University Resources for Aspiring Scientific and Medical Writers in the Research Triangle Park Area

February 22, 2017 | Kathryn Tworkoski, PhD, Clinical Research Scientist II | Medical Writing Services

Finding a job is hard—finding a job in a new field can be even harder. As someone who recently broke into the field of medical writing I’m familiar with the associated challenges, but I can also tell you that the reward is more than worth the work!

Image courtesy of Renjith Krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

IMPACT recently created a series of blog posts to help others make similar career transitions by highlighting local resources available to aspiring scientific and medical writers. Previous posts discussed professional networking tips, how to use social media to make your transition, and professional organizations for emerging medical writers. In this post, I’ve compiled a list of useful programs and opportunities provided by local universities in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Italic text denotes opportunities that are available to everyone, even people not affiliated with a university.

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill

• The Science, Training, and Diversity (STaD) program and the Training Initiatives in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (TIBBS) offer seminars, career postings, and networking opportunities, including:
  • A Career Blitz promoting a wide variety of career options and a Career Center that posts job openings in fields such as regulatory affairs and science writing/editing
  • Clubs/organizations dedicated to specific career paths, such as the Science and Business Club
  • The Immersion Program to Advance Career Training (ImPACT; no relation J) organizes internships in a variety of disciplines including medical writing
• Post‑docs and students can learn about technology development, commercialization, and regulatory considerations through organizations focused on innovative UNC technology, including:
  • The Graduate Certificate in Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship features a series of courses and experiential learning opportunities
  • The Concierge Service for Entrepreneurs program offered through the Kenan Institute

Duke University

• The Duke Regulatory Affairs Training Program teaches interns about regulatory affairs, medical writing, and clinical trials
• The Duke Global Entrepreneurship Network lists local companies that may offer internships in market research, intellectual property, and regulatory affairs
• The DIscovering Career Options in Translational Science (DICOTS) Network connects PhD students and post‑docs with mentors in their fields of interest
• The Graduate School and the Career Center offer a professional development series, various certificate programs, seminars, networking events, and employer information sessions

NC State University

• A Masters of Science in Technical Communication that covers many aspects of medical communication
• Together, NC State and the UNC at Chapel Hill offer a Certificate in Medical Devices focused on product commercialization, intellectual property, and regulatory affairs
• The Graduate School provides insight into various careers and training opportunities via the Professional Development Initiative

Durham Technical Community College

• A Clinical Trials Research Associate program (also available in the evening and via online classes) that covers drug development, federal guidelines, and clinical research
• A Medical Product Safety and Pharmacovigilance program that focuses on monitoring and reporting clinical trials

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

• The annual NIEHS Biomedical Career Symposium allows attendees to explore various careers while providing networking opportunities
• The Office of Fellow’s Career Development offers career development workshops and conducts interviews that allow exiting fellows to offer advice derived from their personal career paths

NC Master’s and PhD Career Fair

• Held every fall at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill, this event is sponsored by local universities (Duke, University of North Carolina [Chapel Hill, Charlotte, and Greensboro], NC State, and Wake Forest) and is free to students and alumni; other interested individuals may attend for a fee. This is a chance to directly interact with potential employers, so bring your list of questions and your resume!

Other Resources

Most local universities have offices of post‑doctoral affairs, graduate student councils, and career centers that promote professional development. Be sure to find out what your local organization offers! Local universities also have a multitude of publications related to science, technology, or medicine. Contributing to these publications as a writer or editor can build your resume while allowing you to network with other professionals! This resource list was written from my personal experience and research; you’ll need to contact the programs directly for more details. Remember that these are just a few of the opportunities available to you—use them to help you get started. And when you’re ready, come check out our team at IMPACT!

Image courtesy of Iamnee at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

IMPACT is an exciting, small CRO whose team has expertise in medical writing, regulatory affairs/operations, early phase clinical trial management, and drug development consulting. If you’d like to learn more about us and the careers we offer, don’t hesitate to contact us. And if you know of any other programs that I should have mentioned, please let me know and I’ll add it to this list!

Category: Medical Writing Services, Regulatory Affairs
Keywords: Alternate careers, medical writing, regulatory affairs, Research Triangle Park

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