Media doctor – all you need to know

GP Dr Keith Hopcroft spends some of his time working in the media, writing for medical publications, including his role as Pulse’s clinical adviser. He explains what’s involved and how to get into the work 

How do I get into the role (including necessary qualifications)? 

For a GP wanting to get into writing for the media, no additional qualifications are needed. You just need to convince the editor that you can come up with the goods. In other words, you must have something of clinical interest to say, an aptitude for writing, the ability to stick to a brief and commitment to deliver on time.  

As a first step, email the editor of a publication you’re keen to write for with an outline of what you’d like to write about. A burgeoning portfolio of work can, in many cases, lead to more general media work. It may also be worth seeking courses or training aimed at helping doctors to become more media savvy. 

How much does it pay? 

Pay for this kind of work can vary. Editors may ask you to work for free, but once you’ve proved your capability, you may be able to negotiate. Established writers who land a place in the national media can earn a significant amount of money. Most lie on a wide spectrum in between, earning enough to view it as a nice bonus but not something ever likely to replace the day job. 

How much time do I need to devote to it? 

This is up to you. It’s something that, at the lowest level of intensity, can be fitted in around patients. At the other extreme, it can take up several evenings and the weekend.  

What’s good about the job? 

Media work can fit in around your GP work and earn some extra money. It uses bits of your brain that otherwise don’t get used at the GP coalface, and it can be cathartic. It can also impress patients.  

If you get the balance right, it is likely to prevent rather than cause burnout. Keeping up your clinical work is beneficial, as patients keep you grounded as well as giving you material to write about. 

What’s bad about the job? 

It can be demanding and pressured: editors – especially of national newspapers – run to strict deadlines and really couldn’t care less if you’re running late with a packed waiting room in the middle of a flu epidemic and with two partners off sick. They want that copy in half an hour, and to say no means they may go elsewhere. This can cause a bit of tension. 

Moreover, you may not earn as much as you’d hoped, and feedback on your work is not always forthcoming, which can be dispiriting.  

Click here to see all the other portfolio careers in this series