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Chillibreeze Interview with Dr. Shefali Sabharanjak
1. Armed with a PhD in Cell Biology, what made you choose writing over academia or research? Communication is an important part of Science. Ensuring that scientific discoveries are communicated to a large audience is an important part of research as well. I took a step back from laboratory-based research, after finishing my doctoral research, in order to decide my direction for the future. Scientific writing emerged as an interesting career choice when some initial assignments sourced via the internet worked out very well. I realised that scientific writing allowed me to keep in touch with research and yet I was not bound by a very hectic and demanding schedule. I found myself reading more papers when gathering information for the content I write than when I was actively engaged in lab-work.
Scientific writing principally includes conversion of research results into research papers. Other forms of presentation include writing monographs, literature reviews and articles for communicating scientific findings to a larger audience as well. Scientific facts CAN be explained in plain English for a lay audience. The writer must be prepared to expend ink and space and devote some effort to explaining facts clearly. However, when writing for a scientific or medical audience, precise use of scientific terms and jargon is absolutely essential. Medical terminology has evolved and is constantly developing. A scientific writer must always have proficiency in some stream of biology or medicine. For example, a master’s level of training in biological sciences or a degree in medicine would be desirable. If a writer wishes to gain a higher level of education than that, it is a welcome development.
I have written content for people in the medical profession as well as for lay men. I think the use of medical jargon has to be judicious when writing for these separate audiences. One has to use more explanatory terms when writing for a lay audience. On the other hand, accurate usage of medical terminology saves time as well as lends credibility to content when it is aimed at medical professionals. 4. Can you share some of your experiences while working as a consultant with a health sciences company? It was a different and an educative experience. I got to see how things work in the corporate world.
In India, several communicable diseases are a major health concern. I will use my writing talent and knowledge to create awareness about these in the right fora. 6. What according to you are the biggest problems that freelance medical writers face? I think in India, the medical writing profession is in its nascent stage and we do not yet have a system for recognizing this as a distinct career stream. Career opportunities for emerging scientific writers are not as well-defined as those for technical writers in the software arena.
Check the results of the writing contest for the First Quarter, 2012 Related links: Outsourcing Clinical Research to India
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Shefali is a freelance medical writer who writes both for a lay audience as well as for science and medicine professionals. She is a work-at-home mom who enjoys writing about various topics and issues in health, medicine and science. 
