The field of medicine is perhaps one of the most constantly changing professional fields. The medical industry relies heavily on the ability of medical publishers to produce, publish, and disperse new medical findings and information quickly and effectively. As such, medical publishing is dependent on up-to-date journals, newsletters, conferences, and communications. A medical publisher must be competent and flexible in order to keep up with the demands of the industry.
The American Medical Publishers Association (AMPA), website www.ampaonline.org, is the premier association created to advance health science publishing and scientific communication worldwide. AMPA serves the professional development needs of its members through advocacy, education, collaboration, and networking among individuals and industry partners in the medical field. AMPA is the professional association of healthcare publishers and related industry executives. AMPA, a non-profit organization, provides a member forum for the exchange of current medical information, hosts continuing education seminars, and publishes a timely and relevant newsletter.
Printed guides dealing with medical publishing and publishers can be found in your local bookstore, library, or Internet stores. Here are some of the best ones:
Writing and Publishing in Medicine. This guide takes the reader through every step of writing and publishing, from initial composition to publication. The material covers reporting on clinical trials, observational studies and reports, and lab research. While not a directory of medical publishing companies, it still may prove worthwhile to you.
How to Write and Publish Articles in Nursing. This book for medical nurses talks about generating ideas, developing a writing plan, collaborative writing, targeting a nursing journal, gathering information, organizing content, communicating with editors, and writing and revising the manuscript. The purpose is to provide a process to help medical nurses write and be published. Of particular note in this book is the appendix with the publication addresses of medical nursing journals and the planning form for collaborative writing.
Extensive directories of medical publishing firms can be found on the Internet.
