Write Medicine Alexandra Howson PhD | CME Writer, Educator, Researcher

What really happens behind the scenes when a severely injured trauma patient arrives at the hospital?  
Emergency care providers need to act quickly and coordinate seamlessly with their team when seconds count to save a trauma patient's life. But the high-stakes, chaotic environment can make it challenging to stay calm, avoid errors, and prevent burnout, especially if you don't get to practice those skills regularly.
Stephen Cohn MD says trauma surgeons need to be experts at dealing with calamity. They are glue people, helping to hold together the entire hospital enterprise. In today's episode you'll get:

An inside look at real-world trauma resuscitation from a surgeon's perspective  

Practical tips to optimize trauma teamwork, communication, and composure under pressure

Advice for both individuals and organizations on building sustainable trauma surgery careers


Listen now to hear Dr. Cohn's wisdom gleaned from 40+ years of managing the worst injuries imaginable.
Resources
Stephen M. Cohn MD. All Bleeding Stops: Life and Death in the Trauma Unit. Mayo Clinic Press. 2023.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:40 Walk-through of the arrival of a trauma patient at the trauma center
10:14 Feelings in the trauma center and coordinated teamwork
14:12 Continuing medical education and team training
17:32 The work that trauma & general surgeons do and a wide array of potential surgical intervention
19:16 Innovations that have redefined and impacted trauma care
21:39 Common errors and misconceptions
23:27 Advice for younger surgeons on preventing burnout and preserving energy
25:37 Institutional support and resources
27:27 Key takeaways

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Kristen Dascoli, a seasoned pro with experience on both the editorial and business development sides of CME, pulls back the curtain on the development of a pioneering program on gender-affirming HIV care.
ELEVATE was a groundbreaking CME initiative that aimed to enhance healthcare providers' cultural competencies in delivering gender-affirming care to transgender and gender-diverse patients. From its pilot in January 2015 to its conclusion in the summer of 2019, ELEVATE conducted 26 trainings across 14 states, partnering with 9 chapters of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a county healthcare agency, and 13 health systems. The initiative reached nearly 1,500 healthcare professionals in primary care, infectious disease, and HIV practice settings through live events, an online webinar, interviews, and a published white paper, ultimately inspiring the creation of a Transgender Advisory Committee at one of the participating health systems.
1. Discover how a little targeted research into supporters' educational focus can help you create needs assessments that resonate with funders, while maintaining the highest standards of independence and objectivity.
2. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the development of ELEVATE and learn how you can apply similar strategies to bring your own visionary ideas to life.
3. Master the art of designing education that starts smart, scales strategically, and captures meaningful, measurable outcomes that demonstrate real-world impact.
Resources
McCrea AD, Dascoli KL. Inclusion in Education, Part 1: Designing a Gender-affirming Educational Initiative. Alliance Almanac. October 2017.
McCrea AD, Dascoli KL. Inclusion in Education, Part 2: A New Method for Measuring Changes in Skill, Attitude, and Behavior. Alliance Almanac. April 2018.
Connect with Kristen
Freelance Medical Writer/Editor/Business Consultant

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:40 Kristen's Background in CME
03:54 The changes in the process of writing needs assessments
05:52 Walking through the process of the development and impact of a program like Elevate
12:13 Lessons from the pilot program of Elevate
15:42 How Elevate changed Kristen and the organization she worked in
19:56 How to establish and build relationships
23:40 Starting conversations for collaboration
27:22 Surprising outcomes and feedback
30:42 Advice for education providers who want to develop innovative programs
34:23 How to start to be brave and make connections
37:52 Challenges writers have when writing a needs assessment for a grant proposal
44:18 Recap of today's episodes key takeaways

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Don’t forget to subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast for more valuable insights on continuing medical education content for health professionals. Click the Follow button and subscribe on your favorite platform.

