AMWA EXPANDS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

The AMWA workshop and certificate program is expanding! Medical communication has changed significantly since AMWA started its flagship workshop and certificate program more than 30 years ago. To reflect this changing environment and to meet the evolving needs of our members and the profession, AMWA's educational program is being updated. The updated program will raise quality standards, expand our workshops offerings and certificates, and ensure consistency of requirements in the certificate programs.

The original purpose of the certificate program remains the guiding principle of the updated program: to ensure that a comprehensive set of relevant communication skills is provided regardless of particular job function, environment, or specialty.

Moving Forward Certificate Changes Slide Show

The New Certificates

The new certificates follow a discipline-based approach that allows for future growth and that increases flexibility for AMWA members and the profession. The foundation of the program is formed by a new certificate called Essential Skills. Beyond Essential Skills are 4 specialty certificates, each focusing on an area of key interest.

• Essential Skills (ES)—the new "core," ie, skills that all medical communicators should possess, regardless of the area in which they work
• Specialty Certificates
  • Composition and Publication (CP)—specialized editorial and publication skills
  • Regulatory and Research (RR)—specialized regulatory/drug development writing and science research skills
  • Business (B)—information on developing and expanding a freelance business, as well as providing management and operation skills
  • Concepts in Science and Medicine (SM)—broad, introductory concepts in science and medicine for nonscientists, or as refreshers

All advanced workshops will also still be offered, and new programs for advanced specialty certificates will be added in the upcoming months.

Certificate Requirements

• A separate certificate can be earned in Essential Skills and each of the 4 specialties listed above.
• Each certificate will require successful completion of 8 workshops (including 1 certificate-specific ethics-related workshop) within 6 years of enrollment.
• You can enroll in and pursue multiple certificates at the same time. However, an Essential Skills, Core, or Advanced certificate will be required before you can earn a specialty certificate.
• As before, you can take any workshop at any time, but earning workshop credit toward a certificate requires being enrolled in the corresponding certificate program.

Transition Issues

• No workshop credits will be lost!
• If you are currently enrolled in an existing certificate program, you can complete the original certificate, or transition into the new system to earn the relevant certificate(s). As always, credit for a workshop can be applied only once, toward only 1 certificate.
• If you have already earned a current Core or Advanced certificate, you can enroll in a specialty certificate program immediately (ie, a Core or Advanced certificate can be substituted for an Essential Skills certificate).
• We know you'll be excited about this and want to check your certificate records. Headquarters is in the process of adding the many credits that were earned at the recent Dallas conference, so please be patient.

More to Come

Watch for more updates and detailed information about the expanded educational program and certificate offerings over the next several months in the AMWA Journal and on the AMWA Web site!