“Scientific and medical writers are just failed scientists”
This toxic and yet common misconception is born from the misbelief that science is only done in a lab. Academia doesn’t even try to dispel the misconception, rarely discussing alternate careers. Even big professors, who haven’t seen a bench in ages, don a labcoat in photo ops. The message is crystal clear: success in science is first achieved in the lab, leaving benchwork beforehand is failure.
This is wrong for many reasons. Here are 3 key ones:
- MINDSET MATTERS.
Curiosity and methodological rigor are the irreplaceable tools of a scientist, not pipettes and microscopes. We have left the lab, not that mindset. - SCIENCE EXPERTS.
We explain breakthroughs and subtle advances as clearly and effectively to patients as to regulatory experts. We, writers, MUST understand science as well as our labcoat-wearing peers - NOT MERE SCRIBES.
We participate in data analysis, from performing safety-checks to advising on statistical tests and even crunching data ourselves — assembling and interrogating genomes is a big, fun part of my day. We, writers, don’t just report others’ findings, we shape them and we may even make new ones.
In a nutshell, scientific and medical writers aren’t failed scientists. Instead, we are traveling a different path in science and medicine, one we may be better at, more passionate, prouder and happier about.
And if you still think otherwise, that’s ok too.
Fortunately, happiness doesn’t need a microscope.
WritinGenomics 
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