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 Pauline Bartolone

<div style="width: 600px;"><p>When I left for a week of reporting in rural California in late February, I didn't know I would come back with two stories about the devastating health consequences of isolation.</p><p>I'm not just talking about the geographic isolation one finds in a remote area. From the hilly evergreen landscape of eastern Shasta County, to the agricultural flatlands of Tulare County in the South Central Valley, I witnessed how isolation can leave people in the dark about keeping healthy, lead to emotional despair, and pose real barriers to quality of life.</p></div>

Author(s)
By Carolyn Knight

<p class="MsoNormal">Medical devices undeniably save and improve lives, but they can also malfunction or prove to be defective and pose serious risks for patients. So, as someone in the medical field, how do you stay up-to-date on medical device safety and recalls? The FDA does its best to keep doctors informed about medical device recalls, but communication from the FDA doesn’t always reach doctors soon enough.</p>

Author(s)
By Nathanael Johnson

<p class="MsoNormal">Health reform votes knock out incumbents, fewer kids with obesity, more on-the-job fatalities, an epidemic of stillbirths in Iraq and more from our Daily Briefing.</p><p><!--EndFragment--></p>

Author(s)
By Angilee Shah

<p>This is the first time Holly Dolan is writing about health for general readers -- and while she does not know where it will lead, the learning experience and new connections in her community keep her going.</p>

Author(s)
By Sonya Collins

<p>I used to be a language teacher (English &amp; Portuguese) before I became a journalist. And with each story I tell, I see how not-so-far-apart my present and former professions are.</p>