Becoming a Medical Writer

In our first lesson, you'll learn what medical writing is all about. We'll discuss what medical writers do and what it takes to be a medical writer. We'll also examine the many types of writing medical writers produce, as well as the tools of the trade—the equipment that medical writers need to have. By the end of this first lesson, you'll have a solid grasp of the field and the items you should have with you as you begin your medical writing career!

Which Path to Choose: Freelancer or Employee?

Today we'll examine the two main career paths you can take as a medical writer: freelancer and employee. We'll start by examining general factors that you need to consider. Then, we'll examine the benefits and drawbacks of being a freelancer and an employee. After you complete this lesson, you'll have a good understanding of both of these routes, enabling you to determine which one will better serve your needs and objectives.

Laying a Good Foundation for Your Writing

There are a few core things you'll need to get a handle on before you start any medical writing project: knowing your audience, understanding your topic, and creating your outline. You can't expect to succeed without first tackling these elements, so we'll go into good detail in this lesson! After you complete this lesson, you'll be equipped to lay a solid foundation for your writing, regardless who you're targeting and what you're writing about.

Grammar Essentials for Medical Writers

The focus of this lesson is on grammar, which is essential for making your writing polished and coherent. We'll start by looking at key sentence-level issues, including sentence structure and use of punctuation. Then we'll move on to building easy-to-follow paragraphs and transitions, as well as a few rules specific to medical writing!

Learning Key Medical and Statistical Terms

In today's lesson, we'll focus on language you'll often come across in medical literature. We'll start by looking at abbreviations, including when and how to use them. Then we'll look at how to spot medical jargon. Finally, we'll review some key statistical terms so that you can better understand how to process the information you're writing about. After you complete this lesson, you'll have a better understanding of the language that dominates the medical arena and how to use it!

Accessorizing and Polishing Your Work

In this lesson, we'll focus on how to add visual elements to your writing and enhance its readability. We'll start by looking at the accessories you can create: figures, tables, and sidebars. We'll review what these accessories are, when to use them, and considerations to keep in mind when creating them. Then we'll turn our attention to proofreading your work, focusing on strategies you can use to catch errors and improve flow. After you complete this lesson, you'll understand how to add the finishing touches to your work that'll really help it shine!

Understanding Key Ethical Principles in Medical Writing

This lesson is all about ethics! We'll talk about the ethical issues that surround medical writing and the responsibilities that come with authorship. We'll start by looking at scientific misconduct and how it can affect your writing. Then we'll turn our attention to plagiarism and how to avoid it. And finally, we'll review ghostwriting and other situations that can cause ethical dilemmas, as well as steps you can take to secure the integrity of your work. After you complete this lesson, you'll have a good understanding of the ethical terrain that underlies medical writing.

Understanding Key Ethical Principles in Medical Writing

Today we'll examine the markets that need medical writers. We'll start by looking at the pharmaceutical industry, which directly and indirectly employs medical writers. Then, we'll examine medical communications companies, another major employer of medical writers. Finally, we'll review some of the smaller markets, like hospitals, managed care organizations, and professional medical associations. After you complete this lesson, you'll have a good understanding of these markets and where to aim in your job search!

Breaking Into the Medical Writing Freelance Arena

In today's lesson, we'll examine the medical writing freelance arena. First, we'll review how you can build a portfolio, which can be an important tool for helping you secure work. Next, we'll examine where to look for freelance work and steps you can take to increase your odds of finding work. Finally, we'll review the business side of being a freelancer, including how to develop a business plan and which business structures you can consider. After you complete this lesson, you'll have a better understanding of the freelance environment and how you can be successful in it.

Finding Permanent Employment as a Medical Writer

How can you find permanent employment as a medical writer? That's what we'll discuss today. First, we'll review how to put together an effective resume and maximize your job search. Then, we'll examine strategies that can enhance your chances of getting an interview, such as constructing a thoughtful cover letter. And finally, we'll look at some ways to really shine during your interview. By the time you finish this lesson, you'll have the knowledge you need to stand out from the crowd, from resume prescreening through the interview process!

Taking Charge of Your Career

Now it's time to think about how you can advance your medical writing career. We'll review credentials you might pursue to make you more enticing to employers or clients, and we'll look at strategies for building a good reputation. Also, every writer's career reaches a standstill at some point—even if you're not there yet, it'll help to be prepared when that happens. We'll close out this lesson by discussing some ways to get career momentum going when you find you've peaked!

