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FALL 
2025

FROM THE GUEST EDITOR › Ben Riggs

THEME ARTICLES
Artificial Intelligence Bias in Health Communication: Risks and  
Strategies for Medical Writers › Red Thaddeus D. Miguel, Manal El Joumaa, 
and Rami Ali

The Power and Peril of Metaphor in Health Communication  
› Ben Riggs

Trust, Artificial Intelligence–Generated Images, and Health  
Communication Policy › Abbie Miller 

AROUND THE CAREER BLOCK
Medical Writing Academy: Fostering Cross-Functional Expertise  
and Professional Growth › Pinki Rajeev, Julia Cooper, Linda Yih, Roopa Basrur, 
Sandhya Prabhu, Saxon Whittle, Sheelah Smith, and Tarranum Jaspal 

CONSCIOUS WRITING
Strategies for Turning Fruitless Feedback Lectures into  
“Giftful” Discussions › Crystal R. Herron

FREELANCE FOCUS
› Brian Bass, Melissa L. Bogen, and Cathryn D. Evans 
Q1:  How do you handle unexpected expenses or income  
fluctuations in your freelance business? What financial strategies  
do you employ to maintain stability?

Q2:  How do you handle conflicts of interest when working with  
multiple clients in the same therapeutic area or with competing  
companies?

Q3:  What are the most common financial mistakes you’ve made  
as a freelancer, and what lessons have you learned from them?

IN THE SERVICE OF GOOD WRITING
My Like-Hate Relationship With Word’s Grammar Checker 
› Laurie Endicott Thomas

SCIENCE SERIES
Section Editor's Note  › Naomi Bishop

Incretin Drug Revolution: The Challenges of Hope › Alicia Racellis

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  EDITOR-IN-CHIEF  Michael G. Baker, PhD
 MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Mosher, MA
 GUEST EDITOR Ben Riggs

 SECTION EDITORS
 Around the Career Block Cecilia Petrus, MSc
 CE Craft Corner Haifa Kassis, MD
 Everyday Ethics  Julie Ravo, BA, MA
 Freelance Focus Ruwaida Vakil, MSc
 Global Medical Communication Thomas M. Schindler, PhD 
 Practical Matters Elizabeth Kukielka, PharmD, MA, MS, MWC 
 Progress in Publications Qing Zhou, PhD, ELS
 Regulatory Insights Kimberly Jochman, PhD, RAC
 Science Series Naomi Bishop, MD
 Technology Talk  Kyla Ross, BS, MS

 REGULAR COLUMNS
 Conscious Writing  Crystal R. Herron, PhD, ELS(D)
 In the Service of Good Writing Laurie Endicott Thomas, MA, ELS

 REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
 Freelance Focus Brian G. Bass, MWC
  Melissa L. Bogen, ELS
  Sherri Bowen, MA, ELS
  Lori De Milto, MJ
  Cathryn D. Evans
  Gail V. Flores, PhD
  Alex Howson, PhD
  Phyllis Minick
 
  EDITORS IN MEMORIAM Lori L. Alexander, MTPW, ELS, MWC 
  Ronald J. Sanchez 
 2024–2025 PRESIDENT Roshawn (Shawn) Watson, PharmD, PhD, BCPS 
 2024–2025 BOARD LIAISON Jennifer Minarcik, MS 
 2024–2025 STAFF LIAISON Shari Rager, MS, CAE
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Susan Krug, MS, CAE
 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amy Boches, biographics

EDITORIAL OFFICE: ManagingEditor@amwa.org. Instructions for authors 
available at: www.amwajournal.org.

ADVERTISING: Contact marketing@amwa.org or (240) 239-0940. All advertising 
is subject to acceptance by AMWA and should be for products and services relevant 
to professional medical communicators. AMWA is not responsible for the content of 
advertising and does not endorse any advertiser or its products or services.

SUBSCRIPTION: The AMWA Journal is published quarterly. Subscription is included 
with AMWA membership. Nonmember subscriptions cost is $75 per year.

CONTACT: American Medical Writers Association, 9841 Washingtonian Blvd, 
Suite 500-26, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. Phone: (240) 238-0940; Fax: (301) 294-
9006; Email: amwa@amwa.org.

The AMWA Journal is in the MLA International Bibliography and selectively 
indexed in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature 
(CINAHL) print index and the CINAHL database.

The opinions expressed by authors contributing to the Journal do not 
necessarily reflect the opinions of AMWA or the institutions with which the 
authors are affiliated. The association accepts no responsibility for the opinions 
expressed by contributors to the Journal.

©2025 American Medical Writers Association. All rights reserved.  
ISSN 2163-5315

AMWA JOURNAL MISSION STATEMENT 
In support of the mission of the American Medical 
Writers Association (AMWA) and to advance the 
broader profession, the AMWA Journal publishes 
content that reflects the interests, concerns, and 
expertise of medical communicators. Its purpose is to 
inform, inspire, and motivate medical communicators.

M
O

RE        V40 N3 / 2025 

 42 SCIENCE SERIES
  Treating Pain: The Unintended Journey From  
  Relief to Desperation › Nadia Sabeva

  AMWA NEWS
 47 From the President  › Roshawn (Shawn) Watson

 48 2025 AMWA Fellows › Loretta Bohn

 50 2025 Walter C. Alvarez Award Recipient:  
  Jen Gunter, MD › Mary Ellen Shepard
 
 51 2025 Golden Apple Award Recipient:  
  Andrea Gwosdow, PhD › Loretta Bohn
 
 52 2025 John P. McGovern  Award Recipient:  
  Scott Ratzan, MD, MPA › Roshawn (Shawn) Watson

 53 2025 AMWA President’s Award Recipient:  
  Theresa Singleton, PhD › Roshawn (Shawn) Watson

 54 AMWA’s Health Communication Certificate  
  Program is Coming!
  › Emily Viles-Monari and Genevieve Walker

 56 Officer Candidate Slate for the 2025-2026 Election
  › Kimberly Korwek

 58 CALENDAR OF MEETINGS  
  

Contents

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