Medical Writing v.s. Technical Writing?

Having been super busy with product release in the previous months, I am now back to blogging. 

 

Recently I am considering dipping into the medical communication field, well, half encouraged by STC Intercom (May, 2010) and half by the competition from junior technical writers whose salary expectation is more desirable for hiring managers. However, after searching relevant materials and checking the on-line job boards, I am only to find the situation a little bit discouraging since the soil and ground for medical writing profession are quite different in U.S. and China.

 

The job boards do list some medical writer positions located in Shanghai, some well-known, cross-continental big pharms and some absolutely unknown to me. The mutual part in the postings is, medical or life science degree is a MUST, master's degree preferable. With a bachelor's degree in English Language, I could not see any prospect joining those R&D teams as I did for computer, semiconductor and telecom industries. In one word, currently those employers require academic study and clinical experience rather than on-job learning capability and communication skills. 

 

I still remember the days when I started writing career. At that time, most employer in Shanghai put technical background over communication skills and inserted mandatory technical backgrounds and degrees in the job postings. However, now the hiring managers gradually understand the role of technical writer and remove such requirements. In the place, they add new lines like "relevant working experience of x years preferred/required" and "willing and quick to learn new technologies and products". Thus, though the population of the technical writer is still quite low compared with other professionals, I witness more and more people entering technical communication area in my surroundings.

 

Thus, perhaps in some optimistic view, maybe pharm will follow IT industries and gradually opens her gate to technical communicators? If so, now it is the time to grasp the oppotunity by taking the road that is less traveled in China.