Welcome to the season finale of the Write Medicine podcast!Today's episode was supposed to be live on LinkedIn, but we encountered some tech hiccups linking Riverside.fm to LinkedIn Live. Fret not! We recorded the episode for you, and it's available right here and on your favorite podcast platforms. We're looking forward to our first live episode, which we've rescheduled for the opening of Season 6 on August 30.Launched 2 1/2 years ago, Write Medicine has evolved into the go-to podcast for profe...
Jul 24, 2023•23 min•Season 5Ep. 65
If you’re a pharmacist you are probably going to have thoughts about today’s episode. I’m joined by pharmacist and Director of Pharmacy at Minnesota Oncology, Kirollos Hanna Pharm.D. I first met Kirollos at the end of 2020 in the context of an end-of-year report on oncology trends for the Association of Community Cancer Centers, that included a series of focus groups with ACCC members. I was deeply impressed by Kirollos’s humanity, clarity, and pragmatism, and if you don’t know Kirollos, I think...
Jul 19, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 64
As an accidental educator, Andrew Crim MEd, CHCP is a seasoned expert in designing educational programs for healthcare professionals. He’s the Director of Education and Professional Development at the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists and is deeply passionate about the effect that high-quality education can have on patient outcomes. As an early adopter of Chat GPT, Andrew recognizes the potential of this technology to transform the way healthcare professionals acces...
Jul 12, 2023•43 min•Season 5Ep. 63
"There's great potential and power in acknowledging this. It's self to self, self to others single, self to others plural, and self to others at the macro level. You begin to appreciate how beautiful it can be all around you, how much we all need help, and how very related we are in our own ways." In episode 62, Dr. Leigh Boehmer emphasizes the crucial role of self-awareness in understanding and practicing intersectionality, which goes beyond recognizing one's own complexities and involves ackno...
Jul 05, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 62
In today's episode, I have a conversation with Sapana Panday, a medical education specialist with over two decades of experience. Sapana shares how her background in public health and evaluation research led her to work in medical education, particularly in areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).About SapanaSapana earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s in Public Health, Socio-Medical Sciences, from Columbia University. She brings a unique pe...
Jun 28, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 61
Simulated case-based educational formats allow radiologists to develop their skills in a safe environment, learning from experts without the risks involved in clinical care. This is exactly what Medality specializes in offering its learners. On today’s episode, Dr. Deanna Heier, Ph.D., Head of Educational Strategy and Operations at Medality, shares how the company replicates side-by-side training through asynchronous and synchronous learning options and uses performance outcomes to enhance this ...
Jun 21, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 60
✨ Focus Your Writing with Ben Riggs ✨Join Ben Riggs for a WriteCME Pro Expert Perspective session on how to focus your writing and create focused content for busy health professionals. When: June 21, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDTWhere: Live onlineHow: Buy a ticket for the event + 1 month of WriteCME Pro__________________________ If content is King, learning culture must be Queen, as the latter goes a long way to determining learner outcomes. Frustrated with many years of check-box top-down broadcast l...
Jun 14, 2023•38 min•Season 5Ep. 59
Whether you are an education provider working with a distributed team or a freelance writer working with multiple clients, connecting with your colleagues, peers, and clients is key.Today I’m taking a deeper dive into connection to explore why it’s important in CME and to offer some different ways to foster connection with clients, colleagues, and content. To apply empathy to content creation, you can create content in multiple formats and provide access to that content in multiple ways. For ins...
Jun 07, 2023•15 min•Season 5Ep. 58
Recently I read Tornado of Life: A Doctor’s Journey Through Constraints and Creativity in the ER by Jay Baruch, MD. It's a collection of linked essays, so you can dip into the book in small, snatched moments without losing momentum. If you need an introduction to the always challenging, sometimes messy, but ultimately humanizing work that clinicians do at the acute end of care, this is a great start. Jay is a physician and writer who explores how creativity in medicine supports empathy, the corn...
May 31, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 57
Transforming our own habits is notoriously challenging and changing clinical practice habits even more so. But my guest today shares strategies that CME practitioners can apply to education design and implementation based on understanding clinician readiness to change. Sara Johnson PhD is a leading expert in behavior change science. Along with Dr. Kerry Evers, she is co-President and CEO of Pro-Change Behavior Solutions, a behavior-change consulting firm and solution provider that empowers peopl...
