About AHCJ: General News

2010 class of AHCJ-National Library of Medicine fellows chosen Date: 08/24/10

Aug. 24, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, MO. - Six journalists have been named to this year's class of AHCJ-National Library of Medicine fellows. The fellowship program was created to increase reporters' access and understanding of the considerable resources available at NLM and the National Institutes of Health.

The journalists chosen to take part this year are:

  • Karla Gale, medical journalist, Reuters Health
  • Jamie Hirsh, associate health editor, Consumer Reports
  • Sally James, independent journalist, Seattle
  • Sandra Jordan, health reporter, St. Louis American
  • Hiran Ratnayake, health reporter, The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal
  • Miriam E. Tucker, senior writer, International Medical News Group/Elsevier

AHCJ-NLM FellowshipsThe visit to the NIH campus, scheduled for Sept. 12-16, will include hands-on workshops about how to use and get the most from several government research databases, such as PubMed, MedlinePlus, ClinicalTrials.gov and ToxNet. Fellows also will meet with senior NLM and NIH researchers and officials for exclusive informational sessions.

The fellows were selected from dozens of qualified applicants.

"We were very happy to be able to work with the Library of Medicine to offer this fellowship again this year," said AHCJ Executive Director Len Bruzzese. "Last year's fellows found the information and instruction very valuable in attempting and completing more complicated stories."

AHCJ is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public understanding of health care issues. With more than 1,100 members, its mission is to improve the quality, accuracy and visibility of health care reporting, writing and editing. The association and its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism are based at the Missouri School of Journalism.