The AMA Manual of Style: A Toolkit for Every Medical Writer
- Ifeanyi Esimai, MD
- Sep 6, 2025
- 3 min read
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In medical writing, precision isn’t optional—it’s the job. Every clinical study report, publication, promotional review, or medical affairs slide deck is a scientific and legal document. A misplaced comma, inconsistent abbreviation, or sloppy reference can undermine credibility, delay approvals, or mislead healthcare professionals. That’s why the AMA Manual of Style isn’t optional for medical writers—it’s essential.
What many writers miss, however, is that AMA Style isn’t just for academic journals. It’s a toolkit that applies across regulatory writing, medical communications, medical affairs, and general medical content. Whether you’re authoring a pivotal clinical study report (CSR), drafting congress slides, or preparing patient-friendly education, AMA provides the foundation of clarity, consistency, and trust.
Why AMA Style Matters Across All Writing Tracks
Regulatory Writers: Regulators expect consistency. Clear rules on abbreviations, numbers, and terminology reduce ambiguity and speed review cycles. AMA keeps your CSRs, safety narratives, and protocols airtight.
Medical Communications Writers: Publications, congress posters, and promotional materials live or die on accuracy. AMA formatting ensures citations, figures, and data presentation hold up under scrutiny.
Medical Affairs Writers: Precision matters when bridging science and strategy. AMA helps you communicate complex findings in slide decks, FAQs, and training materials for field teams—where even small errors can erode confidence.
General Medical Writers: From patient education to freelance content, AMA elevates clarity and professionalism. It’s the difference between “blog post” and “credible health information.”
Six Key AMA Tools for Every Writer (with Examples)
1. Abbreviations and Nomenclature
AMA provides clear rules on abbreviations, drug names, and units of measure.
Example: Don’t use QD for “once daily”—AMA bans it because it can be misread. Instead, write once daily.
2. Punctuation and Grammar
It sounds basic—but consistent punctuation prevents dangerous ambiguity.
Example: “Patients who completed treatment were included” ≠ “Patients, who completed treatment, were included.” Commas change the meaning entirely.
3. Numbers and Statistics
Percentages, p-values, and hazard ratios appear everywhere—from regulatory submissions to congress abstracts. AMA standardizes decimals, leading zeros, and statistical formatting.
Example: Always use a leading zero: 0.25 mg, not .25 mg. This avoids dangerous misinterpretation.
4. References and Citations
AMA citation style is universally recognized in biomedical content. Regulatory documents need rigorous references; med comms agencies need consistent formatting for manuscripts; med affairs needs credible sourcing for field materials.
Example: AMA style uses numbered superscripts (e.g., “The trial showed efficacy^1”), not author-date (e.g., Smith et al, 2020).
5. Terminology Precision
Regulatory writing demands strict terms (“adverse event” vs. “adverse reaction”). But the same principle applies in med comms (drug vs. therapy) and medical affairs (patient vs. subject).
Example: An adverse event is any negative occurrence, while an adverse reaction is linked to the drug. Regulators care deeply about that distinction.
6. Tables, Figures, and Data Presentation
Tables and figures are central in every lane. AMA guidelines on titles, footnotes, abbreviations, and symbols make your data easy to digest.
Example: Every table needs a descriptive title and clear footnotes. A table without context is a puzzle reviewers don’t have time to solve.
Applying AMA Across Writing Roles
Regulatory Writing: Use AMA for consistency in CSRs, protocols, narratives, and labeling documentation.
Medical Communications: Apply AMA to journal submissions, posters, promotional review packets, and digital education tools.
Medical Affairs: Standardize terminology and references in training decks, FAQs, and evidence dissemination materials.
General Medical Writing: Use AMA to elevate blogs, newsletters, and patient education materials with credibility and accuracy.
Conclusion
The AMA Manual of Style isn’t just a niche reference for journal editors—it’s the foundation for every medical writer. Whether you’re authoring regulatory submissions, medical education materials, or patient-friendly content, AMA provides the guardrails for clarity, consistency, and trust. By mastering its principles, writers across all tracks can elevate their work, streamline reviews, and ultimately support better healthcare communication.
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