A clinician’s guide to building meaningful media relationships

Gina: Denise, your background is a little different. Can you tell us a bit about yours and your role in healthcare media?

Denise: Sure. I am a journalist by trade, and when I first started out, there were two tracks that were pretty lucrative: health or business. I’m terrible with numbers, but I’m a hypochondriac, so obviously I was drawn towards the health track.

I worked at WebMD for about 30 years, which makes me feel really old. Now I’m the editor of The Dermatology Digest and the Journal for Dermatology Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. I’m also a Professor at Lehigh University, where I’m teaching health literacy, and that ties into my passion because all this health information out there changes all the time, and it’s so hard to interpret.

So I’m very interested in helping doctors teach patients, and helping patients understand what shared decision-making is and how to make the best decision for them, and how to look at studies and figure out how, or if, this does or doesn’t apply to them.

Gina: Brilliant. Well, that’s a great start. Before we get into it, I thought I’d step back a bit first and maybe get your take, Jennifer, on why you think it’s so important for healthcare professionals to think beyond the clinic.

Jennifer: I have been educating healthcare professionals and the care community for 15 years, and after a while I felt like I was talking about science and the evidence, but I was wondering why we weren’t continuing to deliver amazing care, and why we were seeing physicians burn out or leave the healthcare community.

That’s when I really realised that developing personal skills beyond clinical expertise was going to be so important. Actually, not just important, but really essential. Because when healthcare professionals invest in their own growth, they become better leaders, they’re more resilient, and ultimately they’re more present for their patients.

When physicians feel grounded in their work and in their home life, they stay in their careers and they can deliver better, more compassionate care.

Gina: LEADderm really embodies that holistic approach to professional development. Can you take us back to how it came about?

Jennifer: Early on in my career, I felt like there was a real gap in mentorship and community, especially spaces that supported growth beyond clinical excellence. I was Director of Clinical Research at UC Irvine right after finishing residency, juggling a three-year-old, pregnant with number two, and figuring out how to navigate this new academic space and career.

I had so many new roles, but no coach. As my career grew, I knew that someone else must have experienced the same struggles, and I could learn from that experience. I was also watching that there were so many inequities in the diversity of gender and racial background in many leadership spaces.

So it was really a culmination of these and many other experiences that ultimately led me to create a conference. At that time, what I felt was really missing was a place to explore all the parts of our lives that go beyond the science of medicine.

Over time, I came to realise that being a happy and fulfilled physician wasn’t just about mastering the science of dermatology. It was really about developing those skills to lead with purpose, build meaningful relationships, and find purpose in your work.

Gina: Last year was your LEADderm 2025 congress, and there was a session focused on media skills. Why did you feel that was such a natural fit to have at the congress and to share with your attendees?

Jennifer: The future of dermatology really depends on strong partnerships. Last year’s conference was focused on the theme of “power and partnerships”. What that means to me is strong partnerships among everyone involved in healthcare: not only doctors, residents and PAs, but also our medical education partners, our industry sponsors, and the media.

Media in all its different forms is a powerful platform to empower and educate healthcare professionals. A lot of times we might think of social media, but we’re also thinking about online and print media.

Gina: Denise, you delivered that session. Why does this topic feel so relevant to you right now?

Denise: I think it’s a wild west out there, and it became even more wild during COVID. With all of this information and all of these so-called influencers saying things like, “Smear beef tallow on your skin and you’ll never get wrinkles,” we really need a unified voice that educates the public and other physicians.

I think it’s really important that more board-certified dermatologists get out there and get their message across to fight disinformation and misinformation, which can have really harmful effects on people.

Gina: Many clinicians, when you speak to them about media, social media, or any kind of media, may feel hesitant about engaging with it. Perhaps they’re worried about getting it wrong or damaging their reputation. How real do you think that risk is, Denise?

Denise: There absolutely is a risk out there, and as I say, it’s not for everybody. There are all these different paths doctors can take today, from clinical practice to academic medicine to really becoming a media spokesperson.

