Suzanne Purkis

Profile

Academic and medical editor, writer, and project manager specializing in social science, medicine, and STEM communications.

Whether you’re applying for a grant, presenting your research, advocating for your profession, or writing a report for your organization, it’s essential that your message resonates with your target audience. As an experienced academic, medical, and scientific communications professional, I’m here to help you create clear, concise documents and ensure that your communications projects are delivered on schedule.

I work with medical societies, healthcare organizations, universities, NGOs, government departments and agencies, physicians, academics, researchers, and other professionals to create clear, concise documents and to ensure that their projects are delivered on schedule. My clients include Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group), Canadian Ophthalmological Society, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Health PEI, Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Natural Step Canada, and many individual researchers, physicians, and other experts.

Current and past projects include:

• Report on Development of a Geotechnical Design Standard for Buildings in Canada (Editor)
• Clinical practice guideline on postpartum hemorrhage and hemorrhagic shock​ (Editor)
• Position statement on the Use of Nonpowder Projectile Weapons (Writer & Project Manager)
• Brochure and clinical practice guidelines on colorectal cancer screening (Plain Language Editor)
• Workplace Harassment Policy for a national medical society (Writer & Editor)
• PhD dissertation on person-centered culture in long-term care homes (Editor)
• Coaching a researcher through the peer review/revision process (Writing Coach & Editor)
• Journal article on history of feminism in the advertising industry (Editor)
• Master’s thesis in epidemiology and biostatistics (Editor)
• Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology (Managing Editor)
• Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (Production Editor)

I’m an active member of Editors Canada, Plain Language Association International, and Science Writers & Communicators of Canada. I have extensive experience with APA Style and AMA Style, and I'm also experienced with the following guides: Chicago Manual of Style, Science and Technical Writing, and Editing Canadian English. Moreover, I have lots of experience working with publication-specific style guides, particularly scholarly journals.

Visit my website to learn more about me.

Recent client comments:

"Thanks again for your excellent work on this, Suzanne. I’m amazed by your ability to read through information quickly and to condense and summarize things in such an effective way!"
     —Jennifer Brunet-Colvey, Executive Director/CEO, Canadian Ophthalmological Society

“I’ve been working on the website all day and just wanted to say thank you again. The descriptions are great — consistent, factual, awesome. I really appreciate that you were able to do this on such short notice."
     —Amara Possian, Campaign Manager, Leadnow.ca

“Thanks again for the great work on my manuscript. I am very happy — it reads so smoothly and elegantly!” 
     —Guy Beauchamp, professor, Université du Québec en Outaouais 

"The book wouldn’t be what it is if it hadn’t been for your beautiful editing. You did a terrific job, and most of all I am very grateful that you kept my voice and style!"
     —Stefania Maggi, Author

"Highly professional, quick to respond to short notice requests and willing to tailor her efforts to suit individual needs, Suzanne provided outstanding editing services on my MBA thesis. On one occasion, with very short notice, she eagerly reviewed and returned my work to me so that I was able to revise and submit prior to deadline, contributing to my eventual success."
    —Tony Johnson, MBA

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Key words: Aboriginal, academic, AMA style, anthropology, APA style, cancer, CIDA, civil society, CMOS, conflict studies, CPD, creative writing, disability, disease, dissertation, epidemiology, engineering, environmental studies, economic development, ESL, first nations, gender, globalization, health, healthcare, identity politics, international development, journal, long-term illness, medical editor, medicine, neuroscience, NGO, non-profit, ophthalmology, organizations, peace studies, pharmacist, pharmacy, plain language, political science, program evaluation, psychology, research, social justice, social science, social work, sociology, sustainability, STEM, training, transitional justice, women's issues, writing coach