Importance of Good Editing in Medical Writing: Role of Medical Editors

During an informal chat, a newly recruited writer once told me that writing is an exercise in solitude, and editors are just “proofreaders”! I am sure, with experience, he has realized the critical role editors play in enhancing the quality of a document. Editing is a very specialized skill, and a good editor is a medical writer’s biggest ally.

So, what do editors do? Here’s a short overview:

·         Reviews the document for accuracy, clarity, consistency, and logical flow: Mostly, the medical writer is too close to the source material(s) and the draft(s) he has written, and after spending a long time with a document, it is plausible to lose objectivity. An editor looks at the document with a fresh pair of eyes and provides the much-needed objectivity to help strengthen the overall integrity of the ideas being communicated.

·         Imparts brevity to the writing: One of the core competencies needed in medical writing is the communication of complex data into an easily comprehensible form. Even for very experienced writers, an editor’s perspective can ensure that the writing is imparted with more structure and better readability. Often, the editor helps in simplifying complex language, and ensures that the use of medical jargon is restricted. Moreover, editors eliminate the use of colloquial sentence constructions that are a big no-no in scientific publications.

·         Ensures that the document is grammatically sound: An editor keeps a watchful eye for verb-tense agreement, grammatical and spelling errors, punctuation, formatting, and ensures that the document follows the target journal’s style guide (AMA, Vancouver, etc.). A publication containing grammatical errors or inconsistencies in content, style, format, or use of British versus American English distracts the reader and undermines the credibility of the writer.

·         Point out errors in citation: If a statement is not backed by a citation, a good editor will raise the issue. This ensures that the text is properly cited, and saves the writer from plausible accusations of plagiarism.

So, yes, a good editor may make a number of changes to the document, and yes, rewriting may take more effort than the initial writing! However, as a medical writer, one should be receptive to changes made by editors, as it can really improve the quality of the deliverable.

Overall, it is important to realize that editing involves much more than correcting typos and simple grammatical errors. A well edited publication communicates complex information clearly and effectively, ensuring reader and client satisfaction and increasing the credibility of the medical writer.