Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Health Writer

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a skilled and meticulous Health Writer to join our dynamic content team. The ideal candidate is a natural storyteller with a deep understanding of health and medical concepts and the ability to translate them into clear, compelling, and accessible content for a consumer audience. As a Health Writer, you will be responsible for researching and producing high-quality articles, blog posts, patient education materials, and other content that is medically accurate, SEO-optimized, and aligned with our brand's voice and mission. You will play a crucial role in building trust with our audience and establishing our brand as a leading authority in the health and wellness space.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Copywriter or Content Creator (with a health focus)
Registered Nurse (RN), Dietitian (RD), or other clinical professional with writing skills
Research Assistant or Academic Researcher
Journalist or Communications Specialist in the health sector

Advancement To:

Senior Health Writer or Health Editor
Content Strategist (Health & Wellness)
Medical Communications Manager
Managing Editor of a health publication

Lateral Moves:

Medical Editor or Copyeditor
Patient Education Specialist
Technical Writer (Health Tech / Pharma)
Content Marketing Specialist (Healthcare)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Research, pitch, write, and edit a high volume of engaging, evidence-based health and wellness content, including long-form articles, blog posts, and health condition guides.
Translate complex medical jargon, clinical research, and scientific findings into clear, concise, and easy-to-understand language for a lay audience.
Conduct thorough research using reputable sources such as peer-reviewed medical journals (e.g., PubMed, JAMA), government health organizations (e.g., CDC, NIH), and academic institutions.
Ensure all content is medically accurate, up-to-date, and rigorously fact-checked, including proper citation of all sources according to established style guides.
Optimize all content for search engines (SEO) by performing keyword research, implementing on-page SEO best practices, and crafting compelling headlines and meta descriptions.
Collaborate closely with medical reviewers, clinicians, and subject matter experts (SMEs) to validate the accuracy and clinical appropriateness of content.
Adhere to brand guidelines, tone of voice, and style guides (e.g., AMA, AP) to ensure consistency across all written materials.
Interview industry experts, medical professionals, and patients to gather unique insights, quotes, and personal stories to enrich content.
Develop and write scripts for various multimedia formats, including educational videos, podcasts, and social media clips, in collaboration with the production team.
Create and update patient education materials, such as brochures, fact sheets, and website copy, ensuring they are culturally sensitive and meet health literacy standards.
Repurpose and refresh existing content to improve its accuracy, readability, and SEO performance, ensuring our content library remains current and valuable.
Pitch creative and timely content ideas based on emerging health trends, new research, and audience search data.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of the editorial calendar, helping to plan content that aligns with strategic marketing goals and seasonal health topics.
Write compelling email newsletter content to engage our subscriber base and drive traffic to our core content.
Craft engaging and accurate copy for social media platforms to promote articles and foster community discussion around health topics.
Analyze content performance using tools like Google Analytics to understand audience engagement and identify opportunities for improvement.
Participate in content brainstorming sessions and workshops with the broader marketing and clinical teams.
Stay abreast of the latest developments, research, and trends in medicine, healthcare, and digital health media.
Develop content for various stages of the user journey, from awareness and consideration to decision-making and retention.
Ensure all content reflects an empathetic, inclusive, and patient-centric perspective.

Secondary Functions

Assist in performing content audits to identify gaps, outdated information, and opportunities for new content creation.
Support the editorial team with copyediting and proofreading tasks for content created by other writers or freelancers.
Collaborate with the marketing team to develop copy for landing pages, advertisements, and promotional campaigns.
Participate in user experience (UX) research and testing to provide a writer's perspective on content-heavy digital products.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Expert-Level Writing & Editing: Demonstrated ability to produce clean, compelling, and grammatically perfect copy on tight deadlines.
Medical & Scientific Literacy: Strong ability to read, understand, and synthesize clinical studies, medical terminology, and complex health topics.
Research Proficiency: Mastery of sourcing and citing information from credible medical sources like PubMed, CDC, NIH, and peer-reviewed journals.
SEO Best Practices: Solid understanding of keyword research, on-page SEO, and content optimization using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Clearscope.
Content Management Systems (CMS): Proficiency with publishing content in a CMS like WordPress, Contentful, or a similar platform.
Style Guide Adherence: Experience writing under strict style guides, particularly AMA (American Medical Association) and AP style.
Digital Analytics: Familiarity with using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track and analyze content performance.
Interviewing Skills: Ability to conduct professional and insightful interviews with subject matter experts and patients.
Fact-Checking: A meticulous and systematic approach to verifying all claims, statistics, and medical information.
Multimedia Content Creation: Experience writing scripts for video or audio formats is a strong plus.

Soft Skills

Attention to Detail: An eagle eye for accuracy, grammar, and consistency in all written work.
Adaptability: Ability to quickly pivot between different topics, formats, and tones of voice.
Time Management: Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Collaboration: A proactive and positive team player who works well with editors, designers, marketers, and clinical experts.
Curiosity: A genuine passion for health and a desire for continuous learning.
Empathy: The ability to understand and write for the audience's perspective, particularly those navigating health challenges.
Critical Thinking: Strong analytical skills to evaluate the quality and credibility of research sources.
Communication: Clear and effective communication skills for providing and receiving constructive feedback.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year university.

Preferred Education:

Advanced degree in a relevant field, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science in Journalism (MSJ), or a clinical degree (e.g., RN, BSN, RD).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Journalism, Communications, English
Biology, Nursing, Public Health, Nutrition, or a related life science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of professional writing experience, with a significant portion focused on health, medical, or wellness topics.

Preferred:

Experience writing for a major consumer-facing health website, healthcare system, or digital health company.
A portfolio of published work that demonstrates the ability to write accurate, engaging, and well-researched health content.
Proven experience in creating SEO-driven content that ranks well in search results.