We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How do I Become a Medical Editor?

Patrick Wensink
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,616
Share

Medical journals are a helpful way to showcase the latest research and news in a particular field of medicine. If you want to become a medical editor and run one of these journals, you must be able to balance the medical side and journalistic side of the job. You will use your experience to influence your editorial decisions and shape the overall direction of the publication. Your abilities to communicate, to write and to think from a reader's perspective will shape the success of the publication.

If you want to become a medical editor, you first will need to achieve the proper education and experience. When you study for your bachelor's degree, focus on preparing for medical school, but also take some composition or journalism courses. This will give you a balanced mind for science and for editing, because you will know the basics of what makes a story work in print. Most medical editors are practicing doctors, so you probably will also need to attend medical school and choose a specialty. During your studies and into your professional career, it will be useful to work with medical journals, writing articles and building up your work portfolio of medical writing.

In order to become a medical editor, you will need to be an expert on your particular field of medicine. No matter whether it is general practice, internal specialization, psychology or any one of the other specialties, you must be exposed to many patients in order to gain proper perspective. This will provide you with a strong basis of knowledge that will carry over to an editing position.

Continue scientific writing while practicing medicine, but also look for opportunities to learn the editing trade. Ask your editors for advice and insight into their profession. If you want to become a medical editor, you must discover methods of selecting manuscripts for publication, changing the language used to suit the audience, medical proofreading and dealing with a tight production schedule.

In order to become a medical editor, it might be best to start small and work your way up to more prestigious positions. Find a regional journal or even in-house hospital publications that you can edit. This will give you practice working with writers and help you develop your editorial eye for stories and language. Keep networking and writing for larger publications and, ideally, you will move up to editing bigger, widely read publications.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Patrick Wensink
By Patrick Wensink
Patrick Wensink, a bestselling novelist and nonfiction writer, captivates readers with his engaging style across various genres and platforms. His work has been featured in major publications, including attention from The New Yorker. With a background in communication management, Wensink brings a unique perspective to his writing, crafting compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Patrick Wensink
Patrick Wensink
Patrick Wensink, a bestselling novelist and nonfiction writer, captivates readers with his engaging style across various...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-do-i-become-a-medical-editor.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.