A crash course in medical writing for health profession students.

The production of publications is a key component of one's career advancement in medicine. The goal of this piece is to discuss five tips to help health profession students get started in medical writing. First, students should take full advantage of the time-saving resources at the local academic biomedical library. Second, outlining a manuscript is one of the essential first steps for producing a successful, high-quality publication. Third, planning the manuscript and writing efficiently is critical since many young authors are either in medical school or residency and do not have ample time to devote to the writing process. Fourth, communicating complex concepts, thoughts, ideas, and observations in a simple way is important and helps limit redundancies, awkward passages, and improves reader comprehension. Lastly, a student can maximize their chances at publication if they are persistent in how they approach manuscript submission. The chances for successful publication of a project can be increased if young authors consider the tips supplied here.