Hiring a Medical Writer: What to Send and What to Expect

Need medical content written for your audience? Request a Writing Quote.

Hiring a medical writer starts with the work you need. Send the topic, intended reader, type of content, approximate length, and deadline. Those details give the conversation somewhere useful to begin.

Imagine your team needs an article explaining a medication topic. Someone has a title. Someone else has three papers. The deadline is real; the brief is still taking shape. You do not need to finish the article before asking a writer to write it.

PharmacoLegal Consulting Services™ writes referenced medical articles, medication explainers, and patient education. Explore medical writing services or request a writing quote for your project.

Start with what you want to commission

Describe the finished piece: a patient article, a clinician-facing explanation, a medication resource, or a series of healthcare articles. Then say what the reader should understand or be able to do after reading it.

“An article about treatment options” leaves a great deal open. “A patient-facing article explaining the questions to discuss with a clinician before starting treatment” gives the writer a purpose and a reader.

If you already have a complete draft, your first need may be editing or clinical content review. The service comparison helps you choose the right assignment.

What to send in your first inquiry

Five details are enough to start:

1. The content: what you want written and the topic.
2. The reader: patients, caregivers, clinicians, or another defined audience.
3. The size: an approximate word count, number of pieces, or expected format.
4. The starting material: whether you have an outline, source pack, existing content, or a blank page.
5. The deadline: when you need the draft and, if different, the finished piece.

You can say “not decided yet” where you need guidance. A short inquiry is enough to start.

For the fuller planning checklist after the project takes shape, use the medical writing brief guide. You do not need to complete a lengthy brief before contacting PCS.

A useful inquiry in five sentences

Illustrative project request—not a client testimonial or a published engagement.

We need a patient-facing article about understanding a new medication prescription. The audience is adults preparing for a conversation with their clinician or pharmacist. We are planning approximately 1,000 words for our healthcare website. We have an outline and would like the writer to identify suitable references. Please quote for a first draft, a reference list, and one consolidated revision round, with the draft needed by [date].

That request gives a writer enough to ask focused follow-up questions. It identifies the work, the reader, the starting point, and the timing. The requested revision round is an example; the actual inclusion is agreed in your proposal.

What should you receive?

For a commissioned article, ask for a proposal that identifies the draft format, approximate length, research and reference requirements, delivery date, and revisions included.

A PCS writing assignment can include:

• An outline, when useful: a chance to settle the structure before the full draft.
• Referenced copy: content written for the agreed reader and purpose.
• A usable reference list: sources your team can check and carry into publication.
• Agreed revisions: changes based on the feedback process defined in the proposal.

Figures, original graphics, interviews, extra articles, a separate clinical review, and website upload should be identified when required. They are not automatically included because the project is described as “an article.”

AMWA recommends defining the project objective, audience, deliverables, reviewer involvement, revisions, and timeline when agreeing a writing assignment.^[1] Clear inclusions help both sides plan the work.

How to judge a medical writing sample

Look beyond how polished the opening sounds. Can you identify the intended reader? Does the explanation answer a real question? Can the important claims be traced to suitable sources? Does the writer explain uncertainty without burying the message?

A clinician and a patient may need different explanations of the same evidence. CDC’s communication framework asks who the audience is, what the communication should accomplish, and which main message the reader needs to retain.^[2]

The physician-versus-patient writing guide shows how that distinction changes the work. The medical writing service page also helps you assess the type of content PCS can produce.

What happens after you contact PCS?

1. Clarify the assignment. PCS reviews your request and follows up by email or a project-fit conversation when helpful.
2. Receive a proposal. You receive the proposed deliverables, fee, timeline, revisions, and payment terms.
3. Approve and begin. Work starts after the agreement and required payment arrangements.
4. Review the draft. Your designated reviewer gathers feedback for the agreed revision process.

You do not have to book a call to discover what PCS offers. Start with the project details. A conversation is useful when it helps settle the assignment.

For journal manuscripts, discuss contributor credit and the journal’s requirements at the outset. Writing assistance alone does not establish authorship under ICMJE’s criteria; contributors should be credited appropriately.^[3]

Ready to commission medical content?

Send the topic, reader, format, approximate length, and deadline. If you need several pieces or continuing support, include the expected volume and publishing schedule.

Request a Writing Quote. PCS will clarify the work and provide a proposal before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

References

1. American Medical Writers Association. How to Write a Scope of Work for Your Next Freelance Writing Project. February 1, 2021.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Clear Communication Index.
3. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors.