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Episode 150

Raising the Bar: Essential Competencies for CME Writers with Haifa Kassis and Don Harting

Write Medicine · 34 min

Episode Description

Practical prompts, frameworks, and behind-the-scenes notes on writing high-quality CME — straight to you, no fluff.

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Are you unsure which skills you need to thrive as a CME writer (or need for your writers)—or how to prove your value in an increasingly competitive field?

Many medical writers stumble into CME with strong writing chops but little clarity about what the role truly demands. At the same time, education providers struggle to find writers who are not just capable—but competent. This episode bridges that gap. Don Harting and Haifa Kassis join us to unpack the results of their groundbreaking Delphi study on CME writing competencies, revealing what hiring managers really want and how you can grow your career strategically.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  1. The four core competencies every CME writer should master today
  2. Which deliverables are in high demand—and which are vanishing
  3. How this competency model can support onboarding, training, and upskilling.

Press play to learn how to align your writing skills with what the CME industry actually needs—so you can stand out, get hired, and grow with confidence.

Resources

Kassis, H., & Harting, D. (2024). Medical Writing for Continuing Education in the Health Professions: A Competency Model. Journal of CME, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/28338073.2024.2422709

Delphi Panelists

Mentioned in this episode:

Fall Back to School Sale

We're running a back-to-school sale September 2 through 12. Standalone CME writing toolkits, business kits, and quarterly WriteCME Pro membership — all at the best pricing we've offered this year. Everything's at www.alexhowson.com. Link's in the show notes.



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