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The differences between senior medical writers and staff writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a senior medical writer and a staff writer. Additionally, a senior medical writer has an average salary of $99,453, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.
The top three skills for a senior medical writer include medical writing, clinical data and clinical study reports. The most important skills for a staff writer are feature stories, news stories, and event coverage.
| Senior Medical Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,453 | $44,844 |
| Hourly rate | $47.81 | $21.56 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 59,478 | 80,547 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Senior Medical Writer is responsible for writing comprehensive medical texts and composition for various audiences according to required themes and subjects. Senior Medical Writers maintain the accuracy and authenticity of all information by coordinating with medical professionals and other related parties to gather data. They also study recent trends and innovations within the medical industry and share findings with the clients for further study. A Senior Medical Writer must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in training junior writers and setting recommendations for high-quality publications.
A staff writer is an individual who works in the television (TV) or entertainment industry to provide standard content such as news reports, reviews, and features. Since writing content is important, staff writers must be able to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other staff members in the production process. They must attend conferences, events, or seminars to meet other people in the industry. Staff writers must also possess knowledge in scriptwriting and an in-depth understanding of the entertainment industry.
Senior medical writers and staff writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Medical Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average salary | $99,453 | $44,844 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $157,000 | Between $29,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Biogen | The New York Times Company |
| Best paying industry | - | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a senior medical writer and a staff writer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Medical Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Journalism |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior medical writers' and staff writers' demographics:
| Senior Medical Writer | Staff Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.9% Female, 62.1% | Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 72.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |