American Medical Writers Association

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Select pre-conference workshops you wish to register for (additional fee).

Monday, October 25 AM Workshops

		Start Date	End Date	Start Time	End Time
WS-01: Composing Narratives for Safety and Adverse Event Reporting		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	9:00 AM	12:00 PM	10/25/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Presenter: Jennifer Bridgers, MS, MWC Well-written narratives are cohesive, concise, and clear. This workshop is designed to enhance the skills needed to compose high-quality narratives. Key elements in safety reporting, correct use of medical language, and organization of data for a well-written narrative are addressed. In addition, best practices and realistic constraints are discussed. In-workshop activities: participants will engage in exercises to build their skills in composing narratives.
WS-02: Organizing Principles for Journal Manuscripts		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	9:00 AM	12:00 PM	10/25/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Presenter: Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH Medical writers who write and edit manuscripts for medical journals need to understand the accepted principles for organizing and preparing original research reports for publication. Many journals require authors to follow these principles. This workshop focuses on describing the function and content of each section of a medical research manuscript. A brief discussion will be included of techniques for targeting appropriate journals for the message. Participants will learn how to use the organizational principles to clarify messages and how to critique manuscripts on the basis of strengths and weaknesses of organization. A pre-workshop assignment will be the basis for discussion during the workshop.
WS-03: Usage: Choosing the Right Word for the Job		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	9:00 AM	12:00 PM	10/25/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Presenter: Stephen N. Palmer, PhD, ELS Designed for moderately experienced medical communicators, this workshop focuses largely on words that are commonly misused in medical writing. We will discuss what is considered correct usage in the academic medical literature (mainly according to AMA style), as well as how to choose words for maximum precision and conciseness. The workshop format includes lecture and group exercises and time for participants to raise questions about usage.

Monday, October 25 PM Workshops

		Start Date	End Date	Start Time	End Time
WS-04: Basics of Epidemiology		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/25/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Bart Harvey, MD, PhD Designed for experienced medical writers, this combination of lecture and group exercises will be help the participants learn to interpret basic epidemiological data. The focus will be on the critical evaluation of reported medical findings and the application of epidemiological concepts to improve the participant's writing. Measures of disease occurrence, research designs, and causality will be discussed. The workshop leader will use examples from clinical medicine, public health, and pharmacoepidemiology.
WS-05: Essentials of Copyediting		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/25/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Erica Goodoff, ELS(D) Intended for beginning copyeditors, this workshop will focus on basic copyediting skills. Copyediting is the process by which a manuscript is prepared for publication by revisions that ensure clarity, accuracy, and consistency. Participants will learn the elements, principles, and processes involved in copyediting for scientific and medical publications. Specific exercises will enable participants to identify typical copy problems and compare various editorial choices.
WS-06: Serving Two Masters: Comparing and Contrasting US and EU Regulatory Processes		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	1:00 PM	4:30 PM	10/25/2021 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM Presenter: Art Gertel, President and Principal Consultant, MedSciCom, LLC, White House Station, NJ There is now an internationally agreed format for the presentation of an application dossier for a marketing authorization for a pharmaceutical product: The Common Technical Document (CTD). It is accepted by the three participating regulating authorities (USA, EU, and Japan) as well as by other “observer” parties (e.g. Canada). This does not mean, however that there is commonality in the processes required for submission and review, the content of dossiers, nor the way in which reviewers approach the assessment of the dossier. In particular, there are significant differences between the way data are summarized and the approach taken by European reviewers and that taken by their counterparts in the USA. While some of these differences may ultimately evolve to a state of commonality, others likely never will. Participants will be introduced to the legal origins and mandates, and will review some of the labyrinthine procedures associated with preparing, filing, and defending a licensing application. Cultural and practice differences and similarities between the EU and USA will be explored.
WS-07: Writing the Clinical Study Abstract		10/25/2021	10/25/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/25/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Yeshi Mikyas, PhD Abstracts are generally a required component in the scientific literature and are usually the first piece of information a reader seeks to determine the value of the material that follows in the full manuscript. A clear, concise, and self-contained abstract is vital, but the length restriction of an abstract and the amount of information it must contain creates a challenge. The objectives of this workshop are to evaluate the elements of the clinical study abstract and to discuss methods to organize the content for clarity and the greatest impact. Both conference and journal article abstracts will be covered. The pre-workshop assignment provides exercises in writing an abstract and will be used for discussion in the workshop.