May 24, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 56
Ready for a tour of the European Continuing Medical Education environment? Eugene Pozniak is Managing Director and CEO of Siyemi Learning, an independent medical education provider established in 2006. In fact, Siyemi Learning is the first non-US organization to be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and is uniquely also accredited on the other side of the Atlantic by the European Board for Accreditation of Continuing Education for Health Professional...
May 17, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 55
Instructional designers are the architects of learning experiences. In this episode, Parker Grant PhD, the co-founder of IDLance, an instructional design freelance agency, discusses the learning process, how to use learners’ experiences to optimize education, and where instructional designers go for their story inspiration. Parker advises, “In adult learning, what's really important to know, is that all learning is experiential. What makes learning better is having a multifaceted approach, meani...
May 10, 2023•41 min•Ep. 54
What qualities do medical writers need? This is a question I'm frequently asked. In this episode, expect to hear some robust answers—whatever your niche, specialty, or area of focus.Holly Hagan MSc, Success Coach for Medical Writers, believes that all medical writers require diplomacy, intellectualism, inquisitiveness, and resourcefulness as fundamental qualities to thrive. Authentically embodying moral and civic character lies central to her approach to medical writing. In addition, Holly maint...
May 03, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 53
In this episode of Write Medicine, the tables are turned as I’m interviewed by guest host Holly Hagan. We talk about my own personal journey into CME writing, including how joining the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions was a turning point in my business. Being a part of this community has given me the opportunity to learn about new developments in the field and connect with education providers.We discuss how I’ve integrated my previous experience and interests into my w...
Apr 26, 2023•38 min•Season 5Ep. 52
If you've been in the CME field for more than a hot minute, you'll know that Graham McMahon MD, MMSc is a medical educator, researcher, and practicing endocrinologist. He is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®) and an Adjunct Professor of Medicine and Medical Education at Northwestern University.Today, we're talking about integrity and trust in CME. We dig into the factors that prompted the publication in 2020 of ACCME's...
Apr 19, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 51
Clinicians, academics, or researchers transitioning into freelance medical writing—whether it's CME-focused or not—often worry about whether it’s the right move to make and whether there will be enough work to support their goals. In today’s episode, long-time freelance medical writer Jonathan Agnew PhD, MBA brings a sense of reassurance to these questions and emphasizes the potential for abundantly available work. In addition, he shares tools and techniques to facilitate the freelance process. ...
Apr 12, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 50
Christine Welniak is an independent medical writer who specializes in cardiology and diabetes. She values opportunities to develop content that helps healthcare providers learn about new treatments that could improve patient outcomes. Christine contends that "content is king" and is central to producing high-quality CME/CE writing. Learning the art of the pitch in her previous life on Wall Street, Christine is well-equipped to discuss why CME/CE medical writers require skills in negotiation and ...
Apr 05, 2023•47 min•Ep. 49
The medical and CME writers I teach often worry about how to rein in a tendency to burrow into the rabbit hole. If you're a medical writer, I'm sure you know what I mean. That tendency to get led into or follow the delicious temptations of information, data, and stories that bear a family resemblance to the project you're working on, but are not quite on track.The stories that are fascinating and feed your mind, but don't necessarily move your project any closer to a conclusion. Like you, I’m up...
Mar 29, 2023•17 min•Season 5Ep. 48
The CME/CE field has increased its focus on outcomes over the last decade. As a result, outcomes reports now involve a more bespoke process, showcasing more detailed targeted data presented in a visually appealing way. Angelique Vinther CHCP is an independent data and outcomes consultant who has specialized in IME reporting for 14 years. She focuses primarily on data collection and analysis methodologies, test question-writing best practices, and reports that communicate clear messaging and data...
Mar 22, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 47
The content creation process in continuing education for health professionals (CEHP) combines both art and science. As a result, creating content for continuing education attracts people who are synthesizers, information seekers, and creators—like academics, researchers, or health professionals looking for a career change. In EP 46 we explore taking the leap from clinical work to medical writing with Esther Langmack, MD, a medical writer and CME consultant. Esther deliberately practiced her newl...
