Prerequisites

• A degree in journalism, a certificate in a medical specialty, or experience in journalism.

Course Description

The medical journalism course introduces participants to this type of specialized journalism, and techniques for dealing with medical content in a scientific manner, within journalism standards, and simplifying this content for the public in an attractive manner.

Course Objective

At the end of this course, participants should:
• Recognize the nature of the medical journalism.
• Understand the role of medical journalism.
• Recognize the differences between medical journalism and other types of journalism.
• Understand the basics of medical coverage.
• Understand the different types of medical journalism: studies, recommendations, epidemiology, and urgent events.
• Know how to deal with medical sources and categorizing them in terms of credibility.
• Learn about the ethics of medical journalism.

Course Outline

• What is medical journalism?
• The importance of the medical journalism.
• The development of the medical journalism throughout history.
• Objectives of the medical journalism.
• How to choose medical news.
• Scientific news references: literature, RCT studies, international reports, government reports, reports from private institutions, statements, events.
• Selection of guests and how to make media interviews with them.
• How to read and understand the medical news? Diseases, epidemics and their spread, accidents (such as forgetting gloves or infection caused by lack of sterilization), medical conferences, rumors.
• References to understand the medical news.
• Who is your target audience? public, doctors, engineers.
• How to simplify the concepts to reach your target audience.
• Dealing with websites, wikis, and institutions.
• Selection of books.
• Follow up on magazines.
• Dealing with agency news.
• Dealing with social media.
• Dealing with controversial topics.
• Medical field coverage.
• Conferences.
• Covering wars at the medical level.
• Dealing with correspondents who deliver medical news.
• Reporters' mistakes: length, style, praise and impartiality.

Course Benefits

• A graduation certificate by Aljazeera Media Institute.