Earn continuing education points and enhance your professional career by writing a CE article for Pulse, AMT’s award-winning, member publication.
Based on an article by Janet Sesser, RMA(AMT), MS (HealthEd) from the AMT Pulse, Winter 2022.
I am always impressed with our members, their education and the articles they produce. Did you ever think your writing could appear in a magazine? If you’re reading this, that means your work can be published, too! Here are a few tips that can help.
1. Select a topic
One way to narrow down a topic is to write about where you are employed and what type of work you do. If you work in a specialty practice, the unique procedures you perform and the patient health issues you see might be of interest.
2. Identify your target audience
If you are writing an article for Pulse, you will be presenting information to all the members of AMT, which includes 11 different allied health certifications. You can still write about what you know, though. My columns typically focus on medical assistants, for instance.
3. Research data that reinforces your story
Make sure you are providing information that supports your article content. For example, there may be data on medical assistants for the specific article you’re writing about. You should mention this in your article. Others will find your article interesting even if they don’t work in a practice like yours. Be sure to include references whenever possible, as well.
4. Create an outline
Most writers don’t know where to start with their article. But you can follow simple steps to help create an outline: The first few paragraphs are where you tell the audience the main point of what you’re writing about. (In this article, that was about contributing to AMT as an organization and how to do so by writing.) Next, the body of the article is where you elaborate on your main point, potentially including research you’ve done. Finally, end with a brief summary of the article.
5. Write a rough draft and pare down your outline
Start formatting the article by incorporating the items you put in your outline. During this step, don’t forget to enter your research information.
6. Specify your subject matter
This is the step where you can expand the details of your information. Don’t assume that others will automatically know about the subject of your article. The more details you put into your article, the more engaging for the audience. Remember to review the guidelines to make sure your article fits within specifications, such as the word count.
7. Read your draft aloud
I always have someone else read my article to ensure it flows well and that the content is clear. Editing is a critical part of refining an article, too. Reading your work out loud can help you catch errors. Pay attention to misspellings and the proper use of punctuation. Formatting, particularly for references, is important, too. The best way to follow formatting guidelines is to mirror what you see in printed issues of Pulse.
Overall, you don’t have to be an experienced writer to produce an article. Just get started, and you will see how easily it comes together. Ideas on what to explore are all around you.
Submit your article today and grow your resume and skills.
For more tips and details on submitting an article check out this Submitting an Article for Continuing Education blog post.