Health Communication Concentration

Courses for this thematic group have included Explaining Health Behavior: Insights from Behavioral Economics, Multi-Level Theoretical Approaches to Health Behavior, and Health Literacy: Measuring Accessibility of Health Information.

Courses for this thematic group have included Writing for Policy and Politics, Political Analysis and Strategy for U.S. Health Policy, Persuasive Policy Communication,and Practical Communications Strategies and Tactics for Influencing a Healthier World.

Courses for this thematic group have included Public Speaker for Managers, Strategic Marketing Management in Health Systems, and Organizational Health Literacy: Issues and Assessment.

Courses for this thematic group have included Organizing: People, Power, Change, Introduction to Dissemination and Implementation Science, and Narrative Leadership – Using Storytelling to Mobilize Collective Action in Public Health.

Courses for this thematic group have included Public Narrative, Engaging with the Press: A Practical Look at Effective Health Communications, and Engaging the Media.

Please briefly describe your position.

As a Science Writer in the Division of Philanthropy, my job involves compiling complex research and clinical updates and translating them into palatable reports for high level donors. A lot of my time is spent interviewing Dana-Farber physicians and scientists about their incredible work—much of which is funded by donors—as well as keeping up-to-date with current events in the ever-changing world of cancer medicine. When I’m not interviewing, researching, editing, or writing, I also assist colleagues in the Division who do not have a science background with understanding and contextualizing recent research.

How do you use health communication in your position?

My training in health communication has been vital to my success as a Science Writer. Whenever I am drafting prose for a lay audience, I think critically about the key message I am trying to convey, how to minimize academic jargon, and what framing would be most meaningful to donors.

What advice would you give to students interested in health communication?

Use your time at Harvard wisely—especially your time outside the classroom. Research and work opportunities are ample at Chan, and much of my most salient learning happened while working on extracurricular projects with professors (like Andy Tan!). Graduate school is the perfect time to explore new areas of interest while simultaneously developing marketable skills.

Also, I highly recommend reflecting on your post-Harvard goals early and often. If you have a career path in mind, pursue opportunities that bolster your relevant job experience. Do not spend all your time studying. A great GPA, while nice, is meaningless if you have no work experience!

Career before and after HSPH 

Before HSPH, I was an Associate Director of Planning and Buying at HN Media & Marketing in NYC. In this position, I managed online, outdoor, and print media buys for the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, NY State Department of Health and other clients. After HSPH, I wanted more experience in community organizing and policy work, so I took a position as the Bronx Borough Organizer for the NYC Coalition for a Smoke-Free City. In this role, I helped develop, implement and evaluate citywide and Bronx-focused tobacco control campaigns and coordinated the coalition’s communications work.

Tell me about your current job, and how do you feel about it. 

In collaboration with faith-based and health organizations, schools, residents, government agencies and community leaders, I help lead community-based public health programs that aim to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes in the Bronx. This includes overseeing grants from the CDC that focus on increasing opportunities for healthy eating and active living and reducing exposure to second hand smoke and excessive and underage drinking. The work is very challenging and exciting. It allows me to pursue my many interests and strengthen a variety of skills. I feel extremely fortunate to work with amazing partners on such important issues.

What was the best thing about HCC?

The classes. I had a lot of practical experience in health communications from my work as a media buyer and planner in NYC, but I wanted to have a better understanding of the theories behind the campaigns and how to evaluate them. The coursework provided this background. Also, Dr. Viswanath was a wonderful mentor! It was very challenging to go back to school after working for four years. Dr. Viswanath provided great support and encouragement while I was at HSPH and helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my career.

How has HCC helped your career after HSPH?

While I am not directly working in the health communications field right now, I find that I use the skills that I acquired in the HCC every day. Communications is a large part of all public health initiatives and a skill set that all organizations, large and small, are looking for their employees to have. Also, media and marketing campaigns are a large part of most major grants. My academic and professional background in health communications has allowed me to lead these initiatives and will only provide more opportunities in the future.

Message to prospective students Identify a mentor and learn as much as you can from them. Also, don’t be afraid to lean on them for support. HSPH can be very overwhelming! Most of the professors are very busy, but they will make time for you if you are persistent. Finally, take advantage of all opportunities where you can apply what you’re learning in the classroom to the real world. I helped develop a media campaign while interning at the Boston Public Health Commission. I learned a tremendous amount through this experience and it greatly influenced what I wanted to do after HSPH.

Career before and after HSPH 

Prior to HSPH, I received my BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and worked on child health and health education projects in Baltimore, South Africa, Taiwan, and Bangladesh. During HSPH, I pursued my interest in health communication, child health, and global health at Sesame Workshop (the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street), where I developed stakeholder engagement strategies for Sesame Global Health Initiative and recommended ways to build accessible health messages designed to instill healthy habits in children and their caregivers in South Asia and West Africa. After HSPH, my career has focused on strategic communication of evidence-based health information to decision-makers at USAID and other federal agencies.

Tell me about your current job, and how do you feel about it. 

I am a Research Associate at Institute of Medicine (IOM), a non-profit that provides unbiased and authoritative advice to decision-makers and the public. Currently, I support a consensus study sponsored by the FDA that will assess the use of individual-based models to improve the effect of tobacco regulation policies on public health. IOM is an intellectually stimulating environment, where I have the privilege to work with leading scholars who shape public health priorities and policies, and have the opportunity to apply the skills I gained from HSPH and HCC.

What was the best thing about HCC?

The chair of HCC, Dr. Viswanath, has continually inspired me, even after I have graduated from HSPH. As one of the top leaders of health communication in the world, he has provided me with tools to develop communication strategies that would empower people to make informed health decisions, and positively affect behavior change from the ground to policy level. He has also been a wonderful mentor, who has taken the time to help me explore my career options and build my professional network. Additionally, I loved taking the variety of courses HCC offers. As I took courses from not only HSPH but also other Harvard faculties, I have expanded the way I think and practice health communication. I gained a range of communication skills through a multidisciplinary approach, such as how to design, implement and evaluate health information tailored to different kinds of populations (HSPH and HGSE), strategically communicate health issues to policy makers (HKS), and negotiate with diverse stakeholders in public health (FAS).

How has HCC helped your career after HSPH?

The skills I gained from HCC inform most of the tasks I do in my career thus far. I frequently apply what I learned from the concentration to facilitate stakeholder decision-making, and translate complex health data into easily accessible information so my audience can clearly understand relevant options and next steps.

Message to prospective students I would encourage prospective students to consider concentrating in health communication. HCC offers a multitude of skills that are useful for any public health professional working in the nonprofit, for-profit or public sector. For me, I rely on the tools I have acquired from HCC at a non-profit health policy organization. HCC also helps students boost interpersonal communication skills and critically interact with health information disseminated in an environment that is increasingly overwhelmed with conflicting health messages.