Dr. Cassandra Talerico is a Biomedical Writer for the Department of Cancer Biology at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Dr. Talerico completed her undergraduate training in Psychobiology and Biology at Hiram College, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa member. She then earned an M.A. in English from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in Regulatory Biology with Specialization in Molecular Medicine from a joint Cleveland State University and Cleveland Clinic program. Dr. Talerico shares her story as to how she became a professional writer, including her training, how she realized she enjoyed writing more than experimentation, and what her current day to day is like. She particularly gets in depth on the role of a science writer within the context of a large academic institution, but she also speaks to freelance opportunities and what it looks like to be a writer in industry, as well. We love this conversation because Dr. Talerico paints a very nice picture of how an impactful career can develop for someone who wants to be involved in research, but maybe doesn’t enjoy the practice of science as much as the bigger picture of delivering the message of research findings.

Some Helpful Links:

American Medical Writers Association

AMWA Essential Skills Workbook (we’re working on figuring out if there are discounts for this!)

List of Master’s in Science Communication Programs

Council of Science Editors