How to Create and Keep Upgrading Your Medical Writing Portfolio To Win Higher-Paying Clients (With Real Examples)

medical writer writing

As a freelance health or medical writer, a strong portfolio is your best tool for attracting high-paying clients, but what got you started won’t always be enough to take you to the next level. If you’ve been wondering how to upgrade your portfolio beyond basic samples, or how to structure your portfolio strategically, this guide is for you.

  • Are you just getting started? You’ll learn how to create professional-looking writing samples – even if you don’t have clients yet.
  • You have 6–12 months of experience? I’ll show you how to replace mock samples with real projects and refine your niche.
  • You’ve been writing for years? You’ll find tips for highlighting results, landing premium clients, and keeping your portfolio up to date.

I’ll also share real medical writing portfolio examples from my own experience, plus tips on whether you should have a website, a PDF portfolio, or both.

I’m a Beginner – What Should I Include in My Writing Portfolio?

When I first went freelance, I had the advantage of an agency background, but many of the writers I mentor have started from scratch. And they’ve still built successful, client-winning portfolios. The key is showing potential clients that you can write clearly, accurately, and in a style suited to their needs – even if you haven’t been hired yet. Here’s how to do it.

1. Write Sample Pieces

Create examples of the work you want to do. If you have no ideas of the type of format you’ll most enjoy doing (we’ve all been there!), you can try various formats as first samples:

  • A blog post: A simple guide on a common condition (e.g., diabetes).
  • A patient factsheet: Something clear, short, and easy to read.
  • A research summary: A short report explaining a study in plain language.

2. Use Your Academic Work

If you have a science or health background, you can turn research papers or essays into writing samples. Make them easier to read and more engaging for a non-expert audience.

3. Volunteer for Experience

Offer to write for health charities or small businesses. Many need help with blog posts, patient leaflets, or newsletters. This gives you real-world work to add to your portfolio.

If you need step-by-step guidance as a beginner, read my blogs for more practical tips:

How Do I Upgrade My Portfolio After 6–12 Months to Attract Higher-Paying Clients?

Once you’ve built 6–12 months of experience and started to write for clients, it’s time to level up your portfolio. At this stage, you should also showcase your real work. This stronger portfolio will help you attract higher-paying projects and long-term clients.

1. Find Your Niche

As you gain experience, you’ll start to see what type of writing and clients suit you best. Choosing a niche helps you stand out and attract better opportunities, but it doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself, or pick just one niche! Instead, think of it as showing clients what you do best.

When I started freelancing, I worked on a mix of projects: medical communications, patient education, and content marketing. I still do, but over time, I found my focus in patient engagement and pharma communications. Now, I mostly write white papers, campaign materials and health education content.

You can specialise in different ways:

  • By Audience (Who you write for) – Healthcare professionals, patients, pharma companies, healthtech startups…
  • By Industry (Your area of expertise) – Pharma, medical devices, digital health, public health, charities…
  • By format (The type of content you create) – Case studies, white papers, patient education, SEO blogs…

For instance, if you specialise in pharma writing, you might create white papers, case studies, and web content – all within the same industry.

📌 Example: My short patient leaflet on Living With ALK + Lung Cancer“: this piece shows the type of work I enjoy doing, so I decided to showcase it in my portfolio.

Top Tip: Not sure what to focus on? Think about the work you enjoy most. Do you like simplifying complex science? Writing detailed reports? Creating engaging patient content? Your niche is where your skills and interests meet.

2. Show Versatility in Your Portfolio – Even Within a Niche

Having a niche helps you stand out, but a strong portfolio also shows versatility. Within your chosen field, include different formats (like case studies, white papers, and web copy) to demonstrate your adaptability and expertise.

📌 Example: If you’re targeting pharma clients, consider including a white paper on clinical trial recruitment, or a case study on how a new treatment improved patient outcomes. These formats highlight critical thinking, research skills, and industry expertise: qualities that high-paying clients look for.

What if you decided to focus on a single format? You can still demonstrate versatility by covering different industries or audiences.

📌 Example: An SEO blog specialist could include work for pharma, healthtech, and public health clients to highlight different tones and styles.

The key is proving you can deliver high-quality content that meets client needs.

3. Replace Mock Samples with Real-World Work

After 6–12 months of client work, it might be time to phase out mock projects and replace them with published work and client projects. But what if you’re under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)?

Summarise the project: Focus on your role and the outcomes, without sharing confidential details.
Ask for client permission: Many clients will allow you to share excerpts or a redacted version.
Use testimonials: If you can’t share the work itself, ask for a client quote about your contribution.

Top Tip: Even if a project isn’t published online, you can showcase your contribution in a private portfolio that you send directly to potential clients.

What Does a High-Impact, Client-Winning Portfolio Look Like?

You have 1-3 years of experience in medical writing

By now, you’ve likely found new ways to get clients as an experienced medical writer, whether through referrals, networking, or inbound leads. Clients expect to see real-world projects, industry collaborations and measurable impact.

Here are some ideas to upgrade your portfolio:

  • Be organised by category: Make it easy for clients to find relevant work (e.g., campaigns, white papers, case studies, web copy).
  • Feature real client work: Replace mock samples with projects for recognised organisations or key industry players. Select your top 10-15 best pieces. Ideally, update them every 3-6 months. Set a reminder to review your portfolio quarterly or every 6 months, just like for your LinkedIn profile.
  • Showcase results: Demonstrate the impact of your work under the form of a case study instead of only displaying writing samples. Structure your case study with the problem you helped solving, which solution you offered and what was the impact or outcome of your work.

