What Is the Value of a Medical Writer?

Lately, medical writers all seem to be asking themselves the same question: what is the role of the medical writer in an increasingly unstable scientific and technological landscape? 

It’s a reasonable question to ask. A lot of content lately has focused on the shifting discourse around what exactly makes a medical writer valuable, particularly in the context of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Some of the best insights come from those who work in the continuing medical education field, likely a result of the fact that these writers rely most heavily on the so-called “evidence pipeline” to produce accurate and timely content for clinicians.

For example, Alex Howson of Write CME recently published a post for her Write Medicine newsletter called “What 2025 Taught Us About CME Writing—and What It Demands of Medical Writers in 2026”. In it, she explores the shifting role of medical writers in a time where the evidence pipeline has lost its stability and there is increasing pressure to integrate AI tools to achieve faster results. While she covers many aspects of the CME marketplace in her post (and I highly recommend you read it in full), Howson’s thesis is simple but powerful: “Writers who can articulate not just what decisions they made but how and why will maintain their professional relevance. Those who can't will find themselves competing solely on speed.”

She further suggests that the medical writers who will continue to be successful in the CME space are those who can do the following: 

• Explain and justify their decisions to prioritize certain types of evidence over others

• Serve as partners in developing and deploying educational strategies and frameworks

• Set boundaries to preserve personal well-being and ensure judgment and quality are not compromised by the pressure to produce content at a faster pace

Although Howson’s advice is addressed to CME professionals, it applies to the medical writing field and more broadly to any discipline where evidence-based practice is highly valued. Although AI can offer powerful insights, recent reports suggest that early attempts at replacing human workers entirely with AI agents have been overwhelmingly unsuccessful. In fact, a study led by MIT recently shook the generative AI industry when it found that just 5% of companies that invested heavily in AI saw meaningful returns on their investment. 

This is not to say that AI has no value in the workplace–in fact, I am in the process of developing an AI tool for use in public health organizations, and I think it’s extremely important that AI adoption is equitable and not limited to the private sector. It is possible to take a human-centered approach to AI development, where the goal is to enhance human skills and creativity while assigning repetitive “time suck” tasks to the AI. The best uses of AI are those that allow people to do what they are best at while freeing them from tasks that would be better served by automation. Unfortunately, it may take a while for the AI bubble to burst and for large companies to fully realize the irreplaceable value of their human workers, so we will all have to navigate the uncertainty in the meantime. 

So what can medical writers do to ensure their value is not diminished in a world where both AI and increasing political polarization of science is creating a knowledge crisis? First, I think it’s important to recognize that there are many factors contributing to the current state of affairs. For example, the “publish or perish” model of academia led to the proliferation of predatory journals long before AI became the perceived threat that it is today. The rise of generative AI has simply accelerated a process that was already underway, making it easier to generate manuscripts whole cloth and falsify data. And yet, few organizations seem to be taking any real steps to address the human side of this issue. 

The polarization of science is also a problem that has been brewing for decades but was accelerated by the meteoric rise of social media and by an increase in distrust of authority figures. In addition, a longstanding lack of investment in training and research on effective health communication is now paying dividends, much to the chagrin of public health professionals and science communicators. This has led to a situation in which more health research is being published than ever before, and yet the public is less health literate than ever. 

Nonetheless, medical writers are in a unique position to advocate for change. We have long worked in relative obscurity, helping keep the cogs of the biomedical science machine turning. It is time to take a more assertive stance. This starts with knowing your worth as a medical writer, and learning to articulate that worth in ways that matter to the industries we serve. 

There are several concrete steps that any medical writer can take regardless of their level of experience or role in the field. Start by going back to basics and do a skills inventory. Think beyond buzz words and instead evaluate the cognitive processes you engage in on a daily basis. The worksheet linked above is a good starting point to get you brainstorming, but don’t feel limited by the template. 

Second, think about the projects you have completed and what those deliverables or outcomes would look like without your intervention. Who would stand to lose? What consequences would there be for the organization? What steps did you take to ensure a high-quality product? 

Third, start thinking bigger and expand your network beyond the medical writing field. I spent most of my career working in the humanities, teaching undergraduates writing, research skills, and literary studies. I then completed an MPH with the goal of becoming an epidemiologist. When I co-founded M&D and made the decision to move into the medical writing field, I was often told that we should stick to one niche and avoid crossing disciplinary boundaries. Today, I am glad that we decided to ignore that advice. 

On the contrary, I have found that my wide range of professional experiences has only enhanced my ability to navigate uncertainty and articulate my worth to clients. Furthermore, the scientific industry is in dire need of interlocutors like myself who understand multiple systems and audiences. Silos are on the way out, and collaboration is in. Those who fail to recognize this will find themselves vulnerable to the forces threatening our stability. 

Finally, don’t ever stop learning. Even if you are at the peak of your career, no one can afford to stagnate in this environment. Keep gaining new skills, meeting new people, and volunteer to share your knowledge with others. Medical writing is a unique industry with even more unique individuals, and it’s time to put that on display. So don’t be shy, and above all, know your worth as a purveyor of good judgment and sound evidence-based practices. 

I’d like to close with a word of encouragement from Robin Whitsell, the Swanberg Award recipient at the 2025 American Writers Association national conference. She closed her incredibly moving speech by reminding us that each act of showing up and doing the work we do is a small act of resistance. What we do matters, and by continuing that work in the face of extreme adversity, supporting each other, and working toward common goals, we can build a community that is still standing strong once the storm has passed.