Tuesday October 26 AM Workshops

		Start Date	End Date	Start Time	End Time
WS-08: Creative Process in Pharmaceutical Advertising and Promotion		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	9:00 AM	12:00 PM	10/26/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Presenter: Brian Bass, MWC What’s the value of a commercial with nothing but side effects? How are data transformed into demand? How do medical communicators think like that, write like that, and get away with that? If the world of pharmaceutical advertising and promotion are as foreign to you as a distant planet, you probably work in regulatory, medical affairs, or a similar scientific area of medical communication. But for a pharmaceutical drug to be successful and fuel the engine of new drug development, all areas of medical communication—from the most scientific to the most promotional—must work in harmony to support the brand. In this workshop you’ll learn about the regulations that guide pharmaceutical advertising and promotion, visit the inner workings of medical advertising agencies and medical communication companies, and take a journey through the creative process and into the War Room where you’ll make it all happen!
WS-09: Lean Authoring		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	9:00 AM	12:00 PM	10/26/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Presenter: Elizabeth Brown, MS, PMP In today’s medical writing environment, medical writers are routinely faced with writing about highly complex studies and overwhelming amounts of data. When writing a deliverable, be it a protocol, clinical study report, poster, or peer-reviewed manuscript, it is imperative to develop a document that focuses on the key messages. This workshop provides recommendations on how to get out of the way of the data and implement various lean authoring techniques to ensure that the target audience comes away with the intended key messages. In-workshop activities: participants will engage in exercises to revise text to make it more fit-for-purpose, more lean and message-driven, more concise, more effective, and less biased.
WS-10: Writing Clinical Study Report Lay Summaries--A Survivor's Guide		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	9:00 AM	12:00 PM	10/26/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Presenter: Lisa Chamberlain James, PhD Writing plain language summaries of clinical trial results (the lay summary) is challenging but is now legally required in the European Union, with the United States set to follow suit. This workshop provides an overview of the problems with writing in plain language, a discussion of the challenges of describing real data for an onspecialist audience, and a summary of practical tips and explanations for how to approach the requirements. In-workshop activities: participants will develop specific sections of a lay summary. The workshop focuses on the requirements of the EU regulation specifically, but the skills and principles taught can be applied to any plain language document.

Tuesday, October 26 PM Workshops

		Start Date	End Date	Start Time	End Time
WS-11: Introduction to Health Economics for Medical Communicators		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/26/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Bart Harvey, MD, PhD As cost becomes an increasingly important factor in health care decisions, medical communicators need a basic understanding of the terms and concepts of health economics. Topics covered in this workshop include applicable study designs, cost determination, sensitivity analysis, discounting, perspective, and time horizon, all of which are presented in a simple, nonmathematical manner. Key terms are defined, and issues relevant to the preparation and review of health economic analyses and publications are described. In-workshop activities: participants will engage in group discussion on applying these principles to examples taken from the published literature.
WS-12: Medical Journalism: From Choosing a Topic to Polishing the Piece		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/26/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Barbara Gastel, MD, MPH Intended mainly for newcomers to medical journalism, this workshop will explore, through presentation and discussion, the basics of writing articles on medical topics for magazines, newspapers, and other publications for general readers. Aspects to be addressed will include choosing topics, gathering and evaluating information, and crafting and refining the piece.
WS-13: Proofreading: Strategy for Document Quality Control		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/26/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Damiana Chiavolini, PhD Proofreading is the final—and often underappreciated—step in producing professional documents. This introductory or refresher workshop focuses on proofreading as a strategy for document quality, distinct from writing or copyediting. More than catching typos, proofreading strategies include achieving consistency, sharpening attention to mechanical errors, and identifying and correcting production and layout issues. Standard proofreading practices and electronic proofreading methods are discussed. Participants will learn to train both the mind and the eye to determine what to correct, query, or ignore. In-workshop activities: participants will complete exercises to apply proofreading strategies.
WS-14: Writing Clinical Evaluation Reports (CERs) According to Medical Device Regulation		10/26/2021	10/26/2021	1:00 PM	4:00 PM	10/26/2021 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Presenter: Karen Bannick McQuoid, MA, RAC, FRAPS, CEO Global medical device companies are seeking European market authorization under the new EU Medical Device Regulations, now in force as of May 26, 2021. As medical writers, there is an urgent opportunity to contribute to ensuring that important medical devices remain available to the European patients. There are major differences between the review and approval processes for medical devices in the European Union and the United States. In particular, a clinical evaluation plan (CEP) and report (CER) are required for all European medical devices (except diagnostic tools). This workshop provides practical advice for gathering and reporting valid clinical evidence in compliance with European Directive2007/47/EC. In-workshop activities: participants will engage in interactive discussion and hands-on exercises. Note: experience with critical appraisal of the scientific literature and knowledge of medical device development are helpful.

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9/23/2025Fall 2025 AMWA Journal

Events Calendar more

11/5/2025 » 11/8/2025
2025 Medical Writing & Communication Conference

11/4/2026 » 11/7/2026
2026 Medical Writing & Communication Conference

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phone: 240. 238. 0940
amwa@amwa.org

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