📌 Example: In my PDF portfolio, I’ve hand-picked 3 top case studies:

Here’s one of them:

Why this works:

Clear and easy to navigate: Clients can instantly find what’s relevant to them.
Positions me as an expert: Demonstrates my experience in pharma, patient engagement, and healthcare campaigns.
Proves my impact: Showcases how my writing has contributed to real-world projects.

Top Tip: If you don’t have hard metrics, use qualitative results like I did (e.g., client feedback, increased clarity, audience engagement).

What if You Have 3+ Years of Experience?

If you’ve been writing for three or more years like me, you can take your portfolio even further by:

  • Focusing on high-profile clients and long-term collaborations.
  • Highlighting data-driven results (e.g., engagement metrics, regulatory approvals, campaign success).
  • Curating a smaller selection of top-tier work to target premium clients.

📌 Example: How I’ve applied these principles to my portfolio

After several years in medical writing, I structured my portfolio to showcase high-value work with leading industry clients. Here’s how:

  • High-profile collaborations: I highlight projects with Novartis and Takeda, reinforcing my credibility in pharma communications.
  • Results-driven approach: Instead of just listing samples, I showcase impact, like my role in the Moving Fourth campaign leading to a published manuscript in AIDS Review.
  • Curated, high-impact selection: I include only my strongest, most relevant work, making it easy for potential clients to see my expertise in medical communications and patient engagement.

Check out my full portfolio here for inspiration.

Should I Have a Website Portfolio, a PDF Portfolio, or Both?

Both website and PDF portfolios have their benefits, and the best option depends on how you find clients.

  • Website Portfolios: Great for being found online, building credibility, and showing your expertise. Clients can browse your work and contact you easily. You can check out possible platforms to showcase your work in my blog on how to build a medical writing portfolio.
  • PDF Portfolios: Perfect for sending directly to clients when pitching for work. You can also use it as a lead magnet, offering it in exchange for email sign-ups.

📌 Example: In My Approach, I Use Both

I have a website portfolio to help clients find me online and a PDF portfolio for personalised pitches and lead generation. This way, I can:

  • Attract clients through search engines.
  • Send a polished portfolio when applying for projects.
  • Grow my email list by offering my PDF portfolio as a free resource.

Download my portfolio here to see how I organise my work in a PDF.

What Final Tweaks Will Take My Portfolio to the Next Level?

Here are four simple ways to take your medical writing portfolio to the next level:

  • Show results, not just writing skills: Don’t just list your work – explain the impact. If possible, include client feedback, success stories, or numbers to show how your writing helped.
  • Keep it updated: Swap out older work for fresh samples that match your skills and niche. An outdated portfolio can make clients look elsewhere.
  • Use testimonials wisely: Social proof from happy clients build trust. I include mine under “Kind Words” on my website to show what it’s like to work with me.
  • Make it easy to browse: Clients should find what they need quickly. Organise your portfolio into clear sections (e.g., case studies, web copy, reports) so they don’t have to search.

Are you ready to upgrade your portfolio? Join MedWrite Monthly, my membership for medical and health writers, and get expert insights, templates, and exclusive resources to help you grow your career.

FAQs: Medical Writing Portfolio Examples

1. What does a high-impact writing portfolio look like?

A professional portfolio should go beyond basic writing samples and:

  • Showcase real client work (not just mock samples).
  • Be structured by category (e.g., campaigns, white papers, case studies, web copy).
  • Demonstrate results—not just “what you wrote,” but how your content made an impact (e.g., increased engagement, improved patient understanding, supported regulatory approvals).
  • Include testimonials from past clients.

2. How do I make my writing portfolio more results-driven?

Instead of just showing “Here’s what I wrote,” frame each piece like this:

  • The Problem – What challenge was the client facing?
  • The Solution – How did your writing address that challenge?
  • The Impact – Any measurable outcomes (e.g., engagement, conversions, approvals)?

3. Should I use a website or a PDF portfolio – or both?

Both can serve different purposes:

  • Website portfolio: Best for SEO, inbound clients, and credibility.
  • PDF portfolio: Perfect for direct pitching, recruiters, and lead magnets (I use mine as a newsletter opt-in).

4. How do I tailor my portfolio for high-paying clients?

  • Curate samples that align with your ideal client’s needs. Example: If you want pharma clients, show regulatory and scientific writing – not just blogs.
  • Remove outdated or irrelevant samples. Less is more – only include your best and most relevant work.
  • Write case study-style descriptions. Instead of just listing samples, add context on why they matter.

5. How often should I update my writing portfolio?

  • Update your portfolio every 3-6 months to keep it fresh.
  • Remove old, low-quality, or irrelevant samples that no longer reflect your best work.
  • Add new testimonials or metrics to highlight client success.

Final Thoughts: Refine Your Portfolio and Attract Higher-Paying Clients

By now, you may have a strong portfolio – but how you present your work can make a big difference in winning better clients. A great portfolio doesn’t just show what you’ve written; it proves your expertise, impact and value.

If you’re not sure how to upgrade your portfolio, steal a couple of ideas from this blog! Try:

  • Choosing your best work: Show only high-quality samples that reflect your niche and skills.
  • Proving your impact: Add testimonials, case studies, or results to show how your writing helped clients.
  • Making it more client-friendly: Organise your work by formats or industries so that potential clients can quickly see how you can help them.

If you need help fine-tuning your portfolio:

🔹 Join my newsletter for expert tips and industry insights.

🔹 Become a MedWrite Monthly member for templates, writing resources, and insider strategies.

🔹 Book a mentoring session for personalised portfolio feedback.

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