Medical proofreading - any advice?

[flyingchick1]

Hi there,

I'm just looking for some advice here on freelance medical proofreading. I am a doctor working part time in the NHS and am looking for some freelance writing/editing work. I've authored a few research papers which have been published in medical journals, written some book chapters etc and have had some experience proofreading dissertations etc. Could anybody tell me (i) how difficult is this work to get?, (ii) whats the best way to start ( I have no personal contacts in this field) and (iii) what pay could I expect when starting off?
I'd be really grateful for any advice that anybody could offer
thanks

A lady I know has just got into this. She spent ridiculous amounts of time talking to publishers getting no where. In the end after mentioning it to everyone she knew at every toddler group etc she came across someone who "knew someone" and it started that way. Not much help I know - but as usual it's who you know....

I don't know anything about this I'm afraid.... but there was an article in the BMJ recently about flexible trainees not being allowed to take on additional work. If I remember correctly it was a stipulation in the training contract not to take on other work if working as a flexi (including filling in gaps on the on call rota as a locum)

Might be worth checking out if this applies to you?
Good luck with it though. I think as Drs we are not encouraged to be entrepreneurial at all and if you want to do it you should really go for it.

Why not put a proofreading Cv together and do a bit of marketing? -sending out some sales letters/ emails to drug companies/ journals etc or putting classified ads in BMJ and seeing what comes of it?