The Future of Medical Writing

How is technology shaping medical writing and the way we look for and find medical information? That's what this lesson is all about. First, we'll review how writing for the Web is different from print and what you need to know to write effectively for online viewing. Then, we'll look at social media and how companies are using them to promote content and brands, and we'll discuss how you can use these platforms to promote your own work. And finally, we'll examine how technology continues to shape the writing world and some technology solutions that can make your life as a medical writer a bit easier!

 There are 11 units of study

Module 1 : Common Root and Musculoskeletal Terms

Welcome to the first lesson of medical terminology! You will begin the course by exploring root terms, which represent the main meaning of a combined medical term. A combined medical term consists of a root, a prefix, and/or a suffix. As you progress through each lesson of this course, you will proceed by "body system." Your first lesson covers root terms that are associated with the musculoskeletal system, like muscles, bones, joints, and tendons of the body.

Module 2 : Integumentary and Digestive Terms
In this lesson, you will learn a variety of terminology relating to the integumentary and digestive systems. The integumentary system includes the skin, connective tissues, and some loosely associated structures such as nails and teeth. You will also learn medical terminology relating to the digestive tract from the mouth, to the pharynx, to the esophagus, and so on, all the way out to the exterior of the body.

Module 3 : Cardiovascular and Respiratory Terms

This lesson will go over terminology related to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The cardiovascular system includes the heart, arteries, veins, and blood, while the respiratory system includes the lungs and assorted chest structures.

Module 4 : Urinary and Reproductive Terms

The topic areas of this lesson are the urinary and reproductive systems. When you go over the urinary system, you will learn terminology related to the kidneys, bladder, urine, and even some chemistry terms. When you go over the reproductive system, you will learn root terms that refer to both male and female anatomical structures.

Module 5 : Neurosensory Terms and Root-Term Review

This lesson concludes the introduction to root terms. You will learn root terms that are associated with the neurosensory system, including nerves, the eyes, ears, brain, and spinal cord. Then you will begin doing something a little different—this lesson includes a review session to help you remember all of the root terms that you've learned so far.

Module 6 : Prefixes and Suffixes A through H

In this lesson, you will learn about prefixes and suffixes that are common in medicine and start with the letters A through H. Starting here, you won't be going through the word associations that you did in previous lessons. By now, you will find that you can recognize many of these terms.

Module 7 : Prefixes and Suffixes I through O

This lesson continues to progress through the prefixes and suffixes commonly used in medical terminology. Your objective for this lesson is to identify the common medical prefixes and suffixes that begin with the letters I through O.

Module 8 : Prefixes and Suffixes P through Z

This lesson completes the tour through the alphabetical listings of the most common prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology by focusing on prefixes and suffixes that begin with the letters P through Z. You will find that there are many more terms that medical professionals use less often, and you will even discover that sometimes a root that you already know is used as a prefix or suffix.

Module 9 : Color Prefixes and Suffixes and Abbreviated Titles

In previous lessons, you learned about common prefixes and suffixes. This lesson focuses on specific prefixes and suffixes that pertain to color. Color is used quite a bit in the medical field because it helps everyone to describe various signs and symptoms. You will also go over medical abbreviations that are specific to the various occupations and titles of the medical industry. Your assignment in this lesson will change a little as your research becomes a bit more challenging.

Module 10 : Common Abbreviations A through R

The medical community uses an abundance of abbreviations. Some medical facilities don't allow them, but you should still learn the meanings of the most common abbreviations so you will know them when you see them. This lesson covers abbreviations that start with the letters A through R. Your assignment for this lesson will be a bit different—you're going to find words in a medical note that you can replace with the abbreviations that you learned in the lesson.

Module 11 : Common Abbreviations S through W and Specialized Abbreviations

In this lesson, you will finish your study of medical abbreviations with letters S through Z. You will also go over specific abbreviations that refer to hospital areas, laboratory tests, chemistries, and medical symbols. This lesson’s assignment has you find the abbreviations that correctly relate to each sentence in a medical note.

There are 12 units of study

Module 1 : Basic Math Refresher

Has it been a while since you multiplied fractions? Converted decimals to percents? Used exponents or powers of 10? This lesson reviews these math topics—and more—because they’re what medical professionals commonly need to use. You will get lots of practice in this lesson, so if you’re a little rusty, don’t worry—you will be back up to speed in no time!

Module 2 : Measurement Systems and Conversions

Do you remember how to convert centimeters to inches and pounds to kilograms? This lesson covers both the metric and US customary systems of measurement. You will become a master at making conversions within and between the two systems, and you will learn how medical professionals use these measurements every day.

