In this edition of DocScopy with MedBound Times, Simran Sethi from MedBound Times interviews Dr. Anubha Karol, a doctor turned clinical writer.
In this inspiring interview, Dr. Karol shares her remarkable journey from being an AIIMS graduate to pursuing a career as a medical writer. She openheartedly discusses the challenges she faced during this transition, the strategies she used to overcome them, and her resilient approach to achieving her goals.
Simran: Can you please introduce yourself briefly to our readers?
Dr. Anubha Karol: I am Dr. Anubha Karol. I did my MBBS from Aiims Bhopal, and I graduated in 2020. I started working as a medical writer in 2020, during my internship. Initially, I was doing freelance medical writing. After graduation, I worked at Safdar Jang Hospital for a year alongside a freelance medical writer. I continued freelancing along with working in a clinical setting for about two and a half years. After that, I was sure to make medical writing a full-time thing. I quit my job after completing all of my tenure. and started working as a full-time medical writer at Cactus Globals. after working there for a year. I realized the corporate sector was not for me, so I started working as a full-time freelance medical writer.
Simran: What moved your transition from clinical to non-clinical work?
Dr. Anubha Karol: I always knew that clinical medicine was not for me. This feeling started because I didn't want to pursue post-graduation, especially in India, after seeing how grueling and inhumane the work hours can be, with duties lasting up to 36 or even 72 hours. So, I started preparing for the USMLE and spent a month in the US to experience their work culture. It made me realize that I enjoy traveling, and I started thinking about finding a job that would allow me to travel and work simultaneously. After a trip, I met some amazing people, including someone with the dream of climbing Mount Everest. It struck me that as doctors, we rarely encounter people with such colossal dreams. This made me realize that clinical medicine wasn't for me; I wanted a career that would let me travel and connect with people who have big dreams. So, I decided to shift to a non-clinical path.
My backup plan was to pursue PLAB and move to the UK to practice as a doctor if the non-clinical route didn't work out. I eventually realized that the issues with post-graduation and clinical practice are not limited to India, which further solidified my decision to avoid the clinical field.
Simran: What specific challenges did you face during this transition, and how did you overcome them?
Dr. Anubha Karol: The main challenge for me was to figure out what career path to pursue. Even though I had been working as a medical writer for four years, I was uncertain about continuing in that field. I spent hours every night searching online for other career options. Initially, I looked for a job that would allow me to travel, such as becoming a traveling doctor or working on a cruise ship, but these roles required additional qualifications that I didn't have. I also considered remote job opportunities, but most of them were aimed at engineering or humanities graduates. It took me a year and a half of searching before I stumbled upon medical writing, which seemed like a good fit for me. When I first started working as a medical writer, I didn't even know that's what the job was called – I was simply creating content for a nephrologist.
Over time, I learned more about medical writing, obtained new clients, and collaborated with different companies. Once I found my niche, the challenge shifted to understanding how to acquire new clients and market myself, as there was very little information available about medical writing. I had to build my knowledge and skills from scratch, including learning how to apply for jobs and tailor my writing for different audiences.
Simran: How did this career change impact your life, especially when many people consider preparing for postgraduate studies?
Dr. Anubha Karol: The career change had a positive impact on my life. I didn't initially think of any downsides, but I didn't consider the challenge of having to work full time while traveling full time. In my previous job, I was sleep-deprived and mentally drained due to the long and irregular work hours in the hospital.When I took my first trip to Goa after the career switch, I planned to travel during the day and work at night, without considering when I would sleep. It didn't work out, and I quickly became burnt out within the first two days.To get to sleep at a time was such an underrated pleasure.
Transitioning to medical writing opened my eyes to many nonclinical career options that aren't widely discussed I was only taught about pursuing postgraduate studies after completing my MBBS.Now, more people are beginning to discuss these options. Many individuals pursue postgraduate studies because they believe it's the only option after MBBS. In my case, transitioning to a non-clinical career has significantly improved my life, and I have no desire to return to clinical practice. It's the best decision I've made for myself.
Simran: How has your background in medicine influenced your writing skills and understanding of clinical topics?
Dr. Anubha Karol: I used to work as a medical writer, so everything I write is about medicine. Even though I'm not treating patients anymore, I still make use of my medical education in my writing. Without this background, I wouldn't be able to write or understand medical terms as well as I do now. My 5.5 years of studying medicine have given me a deep understanding of hospitals and patient care, which is reflected in my writing. This background enables me to effectively address patient needs and bring empathy into my writing.
Simran: Could you provide an example of a medical writing concept and explain how you make it accessible to a non-medical audience?
Dr. Anubha Karol: When it comes to medical writing, it depends on the type of audience and the specific topic. For example, if I'm writing about diabetes or hypertension for the general public, I would use simpler language like high bp, and high blood pressure and avoid technical terms like hypertension, and similarly in case of "myocardial infarction" I will use common phrases like "heart attack" that are easily understood. On the other hand, when writing for healthcare professionals, I would use the appropriate medical terminology and terminology commonly used in the medical community. The tone and style of my writing would vary significantly based on the audience I am addressing.
Simran: Did you have any writing experience before transitioning to your current role?
Dr. Anubha Karol: I never had any writing experience. In college, I never wrote a research paper or anything similar. I used to think that my English was good enough and that I understood grammar, but that was not the case. I made a lot of grammatical mistakes, which I gradually learned to correct over time. However, I did have some writing experience from writing assignments in school I used to do on my own. I have written a few things here and there, but nothing major. Other than that, I do not have much writing experience, especially in medical writing
Stay tuned for Part - 2!