June 20 was the 2024 National Freelancers Day in the UK. In this post, some of us from MedCommsTech share our experiences of what freelancing has been like after many years in agencies, and the positive impact freelancing has made to our careers and personal lives.
Why do you choose to go freelance?
I wanted the opportunity to write more after spending more than a decade in positions more focused on management
Liesje Quine
20+ years in medcomms
2 years freelancing
Freelancing allows me to do the work that I love, while having the flexibility to choose my hours and balance my career with home life
Elizabeth Harvey
15+ years in medcomms
6 months freelancing
What have you learnt about being a freelance writer?
That my absolute favourite thing is to work in new therapy areas. The thrill of learning about new drugs, diseases and devices gets my heart racing and my brain working
Lisa Thomas
20+ years in medcomms
5 years freelancing
That I love to constantly learn new things. That I adore having multiple therapy areas to work on in one day. That I love being able to plan my work around other important things in my life. That I love, love, love my job
Tina Morley
20+ years in medcomms
12 years freelancing
What’s your best experience of freelancing?
It feels incredibly empowering to have been running my own business for the past year
Mai Ping Tan
7+ years in medcomms
1 year freelancing
It offers a wonderful work-life balance that just isn’t possible when working as a full-time staffer
Sally Laden
30+ years in medcomms
21 years freelancing
I love being able to focus on the content and the science, without the extra responsibilities that come with being an in-house employee
Papia Das
15+ years in medcomms
8 months freelancing
How does being in a collective benefit you?
I love being able to approach a small group of experienced colleagues and ask questions. I have gained a huge amount from the group while also being able to give something too
Jackie van Bueren
20+ years in medcomms
4 months freelancing
It’s wonderful to be part of a group of like-minded individuals and to be able to tap into the great wealth of experience the group has
Louisa Reed
15+ years in medcomms
7 months freelancing
Author: Mai Ping Tan. Quotes: Liesje Quine, Elizabeth Harvey, Lisa Thomas, Tina Morley, Mai Ping Tan, Sally Laden, Papia Das, Jackie van Bueren, Louisa Reed