Mar 15, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 46
Diana Durham PhD, FACEHP is an accreditation strategist who has worked in CME/CPD since the 1990s. Diana has served in many leadership roles, including for the Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We talk about the accreditation process in general and the evolution of joint accreditation in interprofessional continuing education (IPCE). And we consider how IPCE is evolving and the trends and impacts of accreditation bodies giving hospitals, healthcare systems, spe...
Mar 08, 2023•48 min•Season 5Ep. 45
Medical research has the potential for far-reaching implications for individuals and society. Peer review remains the gold standard to ensure high-quality information. However, traditional journal submission involves an extensive process that is often costly, and time-consuming process. Mark Riotto is the founder and president of The Research Post, a peer-reviewed, open-access publishing channel. Mark shares his insights on medical publishing and his campaign to promote a more visual experience ...
Mar 01, 2023•36 min•Season 5Ep. 44
Sedentary lifestyles pose significant well-being challenges to western cultures. For example, prolonged periods at a desk affect posture, mental and physical health, and stress levels. Those of us working in continuing medical education and continuing education for health professionals are no exception to these risks and we can all benefit from a proactive approach to injury prevention. Eva Stabenow, a medical writer and German translator specializing in health and wellness communication, shares...
Feb 22, 2023•42 min•Ep. 43
In this bonus episode of Write Medicine I talk with Ben Riggs about writing voice. Ben is Senior Communication Specialist for Kettering Health and author of Tell Them A Story. He shares insights on three components that contribute to writing voice: level of formality, syntax and use of metaphor.Connect with BenLinkedInResourcesRiggs B. Tell Them a Story. Using narrative nonfiction in your everyday writing. NY: Editorial Freelancers Association. WordRake: Writing Professionals on LinkedIn to Foll...
Feb 15, 2023•11 min•Ep. 42
Storytelling cultivates authentic connections and inspires curiosity in our audiences. At the same time, arousing emotions can enhance the learning experience in professional development and continuing education scenarios, like continuing medical education/continuing education in the health professions (CME/CEHP). Today with Ben Riggs, author, writing coach, and Senior Communication Specialist for Kettering Health, Write Medicine considers how to use storytelling in the health professional educa...
Feb 15, 2023•45 min•Ep. 41
The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) encourages the inclusion of the patient perspective within CME activities. And patient cases are a great way to meet this recommendation.Allison Armagan, Pharm.D. a content and education director specializing in creating interactive patient cases, joins me in this episode to talk about how to create multifaceted, dynamic patient cases for education activities. She talks about how targeted patient cases provide ways for clinicians...
Feb 08, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 40
Providers of accredited education for health professionals need to demonstrate that education activities have changed learner behavior and healthcare quality for the better. One of the best ways to show positive change is via outcomes reports. In episode 39 of Write Medicine, Medical Writer and Certified CME Professional Andrew Bowser ELS, CHCP talks about outcomes. Andy is the owner and lead developer with IconCME, a content development and consulting firm in Philadelphia. We discuss the format...
Feb 01, 2023•48 min•Season 5Ep. 39
Are you fearless in your marketing? If not, I got good news for you. Lori De Milto, author of The fearless Freelancer is talking with me on this episode of Write Medicine. We explore effective marketing for freelance writers and others working in medical communications, the importance of cultivating a freelance mindset, and how to embody grit, resilience, and confidence in your marketing. Wherever you are on your marketing journey, Lori will reassure you that you have the power to make your free...
Jan 25, 2023•50 min•Season 5Ep. 38
Continuing medical education planning usually includes a needs assessment. But sometimes it’s pretty challenging to get to the root cause of clinical or professional practice gaps, because they are often multifactorial. That’s where root cause analysis comes in. In episode 37 of Write Medicine, Greg Salinas, PhD, President of CE Outcomes, discusses his unique approach to needs assessments using root cause analysis. He emphasizes that the literature tells us that practice gaps exist (the what), b...
Jan 13, 2023•36 min•Season 5Ep. 37
Crystal Herron, PhD, ELS founder of Redwood Ink, is an editor, educator and coach. In this episode, she shares her insights into building relationships through supportive, mindful collaboration. Crystal explains how cultivating a gentle and informative manner for feedback promotes longevity with clients. This mindful approach is evident in her informative website resources and newsletter, which are well worth checking out. Crystal advises cultivating a communication skills mindset, with self-awa...
Jan 09, 2023•32 min•Season 5Ep. 36
