Have you ever considered why people write? Whether
it is a professional need or a "hobby", it remains a powerful medium of
expression of human thoughts and ideas. So is it with scientists and
researchers; biomedical scientists being no exceptions. For academic
health professionals, scholarship and publication are key activities
[1]. Scholarship and publication can be expressed in a variety of ways,
not limited to scientific journal articles alone [1].
Writing and publishing scientific work can be a
curiosity for some, a necessity for others, or an obsession or a passion
for the rest. The reasons are dynamic depending on where one is on their
career pathway.
Perceptions of a Debutant Writer
A new entrant into the arena of biomedical research
or practice is curious and wants to learn the ‘art’ of publishing
scientific work. Novices need help and guidance to be initiated into
scientific publication. Of course, it could carry the price of gift
authorship to ‘mentors’, ‘seniors’ or ‘guides’. But more importantly,
seeing one’s name in print boosts one’s ego, and improves one’s
acceptability amongst peers and increases one’s visibility in the
scientific community. Ultimately, for those aspiring for an academic and
research career, these are the first steps for career advancement in a
ruthless and competitive academic world.
The forays into the publishing arena could be in the
form of scientific abstracts in conference proceedings, case reports,
scientific correspondence, interesting or novel images or chapters in
books.
Mid-career Expectations
The reason why one publishes in their mid-career
changes track slightly. Of course one continues to enjoy the ‘name and
fame’ that publishing brings. It may be still important for progress up
the academic ladder but the need to please one’s ‘bosses’ may become
less compelling. But there are more important reasons than just
curiosity or necessity. There is deep desire to contribute to science,
and share outcomes of original research with the scientific community.
At this stage, one also may be keen to share updated information for
appropriate practice to the medical community. One may also wish to play
the mentorship role to budding young scientists. By this time one has
honed the skills of good scientific writing, and one cannot but help
being passionate about writing.
Scientific writing is not only a mode of
communication, but also impacts other facets of human development. It
helps to process one’s thinking and become active learners [2]. For the
physician, it also improves one’s clinical skills – better clinical
notations, structured approach to problem solving, better judgment – and
teaches one to be more appreciative and accommodative to the suggestions
of colleagues.
Late-career Thoughts
For most biomedical scientists, publishing would
almost have become an ‘addiction’ at this stage of their career. One
continues enjoying contributing to science and being a mentor to their
juniors. But above all, one the greatest desires is to be able to
influence practice and policy so that all, but more particularly the
marginalized and under-privileged are benefitted by the advances of
medical science.
‘Undesirable’ Reasons
There are other reasons why one may write. While some
of these reasons may be acceptable for popular science but the ethics of
it for the advancement of biomedical research is debatable. Serving as
"ghost writer" for money is unquestionably not ethical in scientific
publication. Similarly writing to promote a product or sell an
intervention, or writing with the primary intent of promoting one’s self
or institution would also be considered undesirable. One should always
be wary of falling into this trap with the increasing commercialization
within the present day healthcare delivery system.
No doubt that those who publish also flourish in the
academic world. But not all are in that race, and for the large
majority, publishing can be fun. But writing requires patience and
perseverance. As James Hardee said "It is a slow birthing process. But
once you get your first one done, it is sort of addictive" [3]. No one
is perfect; remember everyone has to sweat through the labor of
publication. Many of us, who today may be considered successful because
of the plethora of publications against our names, have had multiple
rejections during our initial attempts at publication. But the
reviewer’s comments and criticism have actually improved the quality of
one’s scientific papers, and one remains ever grateful for their time
and effort in improving the quality of the publications. As biomedical
scientists, we must publish because the information belongs to all of
mankind.
In summary, the reasons for writing a scientific
publication can be several, and these may vary with the stage of your
career development. If any of the above listed reasons entices someone
who is a beginner, do not delay action but be bold enough to give it a
shot! The subsequent publications in this series will be a helpful guide
for embarking on this journey and also refining the skills.
References