Principles Of Medical Copywriting Course

• Next start date: Monday, February 5, 2018
• Course duration: 4 weeks
• Time commitment: 4-8 hours per week
• Format: Podcast lectures, handouts, notes, private coaching, and forums
• Teacher: Michelle Guillemard (Founder, Health Writer Hub)
• Requirements: An internet connection, an interest in both health and advertising, and the desire to learn an exciting new writing style!

• A health professional, scientist, MD or PhD interested in a career change
  You’re keen to explore opportunities for medical copywriting in addition to (or instead of) your clinical or scientific work
• A healthcare business owner looking to improve your writing
  You write your business content, and you’d like to learn how persuasive writing can improve your bottom line
• A health communicator who wants to expand your existing medical writing abilities
  You already have writing skills and health knowledge, but not a lot of experience when it comes to creating persuasive, compelling copy for healthcare brands and businesses
• A writer who is new to the medical copywriting industry
  You are interested in becoming a medical copywriter and would like to learn more about how to begin working in the field
• A freelance health & medical writer who is keen to offer medical copywriting as a service
  You would like to gain the skills needed to write clear, compelling and results-driven medical copywriting for your clients

Please note: This course is for writers with no prior copywriting experience.

• A comprehensive overview of the medical copywriting field – and how you can begin to build a career in the industry
• The many companies and clients who hire medical copywriters – so you’re very aware of the opportunities in the industry
• The sheer variety of medical copywriting projects – everything from product copy to email newsletters, and blogs to eDetailers
• How much money you can make as a medical copywriter – as well as the pricing strategies that help you win work
• What clients and employers are looking for when they’re considering working with medical copywriters – essential skills, attributes, experience and qualifications needed to become a medical copywriter
• Getting from a blank page to a completed brief – how to start writing your first medical copywriting project
• The most effective persuasive writing techniques – to help you get comfortable and confident using the power of persuasion in your writing
• Strategies for establishing consumer trust and writing engaging copy – how to write trustworthy content that inspires action, even when you’re writing ‘serious’ content
• Legal and regulatory considerations all medical copywriters need to know about – so your work is compliant and doesn’t mislead your readers
• How to write high-quality medical copy – ethical considerations, as well as how to cite medical research and reference your work correctly
• How to make your copywriting look beautiful – so the readability and aesthetics complement your crafty copy

About your writing tasks and coaching call

Every lesson includes copywriting tasks and exercises. We’ll discuss your tasks in our private coaching call. In this call, I’ll be giving you your feedback – which includes plenty of practical tips to help you improve your writing. The call also enables us to “meet” virtually which is always a lot of fun!

Lesson 1: An introduction to medical copywriting

We begin with a comprehensive overview of the health & medical copywriting industry.

• Learn about the various forms of medical copywriting – everything from advertising to sales letters, email marketing, blogging, website copywriting, product information, SEO and more
• Explore the vast employment opportunities – learn who you can work for as both a freelance and employed medical copywriter, as well as how much money you can expect to make as a medical copywriter
• Discover what clients and employers are looking for in a medical copywriter for hire – including skills, experience, qualifications, attributes, CVs and your portfolio
• Find out how to transition to medical copywriting and get started working in the field – my top strategies to help you plan your entry into the world of medical copywriting

Lesson 2: Mindset, research, voice, and drafting

You’ve got a brief. Now what? Believe it or not, background work is just as – if not MORE – important than copywriting itself. That’s why our second lesson focuses on the essential preparation needed to write compelling medical copy.

• Develop a copywriting mindset – learn what this mindset entails and why you need it before you start writing
• Learn how to research your customer needs – so your copywriting is highly targeted and highly effective
• Understand your project’s key requirements – the crucial questions to ask before you start working that will save you time and take your copy to extraordinary heights
• Learn how to start writing when presented with a blank page – plus templates to help if you’re struggling to get started

Lesson 3: Persuasion, trust, engagement and action

In copywriting, persuasion is the name of the game. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to weave the most persuasive writing techniques into your medical copywriting.

• Get comfortable and confident with persuasion – compelling offers, power words, persuasion psychology and more: I break it down, step-by-step, to help you understand how to use persuasion in your writing
• Discover how to weave in elements that build trust – learn what does and doesn’t work when it comes to building and establishing trust in medical copywriting
• Grasp the essential best practices for writing engaging medical copy – strategies to help you generate leads, clicks and sales, even when writing extremely ‘medical’ copy
• Action, action, action – learn about call-to-actions and be taught strategies for creating clear, actionable medical copy

Lesson 4: Essential information for medical copywriters

The fourth and final lesson of your medical copywriting course covers the key topics you need to be aware of before you even think about publishing or submitting your medical copy.

