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Trainee Medical Writer

London, United Kingdom

About Ogilvy

Ogilvy, part of WPP, was founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy. David created a culture that deeply respects and cares about its people and clients. Our mission is to inspire people and brands to make an impact and we are committed to attracting, growing, and retaining the best talent in the industry. 

Ogilvy Health UK is made up of healthcare communication specialists across the disciplines of medical education and communications; brain sciences; brand promotion; digital and social; strategic planning; public relations; and creative/design. We believe we are like no other: we blaze new trails; we encourage a culture of creativity and innovation; we challenge, and we change; and we recognise and reward our team. 

About WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

 


Ignite Your Passion for Science & Communication: Join Our Award-Winning CATALYST Writers' Academy!               

Are you a budding wordsmith with a deep love for science and healthcare? Do you dream of translating complex medical information into engaging, accessible content that truly makes a difference? Then the Ogilvy Health CATALYST Writers' Academy is your launchpad to an exhilarating career in medical and scientific communications!

Don't miss these crucial dates for your application:

  • Closing date for applications: 15 May 2026
  • Assessment Day: 5 June 2026 (This will take place at our London office near Blackfriars station).
  • Employment Start Date: 1 July 2026

We're not just offering a job; we're offering a transformative 2-year journey designed to sculpt you into a top-tier Medical Writer. Our Gold Award-winning (2023 UK Employee Experience Awards) academy leverages industry-leading expertise in adult learning to provide unparalleled training and progression.

What Awaits You at CATALYST:

  • Intensive Kick-Off: Begin with a dynamic 6-week intensive course, expertly led by medical education specialists. This foundational period will equip you with essential skills and knowledge.
  • Real-World Impact: Immediately transition to a live client account, where you'll contribute to active projects. You'll be closely mentored by senior writers, gaining invaluable hands-on experience.
  • Continuous Growth: Your on-the-job training is reinforced by a dedicated CATALYST course leader and supplementary sessions, ensuring you constantly expand your skillset and knowledge base.
  • Accelerated Career Path:
  • After 6 months: Successfully complete the initial phase and progress to a Medical Writer Level 1 role.
  • Within 2 years: Advance through the program with the expectation to achieve Medical Writer Level 2.

Why Ogilvy Health is Your Next Big Move:

At Ogilvy Health, part of the wider WPP network, you'll thrive in an environment that champions creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning. You'll gain:

  • Diverse Experience: Work across a spectrum of disciplines, from educational programmes, medical affairs communications, and commercial activities to scientific publications and digital solutions.
  • Unrivalled Development: Benefit from extensive specialist training and broader personal and professional development opportunities, thanks to our vast internal expertise.
  • Supportive Culture: Join a team of highly creative and committed colleagues in a dynamic environment that values your growth.

Are You the CATALYST We're Looking For?

We're seeking ambitious individuals who:

  • Possess a demonstrated flair for writing and clear communication, coupled with a passion for science and healthcare.
  • Are eager to develop their skills within a collaborative, creative setting.
  • Are organised, self-motivated, and ready to take ownership of tasks.
  • Enjoy the challenge of crafting accurate, compelling content that bridges the gap between complex medical evidence and diverse audiences.
  • Excel as a team player, working effectively with various roles and specialisms.

Essential Requirements:

  • A scientific degree or equivalent qualification.
  • A proven interest in written and visual healthcare communications.
  • Strong communication skills, with the ability to adapt your style to different audiences.
  • The ability to write clear, concise prose in English.
  • A knack for efficiently meeting deadlines and adapting to evolving requirements.
  • Crucially, all applicants must have the full right to work in the UK, without sponsorship.

What We Offer You:

Beyond an incredible career opportunity, you'll receive:

  • Dedicated Growth: Personalised training, development plans, and regular reviews to support your performance and career trajectory.
  • Comprehensive Benefits: An excellent package including 25 days of annual leave, your birthday off, and private healthcare.
  • Flexible Working: While the CATALYST course is full-time (5-day week), we embrace open conversations about flexible working. Our core model is 3:2 hybrid, meaning 2 days in one of our vibrant WPP Campuses (London, or Manchester) and 3 days wherever you work best within the UK.

We are committed to providing an accessible and positive application experience. If you require any adjustments to support you through the process or in the role, please let us know. We are happy to consider all reasonable accommodations.

Apply now and become the next CATALYST for change in medical communications!

 

Our ambition is to attract the very best diverse talent to Ogilvy, and to be the employer of choice in the UK. We want everyone to feel welcome when they join us, and once they’re here, for them to want to stay with us, grow their career, and to feel they belong with us.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we’re committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone who wants to work at Ogilvy. For us, diversity, equity and inclusion is integrated into everything that we do. We believe that for creativity to flourish, everything about how we work must have diversity at its core. Your race, colour, ethnic, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, have no bearing on our hiring decisions, but we encourage everyone to feel free to express their true selves in an environment we are consistently striving to make as inclusive as possible.

We aim to facilitate an accessible and positive application experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments from us to support you through the process or expect to require any adjustments to working conditions to be able to best perform in the role, please let us know. We are happy to consider all reasonable adjustments.

If you live with a disability and you would like to take advantage of our offer of a guaranteed interview under the Disability Confident Scheme, please ensure you fill out our voluntary Equal Opportunities Questionnaire when applying.

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Please write and upload a short essay (500-750 words) to answer the following question:  If you could cure any disease, which disease would you choose, and why? Other than wordcount, this topic has no restrictions on style, and you are not required to provide references.   Please upload a Word doc rather than a PDF.*

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The aim of this task is to demonstrate your ability to write clean prose, and your interest in healthcare communications. If you use AI to guide you, please detail which program you used, the prompts you included and how you refined the output.

 

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Voluntary Equal Opportunities Questions (UK)

At Ogilvy we pride ourselves on being an inclusive and equal opportunities employer. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity, equity and inclusion.  We strive to recruit from a diverse range of candidates and create an environment which provides the right conditions for belonging. We welcome all applications regardless of race, colour, religion or belief, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation and physical or mental disability etc. (please note this is not an exhaustive list). We are also actively focussed on encouraging greater representation by bringing more under-represented talent into our organisation. This is hugely important to us and Ogilvy has a thriving network of employee communities that exist to help everyone, no matter their background, succeed here.

In order to help us achieve this and hold ourselves accountable for progress and monitor our efforts, we invite you to answer the following questions. You are not required to answer any of them, as they are entirely voluntary. They will also not be viewable to those interviewing you as part of your application or candidate profile. If you choose to answer, please know that all data is stored separately, used in aggregate for reporting purposes and handled as per GDPR regulations. 

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