Doing something different
Kay Brennan's intercalating year provided education about life as well as journalism
On Tuesday 7 October 1986 The Independent was launched and so, therefore, the first page dedicated to
health issues was seen in a national newspaper. Since then there has been an explosion
in health journalism; every national daily has
a health section, Sunday newspapers have
pull-out health supplements, and there is a
plethora of magazines devoted to men's
health, women's health, complementary
medicine, and general fitness.
Because of the need to fill so many pages
and so much airtime with news, features, and
opinions on health matters, there has been a
steady increase in the demand for journalists
who specialise in health. Last year saw the
inception of the first degree devoted to medical journalism in the UK, and I was one of
the brave five who decided to give it a go.
I stumbled across the course in the studentBMJ, where a news article discussed the plans
to start a new course dedicated to medicine
and the media. It offered training in news
reporting, feature writing, and editorial
design, as well as an understanding of what
makes science into news, a different perspective on the patient's experience, and
development of my communications skills. It
was an opportunity I didn't want to miss.
The BA Honours in Medical Journalism is
run by the University of Westminster, the
only institution in the UK to run a journalism course specifically designed for students
who have medical training. Westminster is
one of the leading institutions in the UK for
media studies and its media department got
the highest possible mark in its last teaching
quality assessment review.
The course is designed for medics wanting to intercalate and other health students,
such as nurses or vets, who have completed
at least two years of their first degree. In the
first intake there are four medics and a psychiatric nursing student, but it is planned to
increase the number and variety of students
in the next few years.
The course is based in Harrow (north west
London) at the university's campus specifically designed for art based students. Fashion, photography, and commercial music are
among the degrees on offer, and I've found
it very refreshing to be surrounded by many
creative and free thinking students.
Many intercalating medics want to experi-
ence student life away from the pressures of
medical school and this course certainly allows
one to do that, but it is not an easy year filled
with coffee drinking and frisbee games. News
and feature writing, press conferences, interviews, and desktop publishing and editing classes mean a full timetable and
tight deadlines. Press law and
ethics and politics of health lectures are also squeezed in. As
it is a vocationally oriented
degree you are expected to
reach a publishable standard
early on, which means a
steep learning curve in the
first few weeks.
Tutors include experienced professional journalists and health care
workers. There are also
visits from guest speakers, ranging from a BBC science correspondent to a
complementary health specialist. Teaching is
both stimulating and interesting.
The course runs along side a Postgraduate
Diploma in Print Journalism and an MA in
Journalism Studies, so it is a wonderful
opportunity to work with and learn from students with completely different academic
and, sometimes, social backgrounds.
The costs of taking a year away from med-
icine are the same as for any intercalating
year (there are no tuition fees as local education authorities pay them), but allowances
need to made for living in London if you do
not already live there. There are also extra
costs for travel to press conferences, interviews, and to meet tutors and speakers, usually in the centre of London. Some lectures
are also held at the university's other campus
in the west end of London.
Sponsorship and bursary opportunities
are difficult to find because of the lack of
awareness of the course, but this should
improve as word gets around in the next few
years. However there are companies, associations, and charities out there willing to help
if you look hard enough.
The highlight of the year for me has been
the three week work placement in the second
semester. Students work at a health magazine
or journal of their choice, and the time can
be split between publications. I chose to
spend two weeks with a men's health and fitness magazine and one week with a women's
health, fitness, and beauty magazine. With
subjects ranging from "Get fit or feel s***" to
"How can you control your life if you can't
control your hair?" I got a real taste of the different writing styles needed for gender specific magazines.
During the placements I was given an
assortment of tasks by the two editors, ranging from writing news and feature articles to
opening all the post each morning. It was a
real challenge to produce quality work in a
professional environment, but I
came away with stacks of hands-on experience of the frantic nature of journalism, as
well getting some work published.
Assessment is based mostly on a portfolio
of news and feature articles written throughout the year. There are also newsletters, newspapers, and magazines to produce, either
alone or as part of a team, and a few essays
for the theory based modules such as politics
and law, but the majority of the marks go on
how well you develop your own writing style.
After completing the course students have
the opportunity to work in medical journalism in the specialist or consumer press as a
full time reporter, feature writer, subeditor or
on-line journalist, or as a freelance writer.
The production skills taught during the year
will enable students to reach positions of editorial responsibility within two or three years.
Of course, if you decide to return to finish
your medical studies after graduating, there
are huge opportunities to practise both medicine and medical journalism as part of a
portfolio career.
This year has been fantastic. I will return
to my medical degree feeling confident I
have the skills to be a successful medical journalist, if my medical career allows me the
time. I feel privileged to have met and been
taught by many people who work in the
media and to have learnt from a wide range
of health professionals.
This degree has given me the chance to
see medicine from a completely different
perspective, which is something that can only
help me become a better doctor. Any intercalating degree allows students to get a
broader education in a scientific subject, but
this course gives a valuable education in life.
Kay Brennan, 3rd year medical student, University of Leeds
Email: kaybrennan@hotmail.com
studentBMJ 2000;08:217-258 July ISSN 0966-6494
