Science Writing: Who, What, Where and How Much Charles A. Goldthwaite, Ph.D. Centenary College October 1, 2004

What Exactly Do You Do, Anyway? Science writers create a variety of documents, such as: Journal articles Grants and funding announcements New drug applications Advertising materials Continuing medical education guidelines Conference summaries Feature stories/ journalism

Science Writing: At a Bookstore Near You Science Writing is: Focused on clarity Data-driven and supported Generated as a support for a greater cause Often anonymous Science Writing is not: Creative writing, in the classical sense Opinion-oriented A solo effort

Home on the Range: Where Science Writers Write Pharmaceutical / Biotech Industry Government Agencies (e.g., NIH, NSF, FDA, DOE) Academic Institutions/ Medical Centers Medical Education Companies Magazines/Newspapers Freelance Consulting (all of the above can be clients)

Getting There: The Big Picture There is no one required degree to be a science writer. Science writers have any of the following degrees: BA/BS, MA/MS, PhD, MD, MPH, JD, etc. In general, a degree in science + decent writing ability is preferable to a background in English/journalism + the potential to understand the science

Getting There: More Observations In general, professional options increase with higher terminal degree (PhD, MD, PharmD > MA/MS > BA/BS) Advanced degrees in English can be a gray area for some employers Several US institutions offer 1-year Masters programs in Science Writing (MIT, Johns Hopkins, UC Santa Cruz)

Getting There: Masters Programs in Science Writing Generally, these programs train writers in “science journalism,” mostly for jobs with mass media and science journals Advantages: great networking, required internships, programs are respected in profession Considerations: Competitive, expensive (no scholarships), experience is a plus

Geographic Considerations As a science writer (excepting freelancing), you usually work onsite Most jobs with industry, medical education companies, etc., are in MA, PA, NJ, CT, IL, and CA; a limited number in the South and Midwest Government jobs are in DC Mass media jobs often in NYC (Yay!)

Show Me the Money General Rules: The more personal prestige associated with the assignment, the less lucrative it usually is. Higher pay usually correlates with higher pressure assignments. The academy pays less than the govt and private industry, for the same level of training.

Numbers, Please Pay varies with experience, degree level, geography, etc. Many jobs listed on Monster.com give salary ranges For candidates with doctorates: Industry: $50-90K Government: $50-75K Academic institutions: $40-60K Freelancing: $50/hr and up

Getting Started Writing samples are a form of currency: You can’t have too many! Start small; offer to write for free in a low- pressure situation (e.g., short blurbs in a local medical newsletter, etc.) Build networks: Summer internships (often unpaid) get your foot in the door Interview local science legends (e.g., Drs. Brame, Chirhart, Blakeney, Leucks) for feature stories in The Conglomerate

Resources Info, Forums, Job Leads, Networking: National Association of Science Writers American Medical Writers Association Science’s Next Wave Survey of Jobs Available: Monster.com (keyword “medical writer” or “science writer”)