Again, it’s not for everyone. But if you speak from the evidence and talk directly to the patient, you’re not going to go wrong. Some people absolutely love it. There are a million reasons to get involved, and some people would rather leave it to others.

Gina: Jennifer, from your perspective, why do you think clinicians are holding back and not wanting to get involved with the media?

Jennifer: I think it’s multifactorial. In dermatology in particular, there might be more interest than usual because everyone’s interested in skin. At the same time, Denise touched upon this, I wonder if social media, or media now, has removed so many of the old barriers.

We have our cameras so easily available, and you can just do a self-video. We can edit easily now. In some ways, I think we have information overload. So it makes it tricky. How will you be noticed in media?

You also want to know whether the time you’re using and dedicating to this is worth it, because it’s not just a hobby. Physicians who do it well really dedicate time and set aside time to do this.

So I think it’s a topic of interest, and that’s why the American Academy of Dermatology has prepared media responses for the dermatology community on how to respond to questions about common skin conditions, because it can be tricky. As physicians, we’re seeing patients and taking care of patients during the day, and when you add media into your work routine, it might feel like another job that’s done after hours.

Denise: I always tell doctors that it’s about finding your why. Why do you want to do this? It could be about more patients. It could be profits. It could be podium time, and it could just be prestige and visibility.

You have to figure out your why. Once you figure that out, it’ll be easier to determine how much time you can invest in doing it properly.

Gina: That was a big part of your presentation at LEADderm, talking about your “why”. How does that why help dictate your next move in engaging with the media?

Jennifer: I think that really formulates your purpose. What makes media, or the different forms of media, genuine and authentic is that it aligns with your purpose.

A big part of mine is communicating clinical research so that doctors and patients have good science and evidence to make decisions and deliver better care for patients.

Gina: Can your why impact the kind of media you go to, Denise? Whether you go to print, TV, or social?

Denise: Absolutely. You have to figure out why you’re doing it. If you want more patients, you might want to go more local. If you want more podium time, you might want to go national and more towards peer-reviewed journals and commenting on those for a physician audience.

Whereas if you’re looking more for prestige and your 15 minutes of fame, you might want to go more for popular lay publications and magazines. So defining your goals is really important in deciding where you go next.

Gina: What practical next steps do you recommend, Denise, for getting to those outlets and being noticed?

Denise: If you want to get involved in the media, the first step is to figure out why. That will help you allocate your time. The first thing everyone should do is not go right out there and spend huge sums on a publicist.

Look at the channels you already have. Are you a member of an academic institution? They probably have a media relations office. Connect with them and say, “This is what I’m interested in. If there are any studies that come up, I’d like to comment on them,” or, “I have this study coming out in JAMA Dermatology—maybe we want to write a press release and reach out to the media.”

Dip your foot in that way and see what happens. Also, in dermatology, as well as other forms of medicine, there are so many evergreen stories. There’s a month or a day for pretty much every skin condition.

So that would be another thing to put on your radar. Say, “Coming up in September, we have Alopecia Awareness Month. I’m available to talk to any media. Maybe you want to pitch me to somebody local to talk about all the new, exciting treatments.”

Use what you have. See how it goes before you take the next step, which involves more money.

I will also say, whenever you get a hit and an article runs, repurpose it. Put it on social media. Maybe turn part of it into a blog post. Get it out there. Because the more reporters see that, the more they’ll think, “Here’s somebody who’s a good source.” The dividends will keep coming as long as you use your leads and hits appropriately.

Gina: Do you recommend getting in touch with the reporter via email, or do you connect via social media? How should you get in touch initially?

Denise: It really depends. If you’re using media relations in your academic institution, they’re going to have a list of contacts. If you see something that an author wrote, and I’ve gotten a lot of great sources this way, you might reach out and say, “I read your article on alopecia. It was great. If you’re ever covering it again, please let me know. By the way, I’m running a clinical trial of X, it’s going to be published here—let’s keep in touch.”

