Defining and Refining Medical Communication: Competencies, Research, and Theories (Open Session 16)

by Mary Wessling

At Open Session 16 of the annual conference, panel members approached the issue of how to discover the appropriate measurements, and how to construct a program using AMWA resources, that enhance the competency of our members as medical communicators.

David Chernow, a scientific communications consultant for Eli Lilly and Company, described the Medical Writer Competency Model developed by the core team members of the Drug Information Association Medical Writing Special Interest Area Community. This model (I'll call it the DIA model for convenience) was developed by a team of experts from around the world who employ medical writers or who use medical writers as part of their jobs. Overall, the model looked at the knowledge, skills, and behavior that are intrinsic to success as a medical writer, and then in particular, what different categories of jobs in medical writing would demand. The core competency, they agreed, is the ability to tell a scientific story. The model could be used by an individual to assess his or her abilities to enter the field, and also by employers to judge the suitability of applicants for a job they need to fill. It can also be used to train present employees for transitions to other jobs within the organization. David stressed that the model has its limitations, and among them, that it does not prioritize the skills in assessing competency.