Certificate Programs
The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) offers one of the most extensive continuing education programs available to professionals in the field of biomedical communication. AMWA is pleased to offer several different certificate program options for biomedical communicators who wish to gain expertise in a single or multidisciplinary area at either a core or a more advanced level. Courses toward these certificate programs are offered at chapter regional conferences held throughout the year or at the annual conference held each year in the fall. In addition, several courses are being developed as self-study workshops on CD-ROM.
AMWA Certificate Programs
Established in 1979 and growing steadily in excellence and popularity, AMWA’s certificate workshops are a cornerstone of the association’s commitment to providing quality continuing education for medical communicators. Earning an AMWA certificate is considered part of a career path in the field and is required by some employers. Three certificate programs are available: core, science fundamentals, and advanced.
Core Certificate
AMWA’s extensive core certificate program offers many opportunities to improve communication skills through a large variety of workshops in areas including:
- Editing, writing, and bibliographic skills
- Freelance business
- Writing for the pharmaceutical industry; public relations, advertising, or marketing organizations; Web sites or multimedia applications
- Education
- Statistics
A certificate can be earned in one or more of five specialty areas:
- Editing/Writing
- Educators
- Freelance
- Pharmaceutical
- Public Relations/Advertising/Marketing
Enrollment in the core certificate program is required if participants are to receive credit for completed workshops. After enrolling, participants have six years to complete certificate requirements.
A core certificate may be earned by the satisfactory completion of four general workshops plus four additional workshops from one of the specialty areas. Workshops may be taken in any order during the six-year period. Both the general and the specialty areas contain many workshops from which participants can choose as a means of satisfying the requirements. Some workshops are applicable to more than one specialty.
A multidisciplinary certificate may be earned by the satisfactory completion of four general workshops and six specialty workshops chosen from three or more of the specialty areas.
Many advanced workshops have core workshop prerequisites. Therefore, in choosing core workshops, participants should consider which advanced workshops they may eventually want to take. After earning the first core certificate, participants may earn additional certificates in different specialty areas by paying an additional enrollment fee and completing four more workshops from the specialty area. The work for each new certificate must be completed within four years.
Science Fundamentals Certificate
AMWA is offering a new curriculum of basic science courses for English or journalism majors who want to enhance their scientific knowledge and credentials. Participants can earn a certificate by successfully completing four general science workshops and four additional workshops from specialty areas such as body systems, diseases, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Learn more.
Advanced Certificate
The advanced curriculum is designed for those who have earned core certificates or have a minimum of five years of experience in the topic covered by the workshops. Advanced workshops provide experienced medical communicators with in-depth consideration of issues in writing and editing, management, bibliographic research, education, basic science, and other topics of interest to experienced professionals. Enrollment in the advanced certificate program is required if participants are to receive credit for completed workshops. After enrolling, participants have eight years to complete the certificate. Earning an advanced certificate requires the satisfactory completion of eight advanced workshops.
Professional Development Certificate
In addition to its formal certificate programs, AMWA also offers a Professional Development Certificate (PDC), which demonstrates continued commitment to professional development in biomedical communication. A PDC is issued when an applicant accrues 50 points within any two-year period. Points are assigned to a variety of AMWA activities, including attendance at chapter meetings, teaching, publishing, or taking on an AMWA leadership role.
Details about the certificate programs, the PDC, and availability of core and advanced courses.
