature contributions are important skills for pharmacy practicing professionals.
Pharmacy schools should aim and focus on developing verbal communication and writing skills to prepare students for future pharmacy practice. Pharmacy residency programmes need to focus on participants to produce a manuscript of publishable quality with formal training in medical writing skills. A structured residency rotation for pharmacists dedicated to medical writing should be considered to fill the knowledge gap that accompanies medical writing skills with professional medical writing training program.
Guide to Medical Writing
Writing is frequently identified as a catalyst for action in healthcare. Guiding pharmacist is crucial in every aspect of medical literature and publishing world like medical journalism and mass media; writing medical essentials, reviews and reports; medical writing in academia; writing for medical professionals and publishing house. This can appeal to medical writing novices like academicians, seasoned clinicians and researchers to better understand medicine and different types of writing styles. It speaks to novice students and health professionals to compile examination question, write press releases or add publications to develop better resumes. Writing also provides pharmacists with stronger legal standing rather than just verbal communication for compliance and liability issues through quality written records that ensure long-term success.
Pharmacists need to write clearly and effectively with healthcare communication existing largely through digital platforms in electronic medical records. Pharmacists are reimbursed for activities of updating patient records, communicating with insurers and providing drug information initiated in written documents. Some of the essential written works like healthcare plans, treatment guidelines, progress notes, therapeutics and pharmacy formulary reviews, drug information reviews, patient education handouts, pharmacy legislation reviews and newsletters makes good writing skills an essential job function for pharmacist. The ultimate goal of imbibing strong writing skills among healthcare professionals and pharmacists for these patient care documents is to contribute directly to positive patient outcomes. Developing exemplary writing skills among pharmacists benefit in other ways such as improving critical thinking process. The process of writing allows thorough evaluation of information from a variety of sources to prioritize information producing tangible evidence of knowledge, understanding opposing viewpoints and refining ideas to explain complex topics, thus, honing secondary skills critical for practice in pharmacy. Publishing written matter allow pharmacists to share newly discovered insights and details acquired during professional advancements from peers.
Online Course at JLI
James Lind Institute (JLI) provides an online program – Professional Diploma in Medical Writing for imparting writing skills to professionals seeking a career in medical and scientific writing.
For more information please visit: www.jli.edu.in