Module 3 : Ratios, Rates, and Proportions

“Amoxicillin 500 mg PO b.i.d.” What does this medication order mean? Lesson 3 will unlock some of the jargon and abbreviations these orders use. You will interpret ratios, determine rates, and set up and solve proportions—all of which will help you as you determine medication dosages and make other medical calculations.

Module 4 : Dimensional Analysis and Formulas

Can you convert liters per hour to milliliters per minute? Do you know how to calculate body surface area to use in a pediatric dosage calculation? You will learn these skills and more in Lesson 4. You will learn the basics of dimensional analysis and then use it to solve problems that are more complex. This lesson also focuses on several key formulas that medical professionals use, and you will learn multiple ways to solve problems, so you can choose the method that’s easiest and fastest for you!

Module 5 : Oral Medications

What are the three forms of oral medications? Do you know how to calculate the dose of an oral liquid medication based on body weight? And what does “mEq” mean? In Lesson 5, you will apply what you have learned in previous lessons as you master new skills, calculating doses of oral medications in solid and liquid form. You will also learn to dose oral medications based on body weight and body surface area.

Module 6 : Solutions and Dilutions

Can you interpret the percent strength of a solution and use it in a dosage calculation? Do you know how to prepare dilutions from stock solutions? In Lesson 6, you will learn about solution strengths as ratios and percentages, and you will practice the calculations necessary to prepare solutions.

Module 7 : Parenteral Medications

Do you know how to reconstitute a powdered medication? Can you calculate dosages for medications that you have to inject? In Lesson 7, you will learn to formulate doses of parenteral medications. You will do calculations for liquid parenteral medications measured in milliliters and in units.

Module 8 : Intravenous Fluids

Have you ever calculated the flow rate for an intravenous infusion? What's an enteral infusion? In Lesson 8, you will learn the basics of intravenous and enteral solutions and infusions. You will learn to calculate the flow rates for both kinds of infusions. You will also figure out how long it will take a solution to infuse.

Module 9 : Intravenous Drug Calculations

What do IVP and IVPB mean? How do you calculate an IV flow rate based on a patient's body weight or body surface area? In Lesson 9, you will learn how medical professionals give medications intravenously, and you will practice calculating flow rates in different circumstances.

Module 10 : Pediatric and Geriatric Dosing

Should you round dosing calculations up or down for pediatric patients? What are the best dosing practices for children and older adults? In Lesson 10, you will learn about special dosing concerns for your younger and older patients. You will calculate doses for pediatric and geriatric patients using body weight and body surface area. This lesson also covers additional age-specific issues, like daily fluid maintenance and dosing of patients with reduced kidney function.

Module 11 Descriptive Statistics

How do you measure what's typical or average in a data set? And what is a standard deviation? In Lesson 11, you will learn basic statistics that you can apply in the medical field. You will see how to use statistics to summarize a data set. You will also understand how people use data and statistics to make decisions, improve quality, and develop best practices in medicine.

Module 12 Probability, Data Collection, and Medical Research

How do you collect good data? What's a p-value, and what does p < 0.05 mean? In Lesson 12, you will work with examples from the medical field as you calculate and interpret probabilities. You will also learn about ways to collect data. When you've finished this lesson, it will be easier for you to understand and evaluate research results.

There are 12 units of study

 Medical Coding Basics

In our first lesson, we'll explore the history of medical insurance and medical coding. After that, we'll take a few minutes to get familiar with the coding books and tools that medical coders use. We'll finish up the lesson with an important discussion about patient privacy and confidentiality.

Coding in the Real World

Today we'll take a close look at how medical professionals use medical codes in the real world. We'll get to know the common forms medical coders use and explore the different types of medical codes you'll find in your coding books. By the time you finish this lesson, you'll understand how the different types of codes come together on the claim form and how they tell the insurance company a complete story about any doctor-patient encounter.

Getting to Know Your CPT Manual

In this lesson, we'll take a detailed tour through the CPT manual where you'll find medical codes for the procedures and treatments doctors and other medical professionals provide their patients. You'll learn all about the CPT symbols, modifiers, and unlisted procedures. By the end of this lesson, you'll be looking up your first codes!

Getting to Know Your ICD-9-CM

Similar to our last lesson, today we'll take a detailed tour through the other coding book we'll use in this course, the ICD-9-CM, which is where you'll find the codes for any disease, illness, condition, or symptom that a patient may have. You'll learn all about the ICD-9-CM's symbols, formatting, and other conventions; and you'll learn where to find E-codes and V-codes. By the end of this lesson, you'll begin to practice coding diagnoses.