Are you a clinician, researcher or academic transitioning into CME writing? Do you sometimes feel like you're starting over from scratch, despite your wealth of expertise? Are you struggling with self-doubt, isolation, or imposter syndrome as you navigate this new path?
If so, you're in the right place. In this episode, we'll dive into the common anxieties faced by new CME writers and share practical strategies to help you reframe your thinking, build confidence, and thrive in your new role. 
You'll learn how to leverage your existing knowledge, find support to combat isolation, and approach uncomfortable feelings with curiosity and compassion. By the end, you'll have a toolkit of insights and practices to help you move past self-doubt and build a successful career in CME writing.
So if you're ready to honor your expertise, connect with a supportive community, and grow into your new identity as a CME writer - keep listening. Let's get started!
Takeaways
Here are 3 key takeaways and action steps from the episode:
1. Remember your expertise

Your current knowledge and professional experience are highly relevant and valuable in CME writing. 

Identify aspects of your expertise that could become potential revenue streams for your freelance CME writing business.

Action step: Make a list of your specific areas of expertise and brainstorm how you can leverage them in your CME writing.

2. Find support to combat isolation

Connecting with a community of fellow writers is crucial for combating self-doubt and isolation.

Surrounding yourself with others on a similar path provides opportunities to ask questions, learn, and see your experiences reflected.

Action step: Join a supportive community, like the WriteCME Pro membership, to access the resources and support you need to build confidence and hone your skills.

3. Use practical strategies to boost confidence

When facing self-doubt, use the "Pause, Breathe, Notice, Reassess, Respond" practice to approach uncomfortable feelings with curiosity.

Remind yourself of past successes, reach out to supportive colleagues, or break overwhelming projects into manageable steps.

The next time you experience self-doubt, implement the 5-step practice and intentionally respond to your feelings in a way that promotes growth and confidence.

By leveraging your expertise, finding support, and using practical strategies to navigate self-doubt, you can transform anxiety into opportunities for growth and thrive in your CME writing journey.
Resources
➡️ Grab your WriteCME Roadmap! Get access to this complimentary ebook, designed to help you break into CME, find clients, and hone your craft.
➡️ Ready for skills, scaffolding, and support? Join WriteCME Pro
➡️ Claire Bonneau/Email Marketing
Website
LinkedIn
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:46 Ways to reframe your thinking
05:25 Overcoming isolation as a freelancer
07:37 A practice for facing self-doubt
Subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast!
Subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast for more valuable insights on continuing medical education content for health professionals. Click the Follow button and subscribe on your favorite platform.

Are you struggling with feelings of self-doubt in your continuing education career?
If you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or doubtful about your abilities in continuing education's fast-paced, ever-changing world, you're not alone. In this episode of Write Medicine, Milini Mingo reviews the history of the imposter phenomenon, shares a three-step approach to navigating self-doubt, and challenges the CE community to create professional development resources for ourselves that are oriented around improvement in our competence and performance.
1. Recognize how self-doubt or imposter phenomenon shows up as the first step towards managing it effectively.
2. Learn practical strategies for managing self-doubt, including reframing negative narratives and implementing tools to support your growth.
3. Find encouragement and a sense of community, knowing that others in the CE field have faced and overcome similar struggles.
Connect with Milini
LinkedIn
Resources
Mingo M. Back to Basics: The 7 Pillars of CE. Alliance Almanac. March 27, 2024.
Mingo M. Imposter Syndrome: Is It Holding You Back? Alliance Almanac. November 13, 2023.

Claire Bonneau/Email Marketing
Website
LinkedIn

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:31 Introducing Milini
06:28 The big picture of continuing education
07:43 The 7 pillars of CE
12:18 Why she wrote the piece for the Alliance Almanac on imposter syndrome
14:49 How the article resonated with people in the field
15:24 Exploring imposter syndrome: What it is and how it shows up
17:12 The consequences of imposter syndrome
18:41 Milini’s thoughts on imposter syndrome vs imposter phenomenon
21:43 How imposter syndrome shows up and affects people’s work
23:45 How to collectively start to affirm people's presence in this field and provide support that dissipates imposter syndrome
25:20 Key takeaways on moving forward in the CME field

Subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast for more valuable insights on continuing medical education content for health professionals. Click the Follow button and subscribe on your favorite platform.

