Medical Writing Symposium in Ottawa

AMWA-Canada has announced the 'line-up' for its medical writing symposium that will be held on April 18th at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute in Ottawa, Ontario. The symposium offers four AMWA credit workshops in two streams followed by a networking dinner. The workshops are nice cross-section of different styles and levels of medical writing. It looks like there is something for everyone. Note, that you do not need to be enrolled in the AMWA certificate programs in order to attend the workshops.

Here are the workshops on offer:

Writing and Designing Materials for Patient Education (EW/PRAM) [Course#224] Through lecture and discussion, writers with little or no experience in writing for patients will work through the “what, who, and how” of a patient education piece: planning, research, writing, design, production, and evaluation. Participants will critique sample booklets and review the homework. APPROXIMATE HOMEWORK TIME:2-3 HOURS. Workshop Leader: Sharon Nancekivell

Improving Comprehension: Theories and Research Findings (EW/ED) [Course#207] This lecture and discussion session for both experienced and novice writers will cover theories and findings from the scientific study of written communication. Applying these findings to medical writing can produce measurable differences in how well readers locate, comprehend, and use information. Participants will explore ways to apply the concepts to improve the readability of a piece of medical writing. APPROXIMATE HOMEWORK TIME: 3 HOURS. Workshop Leader: Tom Lang

Principles of Pharmacoeconomics (EW/PH) [Course#216] This workshop will introduce the principles of pharmaco-economics to medical writers unfamiliar with this field.The lecture will cover trial design, cost determination, sensitivity analysis, and research perspective in a nonmathematical manner. Groupwork will emphasize application of these principles to published materials. APPROXIMATE HOMEWORK TIME: 1-2 hours. Workshop Leader: Christopher J. Longo

Reporting Randomized Trials in Science Journals (ADV) [Course#719] This workshop is designed for experienced medical writers who want to report clinical research studies with a high degree of sophistication. The form and function of each component of the research article will be reviewed; however, emphasis will be placed on how to report all aspects of randomized controlled clinical trials. Participants will practice applying a set of detailed guidelines for reporting specific aspects of study design, research activities, and outcomes. APPROXIMATE HOMEWORK TIME: 3 HOURS. Workshop Leader: Tom Lang

For more information, visit the AMWA-Canada website