Media Credentials


Are you a freelancer needing affiliation credentials to cover a medical meeting, media briefing or similar “credentialed-press only” event? If you are a professional-category member, AHCJ may be able to help.

An increasing number of organizations – including HHS and ASCO – are agreeing to recognize membership in AHCJ as sufficient credential for admission.

The effort, spearheaded by AHCJ’s Freelance Committee, is especially helpful for independent journalists looking for fresh story ideas, developing sources and doing the reporting and preliminary interviews necessary to pitch stories to news organizations.

“Meetings are often where news happens, so it’s important for us as freelance journalists to have access. Even if you don’t have an assignment letter, you should be able to go and find story ideas and develop sources. A lot of freelancers find that footing the bill yourself pays off with assignments in the long run. The Freelance Committee is working to provide access to as many meetings as possible,” said Laura Beil, chair of AHCJ’s Freelance Committee

For a letter attesting to your current AHCJ professional membership, send an email to info@healthjournalism.org. We will send a PDF letter for your use to your email of record. Make sure to keep your membership information up to date.

Organizations that recognize AHCJ membership include:

  • ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Congress
  • American Academy of Clinical Endocrinology
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
  • American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
  • American Association for Cancer Research
  • American College of Chest Physicians
  • American College of Emergency Physicians
  • American College of Physicians
  • American Diabetes Association
  • American Heart Association
  • American Pain Society
  • American Public Health Association
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • American Society of Hematology
  • American Thoracic Society
  • Association for Molecular Pathology
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Heart Rhythm Society
  • Infectious Diseases Society of America
  • Medical Group Management Association
  • Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Society for Neuroscience

Health journalism saves lives.

Everyone should have access to quality health care information so they can make informed decisions. Join AHCJ today for exclusive access to training and education to inform your community.