What matters most is your ability to learn, be flexible, and be detail-oriented: An interview with Keagen Hadley

Interested in regulatory writing? Keagen Hadley shares his insights

This week, I’m excited to share an interview with Keagen Hadley, the writer behind The Clinician’s Guide to Regulatory Writing. Keagen made the leap from clinical practice into freelance regulatory writing, and he’s built a business that’s both profitable and purposeful.

Whether you’re curious about what regulatory content actually is, wondering how to break in, or looking for real talk on transitioning from a healthcare role into a writing career, Keagen delivers. He’s generous with his advice and clear about the realities (and rewards) of this niche. If you’ve ever considered writing for the medical or pharmaceutical industries, this one’s for you.

(*A regulatory medical writer creates documents required to support the approval, marketing, and ongoing regulation of medical products like drugs, devices, and biologics for authorities such as Health Canada, the FDA, or the EMA.)

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Let’s dive in.

Tell us a bit about your career as a clinician and what made you start looking for a new path

I earned my doctorate in occupational therapy and specialized in psychiatric therapy using acceptance and commitment therapy. But between undergrad and grad school, I found a job as an in-house clinical research associate at a contract research organization—a company that helps run clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies. I’m incredibly grateful for that opportunity. Without it, I probably would’ve worked as a CNA or in another entry-level role to save up for graduate school, and never would have learned about regulatory medical writing. The pay wasn’t great, but it introduced me to the clinical research world and opened my eyes to career paths where I could earn much more.

During graduate school, I realized the clinical path wasn’t sustainable for me. It was financially limiting and offered little flexibility. I had nearly $100,000 in student loans and knew a $70,000 salary wouldn’t be enough to support the life I wanted. That’s when I started looking for something different.

Did you always enjoy writing, or did that develop over time?

I’ve always loved reading and the idea of writing. I just didn’t think writing could lead to a viable career unless you published something like Harry Potter. I had no idea jobs like regulatory writing even existed.

Was there a particular moment when you realized, “This is what I want to do instead”?

Yes, when I got my first subcontracting paycheck. I worked five hours and earned far more than I expected to make as a therapist. That moment made it real. Writing could be more than just a side interest. It could be my career.

Tell us about your Substack newsletter “The Clinician’s Guide to Regulatory Writing.”

It’s the resource I wish I had when I was starting out. I use it to help clinicians and other professionals transition into regulatory writing so they can build flexible, fulfilling careers. This job changed my life, and I want to be the person who shines a light on the path for others.

Learn more about Keagen’s newsletter