Insights

<p>In teaching health reporting, journalist and educator Ivan Oransky encourages students to flex their multimedia muscles.</p>

<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML /> <o:AllowPNG /> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves /> <w:TrackFormatting /> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF /> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScrip--></p><p>Condoms by mail, fraudulent cancer research and a raw milk surprise, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Not so wonderful POM juice, tainted drinking water in Calif. and an amazing kidney transplant story, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p><p><em>Photo credit: National Guard <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thenationalguard/3839512417/in/photostream… Flickr</a></em></p>

<p>Even under serious deadline pressure, you can build a solid health story without cribbing from a news release. Here’s my 55-minute solution.</p>

<p>Does rural healthcare have a future? And how can we ensure that rural California residents have access to decent healthcare, as doctors are becoming scarce?</p>

<p>From raspberry ketones to face transplants, online trending topics can be a valuable tool for your health reporting. Here's how to use them wisely.</p>

<p>If you have a knack for sharing the health news people want to hear about, MSNBC may have the position for you. Also, check out the variety of writing and editing opportunities listed this week.</p>

<p>Bird flu's back, possibly-good-for-you radiation, microchip medicine and more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>At their best, news releases are designed to distill complex science into understandable language the public (and media) can understand. At their worst, they are designed to sell a particular product. Here's how to use them as a jumping off point, not a crutch, for your health reporting.</p>

<p>Getting tots started on the coffee habit, a surprisingly wealthy public health official and the growing scandal over counterfeit Avastin, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>