Top-quality publications

Though medical writers are rarely the original scientists who performed the actual research, they do work in close collaboration with these experts, presenting their carefully compiled data efficiently in the best adapted manner possible.

It is hardly surprising, then, that medical writers must have a clear understanding of medical concepts and expression, confidently capable of reporting such data to the targeted audience in a perfectly concise and easy-to-understand manner.

The demand for medical writers has grown tremendously over recent times, owing to an ever increasing amount of research data becoming available, novel drugs and procedures being developed, and new biomedical journals launching all the time. As a result, the last five years have seen the medical writing market double in size.

1. Analyzing the source text. This first step is paramount, as it enables the translator to answer key questions: what is the aim of the text, its target audience, and, as highlighted by C. Nord (1997), the “source text elements that need to be either preserved or adapted”?
2. Linguistic problems. These problems are mostly due to syntax differences between the source and target languages. They can also stem from grammar mistakes or poor command of style in the source or target texts. Translators must thus have extensive knowledge of both languages.
3. Acronyms and abbreviations. The extensive use of abbreviations in medical writing can be a nightmare for the translator, as they tend to obscure the meaning of the text.
4. Text-specific problems. The source text may be full of ambiguities, vagueness or even errors, all of which represent a major challenge for the translator. It is his responsibility to correct errors and ensure faultless writing to deliver high-quality translations.

1. Create an IMRAD strategy:
   • Introduction: Present what is already known alongside the study’s relevance, hypotheses, and objectives.
   • Methods: Describe in great detail subjects (or materials), design, and study procedures.
   • Results: Present the study findings, which may be partly outlined in figures or tables.
   • Discussion and Conclusions: Recall previous literature observations, discuss supporting studies, and present study limitations and future prospects.
2. Draft the manuscript: If possible using the following order:
   • Start with the Materials and Methods section, as this is the easiest part.
   • Next, prepare the figures and tables with appropriate legends and describe them in writing to be included in the Results section, staying concise yet explanatory.
   • Then, discuss the results extensively, compare them with published data, and draw your conclusions.
   • Lastly, review the paper and revise it thoroughly.
3. Adapt the paper according to the journal guidelines:
   • Always stick to the following order: title page, abstract and key words, main text, references, figure legends, and tables.
   • tay within the word limits (total word count/ abstract).
   • Make sure that all tables and figures are cited in the main body of the text.
   • Ensure that the guidelines for referencing style and bibliography are adhered to.

1. Selecting medical translators based on their pricing policy. This is a very common mistake of inexperienced manufacturers. They generate devices or drugs that are technologically superior, but prefer to deal with the lowest bidder when it comes to foreign-language translation services.
2. Choosing a company without enough expertise. When you seek out medical translation services, make sure that the agency has already worked with plenty of medium-sized firms or healthcare professionals. An experienced agency guarantees accuracy.
3. Choosing a company with only general translators. Medicine, medical science, and medical device translation are highly-specialized fields. Therefore, choosing a company whose linguists do not have experience in medical science, medical development, or the medical device industry can be a significant pitfall.