How can you break into the rewarding and lucrative field of continuing medical education (CME) writing?
If you're a health professional, academic, science researcher, or vet looking to transition into a career that offers more autonomy, flexibility, and meaningful work, this episode is for you. Discover how to leverage your existing skills and passion for writing, healthcare, and lifelong learning to create engaging educational content that supports health professionals and improves patient care.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn:
1. The five essential milestones to pave your way to success as a CME writer
2. Core competencies needed to excel in CME writing
3. Practical strategies for building your portfolio and networking to lay the foundation for landing your first CME writing projects

Takeaways
1. Understanding the CME landscape is crucial: Familiarize yourself with the history, purpose, and function of CME, including policies, ethics, and key stakeholders in this highly regulated field.
2. Develop core competencies: To succeed as a CME writer, in addition to strong writing skills, you need to be conversant with medical terminology, have solid research abilities, and be able to apply adult learning principles to content.
3. Build relationships and showcase your expertise: Networking is paramount in the close-knit CME community. Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with education providers, attend industry events, and showcase your expertise.

Resources
Ehrlich A. Introduction to Medical Terminology. Cengage, 2014. 
Stanford. Writing in the Sciences
Jones BD. Comprehensive Medical Terminology. 2016 
Zinsser W. On Writing Well. The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. New York: Harper Perennial. 2016. 
Zinsser W. Writing to Learn. New York: Harper Perennial. 1993. 
How to streamline your medical writing literature review process
How to choose the right literature review approach for your medical writing project
Claire Bonneau, Email Newsletter Writer

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:57 Milestone 1: Understanding CME
04:20 Milestone 2: Adult Learning Principles
05:27 Milestone 3: Formats and Deliverables in CME
06:41 Milestone 4: Core Competencies
09:57 Milestone 5: Connecting with Prospects and Networking

Subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast!
Subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast for more valuable insights on continuing medical education content for health professionals. Click the Follow button and subscribe on your favorite platform.

Have you ever wondered how gender inequities affect career progression in the world of continuing medical education/professional development (CME/CPD)?
In this episode, we explore women's pervasive challenges in CME and CPD, from microaggressions to barriers in leadership roles. Whether you're looking to climb the career ladder or simply gain insights into the dynamics of gender equality within your field, this conversation sheds light on critical issues affecting many in the industry.
1. Discover strategies to navigate and overcome gender-based barriers to career advancement in CME and CPD.
2. Learn how to build and leverage a supportive network that can help propel your career forward.
3. Gain insights into the real experiences and solutions from industry veterans Poonam Kapadia and Annette Schwind, who have successfully navigated these waters.
Tune in to arm yourself with the knowledge and tools needed to advocate for equity and forge a path to leadership in medical education.

Connect with Poonam and Annette
Poonam Kapadia, Vice President, Education Strategy: poonam.kapadia@kaplan.edu
Annette Schwind, Associate Director, Medical Grants & Sponsorships, LinkedIn, annette.schwind@takeda.com

Resources
Field E, Krivkovich A, Kügele S, Robinson N, Yee L. Women in the Workplace Report, McKinsey, 2023.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:35 Introducing Poonam and Annette
05:37 How they started getting interested in gender inequities in CME/CPD
10:45 More about the poll they took at the Alliance panel in New Orleans 2024 and what surprised them
14:00 Women’s experiences of microaggressions 
16:09 Starting the conversation on intersectionality
20:09 Addressing pay inequities
25:53 Building trust in a distributed field
32:31 Skills and strategies for women navigating CME careers
36:32 Practical takeaways from today's episode

Subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Write Medicine podcast for more valuable insights on continuing medical education content for health professionals. Click the Follow button and subscribe on your favorite platform.