Raising the Bar: Essential Competencies for CME Writers with Haifa Kassis and Don Harting

Are you unsure which skills you need to thrive as a CME writer (or need for your writers)—or how to prove your value in an increasingly competitive field?

Many medical writers stumble into CME with strong writing chops but little clarity about what the role truly demands. At the same time, education providers struggle to find writers who are not just capable—but competent. This episode bridges that gap. Don Harting and Haifa Kassis join us to unpack the results of their groundbreaking Delphi study on CME writing competencies, revealing what hiring managers really want and how you can grow your career strategically.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The four core competencies every CME writer should master today
2. Which deliverables are in high demand—and which are vanishing
3. How this competency model can support onboarding, training, and upskilling.

Press play to learn how to align your writing skills with what the CME industry actually needs—so you can stand out, get hired, and grow with confidence.

Resources

Kassis, H., & Harting, D. (2024). Medical Writing for Continuing Education in the Health Professions: A Competency Model. Journal of CME, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/28338073.2024.2422709

CME Writers’ Toolbox

Delphi Panelists

WriteCME Pro: Accelerate your freelance CME writing business growth

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to CME Writing Challenges 00:20 Meet the Researchers: Haifa Kassis and Don Harting 01:19 The Competency Model: Key Findings 02:40 Expert Consensus and Methodology 06:16 Surprising Insights and Real-World Challenges 11:15 Practical Applications and Future Directions 24:35 Emerging Competencies and Industry Trends 28:47 Conclusion and Contact Information

Mentioned in this episode:

Alliance Almanac

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp