January 2010
Medical Editing Today: Checking up on the Condition of Medical Publishing

CCWIP's January event drew a large crowd of aspiring and current members of the medical publishing field to the Willis Tower. Distinguished panelists Steve Welch, Vice President of the American College of Chest Physicians, Diane Lang, Manager of Editorial Processes at the University of Chicago Press and current President of the Council of Science Editors, and Lisa Blaney-Koen, a professional freelance writer and editor for consumer online health products and contributing author for the Journal of Patient Safety, offered their perspectives on the condition of medical publishing today. Highlights from the evening's Q&A-style panel discussion follow below.

How would you describe your relationship with the health care professionals that you work with? The panelists described themselves as allies to highly stressed doctors who must "publish or perish." When working with physicians, it's useful to understand their specific work context (as opposed to authors in non-medical fields). Physicians are often busy with patients, and this can affect their response times to editor queries.

Publishing has generally been shifting from print to electronic media. Has the addition of more online content affected the type of work that medical editors and writers are given? Diane observed that there is a greater push to get online information out before the print versions. Opportunities exist for project managers who understand workflows and staff members with technical skills.

The larger publishers have been shifting more and more of their work from in-house to offshore. How has outsourcing affected medical publishing? Steve hesitates to outsource editing to non-native English speakers, but has outsourced copyediting offshore. Diane said the University of Chicago Press keeps all manuscript editing in-house unless organizations have their own editors. Lisa noted that some groups outsource their graphics, but not their editing.

What kinds of degrees or certificates are medical publishing employers looking for when they hire medical editors/writers? Diane values experience and portfolio samples most. She also recommended the beginning and advanced Graham School courses on medical editing, which cover the AMA manual and policy. In addition, the Council of Science Editors (CSE) offers skill-oriented, one-day courses. Steve recommended the Society for Scholarly Publishing Web site for information and resources in the medical publishing community.

Does your publisher--or any company that you've previously worked for--hire freelancers? What are freelancers hired to do? Steve's association uses freelancers for journals, books, Web content, and educational courses. Diane said the University of Chicago Press uses freelancers on book projects and science and medical journals.

What advice would you give to someone trying to enter or establish themselves in the medical publishing field here in Chicago? Diane suggested taking some project management courses at the Graham School to broaden your skill set. Lisa said doctors take good editors with them, so maintain those relationships. Steve recommended the scholarly kitchen blog for the latest industry discussions. And, understand where the new job opportunities are: subscription management, sales, and technology.

Lois Dalton is a freelance writer and editor. She can be reached at lois.daulton@gmail.com.

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