Medical Communications Online Courses—Overrated or Necessary?

When I dipped my toes into the world of freelancing, Medical Communications (MedComms), for me, was a simple binary field. Either slog to write a research publication (this time ten times tougher than the postgraduate thesis was) or create content for social media and become the health guru. Do I really need a Medical Communications online course for that?

I remember Googling, reading Reddit threads, and lurking on LinkedIn posts, gathering crumbs of information and trying to stitch them into one story that equated MedComms to writing.

It was an instant NO.

As a scientific mind, I could never give in to her hated literature and creative writing club in school.  As a dentist transitioning into the MedComms space, I craved clarity. Not the kind offered by bullet points, glowing certificates or another expensive course. But the one that really paints the complete picture of MedComms as a career choice—it's why, today and tomorrow.

With none in the market then, I was lucky to have the best of colleagues, peers and sometimes clients too, who guided me through MedComms as a career option. Only to realize that MedComms is 10X more strategy and project management than writing.

And there was no looking back. Cutting all the fluff on the internet, after experiencing MedComms to its T for 4 years, I deep-dived into a Medical Communications online course that was:

• Less of a course.

• More of a 1:1 discussion.

• The real scope of MedComms; what the industry expects.

• A roadmap and guide on how to position a dentist in the medcomms market.

What Is the Real Scope of MedComms? What Does the Industry Actually Expect?

The writing is only one part of the machine.

MedComms is a whole lot about building strategy, data handling, team collaboration, time management, stakeholder alignment and education.

An expert MedComms professional today may juggle:

• A clinical investigation protocol of a post-market study.

• An Instagram copy from a marketing agency.

• A data visualization request and infographic design from the creative team.

• Three simultaneous deadlines from three different healthcare areas.

A healthcare or healthtech company, in 2025, has a huge bank of medical writers who are better qualified to deal with documents and regulatory tasks than clinical professionals. But they are picky when it comes to their MedComms team.

What are MedComms Expert hiring companies looking for?

• People who can adapt content, tone, formats, and timelines.

• Professionals with experience on both sides of the table who understand healthcare sciences, compliance and creativity.

• Writers who can think like brand strategists and influencers alike.

• Someone who knows how the ecosystem works—writers, reviewers, accounts, design, medical directors, and brand managers.

Structured Sessions Over Medical Communications Online Course Can be a Major Disruptor in the Industry

When I finally built a MedComms session, I did everything I wish someone had done for me.

Instead of overwhelming already tired, burnt-out dental professionals with more knowledge, stock options, recorded courses and set of same questions, I decided to keep it simple:

• One-to-one feedback loops.

• Real examples from LinkedIn and client life.

• Micro-projects that mimic real strategy scenarios.

• Guidance on understanding how your clinical background fits.

• Making you confident in how you communicate science for impact.

Here's an overview:

The foundation: Start with what you already know—clinical language, anatomy, diagnostics, and treatment journeys. This is what a lot of writers don’t know.

What you already know: Your OPD consultation skills? That’s client communication. Your ability to break down a complex dental surgery for a patient? That’s scientific simplification. Learn how to talk about your skills in the language of MedComms.

The trick of the trade: Know the roles: writer, account manager, editor, and creative lead. Know the types of projects: advisory boards, slide decks, webinars, and repurposed assets.

Practice: Create 2–3 pieces: one summary, one slide, and one plain-language explanation. This is your “starter kit” to show potential employers or clients. Summarize a clinical study. Rewrite a patient leaflet. Create one slide note. Practice feedback edits.

The Golden Question: Why Did I Choose Dental Professionals for the Sessions?

Good question; difficult to answer.

There’s something unique about dentists that no other branch of healthcare has—creativity and an artistic sense.

They are:

• Trained in detailed diagnostics

• Obsessive about documentation

• Used to explaining procedures to patients

• Skilled at multitasking with zero room for error.

Yet somehow, we’ve never been taught how valuable those skills are outside the clinic.

Dentists transitioning into MedComms bring a lot to the table. But they need a different bridge—the one that I choose to become for them.

Bottomline

If you’re asking yourself whether a Medical Communications online course is necessary to enter the industry, then you are perhaps lingering on the right page. As a dentist, if you are wondering where to begin, a personalised, strategic course made for you can save you months of confusion.

And that’s why I created mine.

So you don’t have to Google, guess, and go in circles. You can just start with clarity, direction, and your clinical self fully intact.