The American Medical Writers Association was founded in 1940 in
order to help medical authors promote excellence in biomedical
communication and to provide educational resources that support
that goal. Through an extensive educational program, various publications,
and unparalleled opportunities for networking, AMWA encourages
and enables its members to extend their professional expertise.
Membership in AMWA offers the opportunity to:
- Learn about career opportunities in medical writing.
- Build your medical writing skills through the AMWA continuing
education program.
- Attend local chapter meetings and annual conferences.
The benefits of membership include:
- Core Curriculum program leading to certificates in 5 disciplines.
- Advanced Curriculum program leading to an advanced certificate.
- Professional networking for career and personal enrichment.
- Job Market Sheet announcing employment opportunities 10
times a year.
- Freelance Directory of Medical Communication Services.
- AMWA Journal, a quarterly publication.
- AMWA Membership Directory, published yearly.
- Access to Member-Only Areas on the AMWA Web site, which
includes an Online Job Market, Freelance Directory, and the
AMWA Bulletin Board System.
What is the AMWA continuing education program?
AMWA offers one of the most extensive continuing education programs
available to professionals in the medical and allied science
fields. Courses are tailored for the profession and are continually
expanded to broaden the selection of options for both novice
and experienced biomedical communicators. The diversity of the
courses provides participants an opportunity to gain new areas
of expertise that can enhance their skills in the many facets
of biomedical communication. As the world of biomedical communication
changes, existing courses are modified and new courses are developed
to meet current needs. For additional information about the
curriculum program, please visit the AMWA Web site.
How much do the classes cost?
Core curriculum classes (good for 6 years) cost $100 for members
and $210 for non-members. Core curriculum extension classes
(good for 4 years) cost $45 for members and $155 for non-members.
An additional certificate (good for 4 years) costs $45 per class
for members and $155 for non-members. The advanced curriculum classes (good for 8 years) cost $130
for members and $240 for non-members. Advanced curriculum extension
classes (good for 4 years) cost $65 for members and $175 for
non-members.
How often are the classes offered?
Classes are offered at regional conferences, which occur every
other year. Over 100 classes are offered at the annual conference,
which occurs each year. Members are welcome to attend classes
outside their region; for example, both the Florida and Carolina
chapters offer classes that our members can attend. To find
out which classes are currently scheduled, please
visit the chapter Web sites via the AMWA
map.
When and where are local meetings?
The Southeast chapter typically holds 6 meetings during the
academic year. Most meetings involve a dinner, an informative
lecture or tour, and a brief discussion of
chapter business. Members are notified of upcoming meetings via email. If you
would like to be placed on our non-member mailing list, please
contact our membership liaison. For information on our previous meetings, see the Past Meetings page.
I don't live in Atlanta; do you offer any weekend meetings I might be able to attend?
Our chapter tries to offer at least one weekend meeting a year
in order to allow members from outside Atlanta to attend.
When are regional conferences held?
The Southeast chapter holds its regional conference in even-numbered years. | 