• Legal and regulatory considerations all medical copywriters need to know – so your work is compliant and doesn’t mislead your readers
• How to write high-quality medical copy – ethical considerations, social responsibility, citing medical research, and referencing your work correctly
• How to make your copywriting look beautiful – ensure the readability and aesthetics complement your crafty copywriting
• Tips and tricks to make your completed copywriting even more powerful – the secret tactics used by the most successful copywriters

Hi – I’m Michelle Guillemard, a freelance health writer and the founder of Health Writer Hub. I’m also the President of the Australasian Medical Writers Association.

I created Health Writer Hub in 2013 – after recognising the growing need for an industry-specific resource for health writers around the world.

As well as writing and teaching my passion here at Health Writer Hub, I contribute to the European Medical Writers Association Journal and run training workshops for AMWA and Cheeky Scientist.

I’ve been immersed in the health & medical writing industry for more than a decade – and I’ve spent most of that time working as a health & medical copywriter. Products, healthcare professional services – you name it, I’ve written about it.

Many people assume health & medical copywriting is about selling and marketing. It isn’t. It’s about conversion and the process of inspiring action.

This action could be signing up for a newsletter, or booking an appointment. It could be changing an unhealthy behaviour into a healthy one. Your clients have an intended response, and it’s your job to drive that response yet still arm your readers with credible information that’s compliant and responsible.

Conversion is the skill – and power – of effective copywriting.

Copywriting doesn’t only involve advertising and healthcare product marketing. It’s not the written equivalent of someone with a megaphone yelling ‘buy now’. There’s an art to it, and there’s space for education, inspiration, empowerment and even behaviour change.

So, what do you say – are you ready to learn medical copywriting with me?

How much time do I need to set aside?

I recommend that each week, you allow around 4-8 hours for listening to the podcasts and reviewing all of the course materials. The amount of time you spend completing your writing task is a personal decision – most students spend several hours on each task, while others can complete their task in just a couple of hours – or need more time. As all students are at different stages with their writing and have different skill sets, there is no one way to go about it.

Why should I take your medical copywriting course when I can learn how to write online for free?

It’s true you can find a lot of free writing advice online (and on my blog in particular). But here’s the difference. When you take one of my writing courses, you have my full support. You have a teacher. And, that’s because I don’t feel I can teach you how to improve your writing skills unless you get feedback. I believe the three most important steps to take to improve your writing are reading, practice and feedback. You can (and should) do the first two on your own, but the third? That’s where I come in. And, that’s why ALL my courses include my feedback and support. I don’t just send you the materials. When you take one of my courses, I spend a lot of time reading your tasks and giving you practical steps to help you become the best health & medical copywriter you can be.

How do I know if medical copywriting is for me?

You hate the notion of selling something. You have a problem with the idea of working in marketing. Is copywriting really for you? If you are keen to learn how to write creatively to achieve outcomes and are a results-driven writer who thrives on inventing exciting offers that help to change lives, then medical copywriting is for you. Remember, there are different skill sets within medical copywriting. It’s not JUST about selling. Nor do you have to be an abstract creative who spends their days working on complicated, smart advertising concepts. Blogging and even article writing are forms of copywriting. Feel free to email me if you’re still unsure, and we can have a chat about it.

Does this course teach me how to set up a medical copywriting business, too?

This course is primarily designed to teach you about the medical copywriting field and techniques. While we discuss aspects of running a freelance business, it’s not a freelance copywriting course. If you’re interested in learning how to set up a freelance writing business, take a look at my How To Become A Freelance Health Writer course.

How many people take this course?

Student numbers vary from course to course, but there will never be more than 20 students. I intentionally limit places in all my courses, as every course has a personalised element – and, there is only so much of me to go around! So, if you are keen to take this course, I recommend you sign up early to avoid disappointment.

Why aren’t the lessons “live”?

People from all over the world take Health Writer Hub’s courses, so it’s very hard to find a time that suits everyone involved. The materials are ready for you to view at a time that suits you – enabling you to get the most out of your learning experience. We also have a student-only forum where you can post questions and answers and interact with the other students taking the course at the time. And, of course, you have unlimited email access to me for the duration of the course – and for as long as you like afterwards.

