New discussion: Medical writing: Curtain raiser

[Guest guest]

Hi,

After a long break we are daring to start a series on Medical Writing.

The success of this will depend on your active participation.

Publish or perish

Present time demands that we all need to publish our works. Whether in scientific field or academia, practice or industry, the individual worth is weighed on the basis of quality publications. In academia the promotions are linked to publications. On web the individual's publications are seen, quoted, cited and referred to. There is no scientific survival without publications. Hence we thought to start this series which will cover some, if not all, aspects related to medical writing.

We all float in fluid while in womb but yet need to learn swimming when born. Writing is known to all but needs to be learnt, inculcated, developed, refined, imbibed. It is a skill which does not come naturally by merely reading others, just as you cant learn swimming sitting outside the pool and watching others swim! For learning to swim, one has to enter water. Similiarly we all need to learn how to write well.

Thanks to my teachers of Journalism and my trainers at various courses in medical writing - specially the JIPMER, India, team who taught me formally, how to write. I will be generously using their material in this discussion. Hence this sincere acknowledgement at the beginning. God bless all of them.

Have a nice e-discussion. I look forward to your active involvement, which will decide the length of this series.

Dr Vijay Thawani, Moderator