Program Overview

How well we formulate arguments, present data and convey messages has an enormous impact on our ability to achieve our professional goals. Our communications skills affect the way grant proposals are received and reviewed, how peers consider our work and ideas, and whether—and how—the public embraces our viewpoints and opinions. 

The Effective Writing for Health Care certificate program is a one-year, blended learning program designed to help clinicians, clinical investigators, researchers and allied health professionals achieve their personal writing and career objectives through key core curriculum and one of three specialized tracks. The program’s schedule and learning models are designed to accelerate and elevate communication skills with minimal time away from practice or research activities.

Effective Writing for Health Care brochure cover
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Three Specialized Tracks

Writing for Medical and Scientific Journals

Increase the likelihood of your submission being accepted to a medical or scientific journal

Writing for the Public

Achieve success in communicating your ideas and opinions via newspapers, magazines and social media

Writing Grant Proposals

Master strategies and best practices to create persuasive grant proposals to fund your projects

Workshop Dates

As we navigate the global COVID-19 pandemic, HMS continues to offer our postgraduate certificate programs in innovative, safe and convenient formats. We transitioned programs to live virtual formats starting in the summer of 2020. We now anticipate programs will remain online through at least June 2021.

The Effective Writing for Health Care Program will commence as a live virtual workshop. Looking further ahead, we will continue to work with learners to ensure that you are able to safely and successfully complete your program while we deliver a transformational HMS learning experience.

Workshop 1: June 7–10, 2021 (Live Virtual)

Workshop 2: November 15–18, 2021 (Boston, MA)

Workshop 3 and Graduation Ceremony: June 14–17, 2022 (Boston, MA)

Want to Learn More?

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Over the course of one year, participants will:
  • Attend three four-day workshops hosted at Harvard University
  • Participate in 60 webinars, on-demand sessions and targeted hands-on learning exercises
  • Work in small groups and one-on-one with writing coaches, editors and faculty members to advance specific writing goals
  • Produce a personal, submission-ready Capstone Project with support from a faculty member
Assignment of a Faculty Member:

This program gives learners instruction and access to faculty, editors, contributors, reviewers and writing coaches from:

  • Harvard Medical School
  • Harvard College Writing Program
  • The New England Journal of Medicine and other leading medical and scientific journals
  • International, national and regional media outlets
  • Private, government and industry grant organizations

NEJM logo

Featuring faculty editors and contributors from the New England Journal of Medicine
Daniela Lamas
Daniela Lamas, a pulmonary and critical care doctor at the Brigham & Women's Hospital and member of the teaching team, explores the emotional side of illness through writing.
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