Training Medical Writers in Today's Environment 2: Competencies as a Tool to Assess Medical Writers

Abstract

Competencies have been used as a performance management tool to achieve competitive advantage in a number of industries, and can be defined as the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that differentiate superior performance. To develop a competency model for medical writers, you need to define the key roles for your organization (eg, coordinating author, project manager) and assign the appropriate competencies to them. This is commonly achieved using a card-sort exercise. Competencies can be considered behavioral (eg, communication) and technical (eg, knowledge of the International Conference on Harmonization guideline) and it is usually a combination that defines superior performance. For training and developing a medical writer, you need to look at the competencies associated with each role(s) carried out by the individual, and identify the most critical development areas, taking into account any performance feedback. Appropriate training can then be arranged such as ‘on-the-job’ training, coaching and mentoring, attendance at courses, and self-study.