Writing courses in American medical schools.

U.S. medical schools were surveyed to determine the extent and nature of instruction in medical writing. Of the 101 schools responding, only 15 offered writing courses. Seven of the 15 offered only brief seminars or workshops. The other eight offered full-term courses (greater than eight weeks or more than 15 hours of instruction). Those not offering courses indicated a need but claimed lack of time, lack of interest on the part of those needing instruction, or lack of qualified faculty members as major reasons for not having the courses. These obstacles can be overcome by designing the writing course to complement existing elements of the curriculum and by soliciting the help of writing specialists on campus.

The dentist writing.

Because research dentists are far removed from formal training in scientific writing, the communication demands of dentistry become especially burdensome for them. Research dentists frequently can greatly benefit from a formal course in writing. This paper describes the philosophy, structure, and content of the professional writing course in the School of Dentistry at the University of California Los Angeles and suggests the major components such courses should have. The courses should be integral parts of the curriculum, should demonstrate the essential place of writing in scientific research, should make students sensitive to language in various contexts, and should emphasize a systematic approach to writing and revision.