Coding the Integumentary System

Today we'll begin a series of lessons that will take us in depth into just one body system at a time so we can discuss specific medical coding situations for each area of the human body. In this lesson, we'll explore the integumentary (skin) system. We'll review the code categories for the most common skin conditions, infections, injuries, and procedures, and then we'll practice coding cases that involve common skin problems.

Coding the Musculoskeletal System

In this lesson, you'll learn all about the musculoskeletal system and study some important musculoskeletal vocabulary. We'll review the code categories for the most common muscle and bone conditions and injuries, and then you'll learn how to code the procedures doctors use to treat common muscle and bone problems.

Coding the Respiratory System

Today we'll review the respiratory system, and you'll learn how to code the most common respiratory conditions and injuries. After that, you'll practice coding the most common respiratory procedures that doctors use on their patients.

Coding the Cardiovascular System

We'll explore the cardiovascular system in today's lesson. You'll learn how to code common heart, vein, and artery conditions and diseases, and then you'll learn how to code the procedures doctors use most often to treat these common diagnoses. And as we always do, we'll follow up our general discussion on cardiovascular diseases and procedures with lots of coding practice.

Coding the Digestive and Endocrine Systems

In this lesson, you'll learn all about the digestive system and the endocrine system. We'll begin by studying some important vocabulary for both systems, and then we'll review the code categories for the most common conditions, diseases, and injuries. After that, we'll explore the procedures doctors perform to fix digestive and endocrine system problems. We'll end up the lesson with some practice coding both systems.

Coding the Male and Female Genitourinary Systems

In the last of our system-specific lessons, today we'll review the male and female genitourinary systems; and learn how to code common conditions, diseases, and procedures for both systems. We'll also spend some time discussing maternity and childbirth and the special medical coding challenges you'll need to consider in those cases

Evaluation and Management (E/M) Codes

Ready to get to know Evaluation and Management codes? Today, you'll learn the three key components of any E/M service, and I'll provide you with some helpful charts you can use to narrow down an E/M code range to a final E/M code. And as you probably guessed, we'll end up the lesson with plenty of E/M coding practice!

Surgical Packages and Modifiers

In our final lesson, you'll find out what's included in a surgical package and what's not. You'll also learn all about modifiers, and find out why medical coders use them to let insurance companies know about special circumstances. Finally, you'll put everything you've learned throughout the course together by coding some practice scenarios that incorporate all of the different types of codes!

There are 12 units of study

Introduction to Medical Transcription

In this first lesson, we'll look at the history of medical transcription as a career. You'll find out how the field has evolved into its modern form, and you'll explore the various skills and aptitudes that you'll need to succeed as a professional medical transcriptionist. You'll examine the type of work MTs produce, and we'll take a look at the MT's job today, where you might work, and what might be in store in the future for those working in this career field.

Tools of the Trade

We'll start today by discussing the MT's tools of the trade. We'll review a few of the reference books and discuss the types of Web sites that MTs use for research. Then we'll take a look at the hardware and software that today's MTs use on the job. I'll talk you through downloading the free software we'll use in this course, and then we'll go through a quick tour on how to use it. By the end of this lesson, you'll be sitting at your computer, listening to a real medical dictation audio file and looking at the Express Scribe software on your screen. As you listen to the medical report, you'll practice starting, pausing, and rewinding the audio as you tap away on the keyboard.

Understanding Medical Records

There are nine report types that medical professionals use most often in both hospitals and clinics. So in this lesson we'll go over a variety of examples of real medical reports. We'll also do a quick review of medical correspondence. Medical letters aren't much different from traditional letters, but since you might not have typed a traditional letter in a while, you might need a refresher. We'll finish the lesson with some specific tips about pathology reports and how to handle numbers and measurements. Then you'll practice transcribing a medical letter and a pathology report.

Listening Carefully

We'll spend this lesson going over how to listen most effectively, discussing the difference between hearing and active listening. We'll also touch on many of the issues that keep voice recognition systems from replacing humans, including homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms. Then we'll discuss how you can use phonetics and vowel sounds (as well as a few other tricks!) to help you figure out a word or phrase in a muddled recording. Then we'll talk a bit about the radiology department and radiology reports, and we'll finish up by practicing transcribing one in today's assignment.

