Insights

You learn a lot when you spend months reporting on a given issue or community, as our fellows can attest. Whether you’re embarking on a big new story or seeking to go deeper on a given issue, it pays to learn from those who’ve already put in the shoe leather and crunched the data. In these essays and columns, our community of journalists steps back from the notebooks and tape to reflect on key lessons, highlight urgent themes, and offer sage advice on the essential health stories of the day. 

Author(s)
By William Heisel

After getting a scary note from a state representative about radioactive contamination at a local park, I started thinking like a reporter. I’ll do a little research. I’ll jot down a few key questions. I'll attend the upcoming meeting hoping to get some answers.

Author(s)
By Ryan White

These centers help tackle challenges that traditional primary care hasn’t been able to address. Services most in-demand by students in underserved neighborhoods are behavioral health, reproductive health and health education.

Author(s)
By R. Jan Gurley

There is nothing so horrifying as when your doctor is too nice to you. I knew I had cancer before they even told me because of the hushed voices, the pats on my shoulder, and the way, suddenly, no one cared how much time was being spent on my visit.

Author(s)
By Jill Braden Balderas

When experienced health journalist Joanne Silberner realized she had a "huge" misconception about cancer in the developing world, she reported from three countries to shed light on the subject for readers and listeners.

Author(s)
By Edwin Bender

According to the FollowTheMoney.org, the food and beverage industry contributed $5.3 million to state campaigns in California during the 2011 and 2012 elections. Find out how to investigate political contributions of all kinds in other states.

Author(s)
By William Heisel

The story about Medicare removing information about hospital-acquired conditions from its Hospital Compare website appears to be changing. I'm still left wondering who started the wheels in motion for the original story about the data. The reporter had to have gotten this idea somewhere.