When are the private coaching calls?

We will schedule your call once the course has commenced. You may wish to schedule it several weeks after the course period if you need more time with your tasks. I use Zoom for all my coaching calls.

What is your guarantee/refund policy?

It’s critical to me that everyone who signs up for Principles Of Medical Copywriting gets the most out of their course. I want you to be satisfied that the course content is exactly as described on this page, and I very much care about providing a high-quality, valuable course for all students. If you are not happy with the course content after you receive the first lesson, I encourage you to let me know so we can discuss your concerns together. If we can’t come to an agreement, you may be eligible for a refund (less $80 administration fee). This guarantee is valid for 5 days after your course commencement date and all refunds are discretionary as determined by me. (Please note: refunds do not apply if you simply change your mind.)

Can I start the course before or after the official start date?

Many of my students have schedules which can make it difficult to commit – and, that’s why I’m very flexible with all my courses. You can absolutely start earlier, or later, as a lot of the learning is self-directed. If you would like to register and have early access to the course, please email me.

How do I sign up?

To sign up for the course, click on the Sign Up button on this page. Then, you’ll be asked to complete your payment via PayPal. This course is priced in AUD and will be converted to your local currency by PayPal. You will receive a confirmation receipt and order number after you complete your payment. As soon as the course starts, you’ll receive regular emails, every week for 6 weeks, with links to each new lesson – and you’ll be given unlimited access to the course materials.

How do I access the course?

This course is conducted online, so you will need a laptop and an internet connection – as well as a PDF reader. You are welcome to download the course materials to your desktop to read them offline at a later date.

How long will I have access for?

You can access all course materials for as long as you need to. If you still need access after the 4-week course period, you will be able to continue to use the materials.

What does the course cost?

Principles Of Medical Copywriting costs 499 AUD. There are often early-bird discounts available, and the best way to keep up-to-date with these is to subscribe to the Health Writer Hub Newsletter here.

Do I only have one week to review the weekly lessons?

You have as long as you like. Many students like to take their time with the materials. The choice is yours, and rest assured I’m not going anywhere – once you sign up for the course, you will have my support whenever you need it.

How is this course different to other copywriting courses?

Principles Of Medical Copywriting is designed for writers who are specifically interested in health & medical copywriting as opposed to copywriting in general. All of the information in the course is designed for writers who intend to write about healthcare and medical topics, and it’s applicable to the medical writing industry.

How often is the course material updated?

The course material is reviewed and updated throughout the year. All students are surveyed after they have completed the course and their suggestions are incorporated. Additionally, I am constantly keeping up to date with new industry trends and looking for the latest advice to include – helping to ensure the content is always as relevant and current as possible.

Can I still take the course if I’m American/ English/ Australian/ European?

I often get students contacting me and asking this question! I have designed the course to be relevant for any English-speaking writer, anywhere. I don’t believe that your location should limit your freelance health writing opportunities, and everything that is taught in this course is applicable at a global level. We’ve had students from Australia, America, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the UK take this and other Health Writer Hub courses.

Do you offer CPD points or accreditation?

When you successfully complete the course, meaning you’ve reviewed the modules and completed your assignments, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. You can use this to demonstrate hours for self-assessed CPD. If you’d like to find out more or discuss your accreditation requirements, please contact me here.

Do you offer loyalty discounts?

I do indeed! All students who take one of my courses will receive a voucher for 30% off any of my other courses. You can get in touch with me if you have any questions about this.

What’s the difference between health copywriting and medical copywriting?

For the purposes of this course, nothing! Generally speaking, for some people there is no difference between the terms ‘health’ and medical’ while others tend to equate ‘health’ writing with consumer writing and ‘medical’ writing with academic and scientific writing. My course is relevant for all styles of copywriting within the healthcare niche.

Can you be a referee for me?

I sometimes act as referees for students who I have worked closely with. I am more than happy to discuss how this works with you after you have completed your course. For me to act as your referee, we will need to have developed a close working relationship, Also, I need to feel comfortable I know you well enough to provide honest, accurate and valuable insight into your writing and working habits. Any decisions will made on a case-by-case basis. Please contact me if you’d like to know more about how this works.

I have a question – how can I contact you?

I welcome questions and enquiries and am happy to hear from you. Please contact me via the contact form here.