Zinc the Flobodeegoob

by

“Zinc the slide deck, find this SPC on the EMC, and call the PMPCA”

are but some of the weird and wonderful phrases I remember hearing in my first few weeks in the world of healthcare copywriting and communications.

Starting out can be a little overwhelming

New recruits learn quickly that copywriting is a world apart from the lumbering pace of academic life. Not just in terms of quick turnarounds, but of writing style. A long-winded, jargon filled essay on microbial genomes might impress Professor Lambert, but is unlikely to put a smile on our clients’ faces. For healthcare audiences, it’s all about packing a punch by writing short and visually.

Prior to starting this job, I certainly never considered the attention span of an audience with ADHD. Or how to write for the partially sighted. The last thing these people need is to be overloaded with information. And the same applies when writing for healthcare professionals – they’re busy people, as we all know from time spent in GP waiting rooms!

So what have I learned?
Firstly: consider your audience – what’s important to them?

Secondly: get used to doing things quickly.

And thirdly: don’t let the jargon scare you; you soon start to translate ‘flobodeegoob’ into words that actually make sense!

 

By Sam Cavenagh, Healthcare Copywriter with advice to share