12 April Is Medical Conference Coverage for You? AMWA DVC Freelance Workshop 12 April 2008 Maria B. Vinall

12 April Objective To provide an overview of an interesting area of medical writing To provide you with information to help you decide whether conference coverage is a fit for you

12 April Types of Writing Journalistic Clinical/Scientific

12 April Journalistic Characteristics Less detail Mostly late breaking clinical trials Not usually referenced Liberal use of quotes Often due same or next day Focus on highlights

12 April Clinical/Scientific Characteristics More detailed Usually referenced Compilations of several presentations from one or more sessions Limited use of quotes Generally due post conference Focus on clinical applicability

12 April Media Elements “Live” and recorded interviews and webcasts

12 April Types of Stories Late breaking clinical trials Selected updates Features News Satellite sessions

12 April Types of Organizations General news Society newspapers Specialty medical tabloids Medical web sites Conference specialty Pharmaceutical Consumer publications Wire services

12 April Assignments Pre-assigned by editor Developed on site in conjunction with editor Combination On the fly Depends on experience

12 April Work Load Depends on the client and the percentage of their coverage you’ve been assigned to handle My typical assignment: words per conference, which is 7-10 stories of varying length), or, about 13 pages of text Usually one word article due in 5 days after close of conference with balance due in 10 days

12 April Work Load One news magazine requires the following for dedicated coverage: Three days of coverage, 3 to 5 stories per day, 50% due on site, balance due one week to 10 days, Average word count per story

12 April Timelines On site Usually the day of presentation but some extend to 24 or 48 hours (rare) Mostly journalistic Usually require interview with presenter Post Conference Depends on deadline for the publication Can vary from 5 days to a month

12 April Skill Set

12 April Skill Set Interviewing Speed Time management Flexibility News judgment Initiative Statistics Writing short Science background Accuracy Persistence Note taking Quick thinking Stamina

12 April Skill Set “The ability to sit in darkened rooms listening to boring talks for hours without falling asleep or at least without snoring too loudly” Roueche

12 April Tools of the Trade A high quality digital camera that can be used without a flash A good digital recorder that –can be set to either dictation (for interviews) or meeting (for sessions) –allows you to download to your computer Lots and lots of batteries A laptop

12 April Practicalities

12 April Payment Per project Per diem Per story Per word Combination Expenses

12 April Registration Press Free BUT requirements vary from conference to conference Attendee Can be costly

12 April Registration Typical Requirement for Press Registration Journalists –Assignment letter on the letterhead of the news organization being represented –Media identification (such as an international accredited press pass), or a business card issued by a recognized news organization. Freelance Journalists –Copies of three bylined cardiology-related articles –An official letter of assignment from an accredited news organization. Freelancers who do not have 3 bylined articles are not eligible for registration.

12 April Registration +’s of press registration Access to all of the materials in the press room (press releases, handouts, meals!!) Access to embargoed material Access to press room personnel to arrange interviews Interview rooms Quiet place to work Quiet place to get off your feet Opportunity to network with colleagues -’s of Press Registration Exhibitors are not permitted to speak with the press

12 April Add-on Responsibilities Obtaining presenter review Requesting permission to use slides –author’s own –published Reference checking

12 April The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Good Access to the most current medical information Networking opportunities for future work Pays relatively well Travel Improves your writing skills

12 April The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Bad Demanding work with short timelines Travel, though at times interesting, can also be exhausting, especially foreign travel Technology failure Last minute schedule changes Accents

12 April Ugly Last minute cancellations 12 hour working days Ego issues Web casts that never show up Major technology failure The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

12 April Useful Links

12 April Links A medical conference blog As described by the blogger “An opinionated, occasionally cranky, occasionally snarky blog on medical meetings from the viewpoint of a medical journalist.”

12 April More Links

12 April Thank you for your attention Questions?

12 April Some Ads from The HittList We will be covering the ECCMID meeting in Barcelona next month. We have secured one writer but need another for our project. ECCMID, Barcelona, Spain 19th - 22nd, APR. Masahiro Matsumoto Medical News & Conference Systems, Inc. Planning & Sales Division

12 April We need two local freelance writers for the May meeting of the American Thoracic Society in Toronto. Please let me know.