Medical Communications

agencies – uncovered !

Dr Diane SutherlandEditorial Director

Fishawack Communications

Introduction to the ‘Office’

A brief personal history

Medicom agencies – they come in all shapes and sizes! Small Medium Large

Unique mix of skills and personalities

Content overview

Through the agency door – the department mix

A walk through each department Stopping in the Editorial department:

Roles and responsibilities Teamwork Career structure

Getting started

The Department mix

Editorial

IT/multimedia

Finance/HR

Account handling

Design/layout

Conference/events

Sales/business development

Bringing in the business

Business Business development/development/Sales deptSales dept

Sales/business development team

New business Detective work – investigating and

identifying potential opportunities in pharma for medicom services

Making contact – establishing introductory appointments

Managing pitches and proposals requested – selling agency services and skills

Maintaining database of contacts/therapy areas and on-going progress

Sales budget and target establishment

Repeat business Same product, new project types Same company, new products Same client, new company

Delivering the business

EditorialEditorialConferenceConferenceDesign Design MultimediaMultimediaAccount Account managementmanagement

Meeting and greeting – conference/events

department Managing and

delivering all meetings-based projects venue and 3rd party

supplier liaison; speaker, participant and on-site management

Ensuring that projects are delivered to budget, schedule and quality

Advisory boardsAdvisory boards

Stand-alone Stand-alone meetingsmeetings

Satellite symposiaSatellite symposia

Visual appeal and that professional look – design

and multimedia Creative concepts, designs

and producing visual materials – internal (e.g. pitches/presentations) and client

Artwork and layouts for written project outputs

Scientific and technical illustrations for the presentations/project outputs

Interactive options – web-based, animation

Keeping us all in line – account/project managers

Project specification and cost estimates

Schedules Monitoring project

status according to specification

Tracking hours and budget

Liaising with client on the above

Behind the scenes

IT

Project support

Finance

Human resources/personnel

Getting down to business

Editorial deptEditorial dept

Editorial team: roles/titles

Writers Editors Editorial assistants

Trainee/junior Senior Principal Manager Account team

leader/account director/editorial team leader

Scientific director Director/head of

department

Key tasks of the writer

Developing (through research, writing, editing) high-quality material for a variety of projects according to the brief within budget and timelines with correct use of English and scientific accuracy

Liaising with clients, authors and colleagues to progress projects effectively

Mentoring, training and managing writers Preparing cost estimates for editorial tasks Actively participating in account development/

new business opportunities Managing workload (personal/across team)

No writer is an island – interacting with other

departmentsMaterialsSpeakers

PPT ReportsOn-site

MaterialsSpeakers

PPT ReportsOn-site

Concepts Layout

Site mapFunctionality

Concepts Layout

Site mapFunctionality

CostsSchedules

CostsSchedules

Pitches Proposals

Insight Contacts

Pitches Proposals

Insight Contacts

EditorialEditorialSales/BD

Conference/Events

Account/Project management

Design/Multimedia

Career progression within the editorial team – an

example

Medical Writer

Editorial Director

Editorial Manager

Principal Writer

Senior Medical Writer

Scientific Director

0–3 yrs2.5–5 yrs

≥5 yrs

≥4 yrs

≥5 yrs

≥5 yrs

Internal:•training

•procedures

External:•BD support

•Account dvlp

Experience (time; range of projects) Skill set

Getting started

The Process

Application Covering letter CV

Writing and editing tests Interview

Presentation Editorial Other departments

Boxes to tick

What the agency is looking for:

Writing skills Attention to detail Therapy area

experience/potential Suitability to role Team fit Creativity Enthusiasm!

Some considerations for a potential new writer:

Do you enjoy writing? Are you a good team

player? Do you have an interest in

the pharmaceutical industry?

Are you enthusiastic about learning a wide range of areas of medicine?

Are you able to work flexibly and to tight timelines?

Never a dull moment!

Variety Project types Therapy areas

Team work Ownership Job satisfaction