Grammar, Sentence Structure, and Punctuation

Today we're going to talk about some subjects that might make you cringe a little: grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. But I promise this will be a painless, maybe even enjoyable, journey through some of the basic principles of writing that will help you become a better MT. Then, in our Practice Corner, we'll talk a little more about SOAP notes and then turn our attention to infectious diseases and medications. You'll also have the chance to transcribe a SOAP note and a radiology report in the assignment that accompanies the lesson.

Style

We'll continue our examination of writing in this lesson by talking about style from the MT's perspective. When you're transcribing, you must follow editorial directions in spelling, capitalization, and typographical display. And it's those directions that are the style MTs need to be concerned about. I think you'll be surprised at how many different ways you can treat a single word. Should it be capitalized or lowercased? Should you abbreviate it, or should you spell it out? Should your numbers be in digit form or word form? These are the issues we'll be covering in this lesson. Finally, in our Practice Corner, we'll focus on the H&P report, and you'll have the chance to practice transcribing one.

Medical Terminology and Spelling

No matter what you transcribe, one thing is a given: Medical terminology will be a huge part of it. That's what we'll be focusing on today. One thing to remember is that dictators aren't perfect. They might say one word when they actually mean another. Or they might say a word that has a sound-alike word, like cystitome and cystotome. If you have a good understanding of medical terminology, you can pinpoint the correct word to make sure your transcription is accurate. Then, in our Practice Corner, I'll review the basic nature of heart disease and its treatment. We'll also take a close look at another common disease: diabetes.

Report Formatting and Word Processing

A critical component of the MT's work is the way you put your reports together. So in this lesson, we'll talk about how to break up your reports into sections with headings, subheadings, special line spacing, page breaks, and other formatting niceties. We'll also take a closer look at ways you can make your work easier by using word processing shortcuts, AutoText, macros, and templates. Mastering them will make you a faster and more efficient MT! In the Practice Corner, we'll focus on surgical reports. Surgical terminology is important to know, and it's also fascinating to take an inside look at what goes on in the operating room. The assignment for this lesson will include a surgical report to help you put to work all the new knowledge you've gained.

Checking Your Work

Another essential step in transcription is editing and proofreading your work. And that's what we'll concentrate on today. I'll start off by sharing some editing do's and don'ts as well as what to look for when you're proofreading. In our Practice Corner, we'll be covering a disease process that has, in some way, touched virtually everyone: cancer. Once you have an overview of cancer, we'll work on the consultation report. Physicians often ask specialists to further evaluate their patients, especially cancer patients. So this is a common report that you're likely to transcribe regularly. The assignment for this lesson includes a consult report to transcribe, and you'll also get to practice proofreading.

Classification Systems, and Discharge and Death Summaries

So far we've focused on the mechanical elements of medical transcription. But there is still a lot you need to know about clinical issues. So this will be a completely clinical lesson. We'll talk about classification systems and their transcription foibles. And now that you have the bones of grammar and style down, we're going to talk about some real bones. We'll begin by discussing information on fractures and spine levels. Finally, in our Practice Corner, we'll discuss discharge and death summaries. They are very similar reports, but we'll take a look at some of their subtle differences.

Infections, Blood, and Cells

This lesson will be similar to the last in that it covers lots of clinical issues. It won't all be clinical, however. There are a few miscellaneous things that I want to make sure I share with you. They don't really fit into neat categories, so I've put them all here. Once we finish with these miscellaneous items, we'll jump back into some clinical issues. We'll be talking specifically about infections. Then we'll turn our attention to smaller parts of the body—cells and blood. Then, in our Practice Corner, you'll see how everything you've learned can come together in an autopsy report. This is probably the longest, most comprehensive report you'll ever come across. And, of course, you'll have the chance to transcribe an autopsy report in the assignment!

The Nuts and Bolts of Working as an MT

By now you have the tools and the knowledge you need to dip your toe into the waters of medical transcription. But we still have a couple of big questions to answer. How do you manage your workload? Also, how do you establish yourself as a medical transcriptionist? And do you need more training? Today we'll discuss all the different ways you can work—everything from being an independent contractor all the way up to consultant work. We'll talk about additional training as well. Then we'll take a peek at some of the events on the horizon, and you'll see why this is an exciting time to enter the transcription field. For our final Practice Corner, we'll look at the Health Story Project. It's an initiative to develop standards for integrating narrative reports (like the ones you've been transcribing) into the electronic medical record in a meaningful way—giving them the ability to be searched and to extrapolate data like we have never been able to do before.