Even constructive criticism is good. You might say, “You didn’t mention this. I thought it would have been useful.” As long as you say that appropriately to a reporter, they’ll think, “You know what? That’s right. Maybe next time we will expand on that.”

Gina: Jennifer, what prompted you to reach out and start working with the media, and how did you do that?

Jennifer: My career started off in the world of clinical research. Back when I was a medical student, I was very focused on one thing, especially for patients who face serious skin conditions where standard treatments just didn’t work. I wanted patients to have hope.

So I focused on clinical research as a way of asking those questions and finding out more. But I also quickly realised that discovery is only half the battle. Once researchers find an answer, we have to get that information out to doctors and to patients.

So my move into media really wasn’t planned. It was born out of a need to educate. I believe that knowledge is power. It is the power to help and the power to heal.

That’s why I started my YouTube channel back in 2018. It was really geared towards patients. I remember being very excited about my first video, and I told my kids, “Maybe we should have a launch party.” They looked at me and said, “Mum, this video is not going to go viral.”

It’s been a great tool for me in my clinic because when patients come in, I tell them, “I just want to make sure that we’re on the same page, because there’s so much information out there, and I want you to understand your skin condition and why we choose certain treatments.”

Later on, I started working with Denise on a column, and it’s also why I’m sitting here today, because media is such a powerful tool to educate. Now that I’ve started a conference, I also need the media’s help to get the word out about LEADderm.

Denise: It works both ways, because I need content too. I was at LEADderm this year and I was able to get a good three pages of expert content on the various things that we don’t see on the podium at AAD. I also got to meet some doctors who I’ve kept in touch with. So the relationship definitely goes both ways when it works.

Gina: It sounds like what we’ve just touched on there is that there are lots of different types of media you can use, and you can begin to think maybe it’s just a one-off piece here or a one-off piece there. But in your presentation at LEADderm this year, Denise, you were looking at the importance of cultivating long-term relationships with members of the media. Why do you think that is so important?

Denise: Because sometimes you’re on a tight deadline. Something gets an FDA approval, something gets pulled, or gets a black box warning. You want to have those contacts to reach out to so you can get that story out there in a comprehensive way.

If you have those direct contacts, a deadline isn’t scary. If a new drug gets approved on a Friday at 5 pm on a holiday weekend, I have people I can text and say, “What does this mean? How does this add to your toolbox?” I’m going to get the story done, as opposed to scurrying for a source or settling for somebody who might not be an expert.

Gina: From a clinician’s point of view, what is the benefit of having these close relationships?

Jennifer: As a clinician, I see the media as a way to amplify our clinical expertise so new discoveries and treatments are implemented even more quickly, and it gives physicians a voice to reclaim that authority and expertise.

The reality is that many patients go to “Doctor Google” for their first answers to what’s going on with their health. So for me, it’s about empowering patients and also improving health literacy.

Gina: When it comes to practical tips, then, for clinicians listening who are keen to build and nurture these relationships, what practical steps would you recommend they start with, Denise?

Denise: The first thing you can do is make a list of reporters or influencers whose work you like. Reach out to them on social media. Connect with them on LinkedIn. You might even consider inviting a small group of them into your office to talk a little bit about what you do and how you do it after hours. Have a wine and cheese event, that sort of thing.

Once you put a face to somebody, you remember them more. If it’s national media, I suggest reaching out the same way: “I loved this article,” send a LinkedIn request, maybe give some constructive feedback.

Reporters also love tips. If somebody says to me, “The FDA is going to act on this drug,” or, “We’re expecting it here and it’s going to launch here,” reporters love that kind of information. They love to be ahead of the game.

And always say thank you. If somebody quotes you, that goes a really long way, as do compliments. Again, whenever you get a hit, have a media page on your website, put it out there, put it on social media, thank the reporter, and the dividends will start to come.

Gina: So would you say one of your tips is having your own webpage set up?

Denise: You should definitely have a media section, sometimes within the “About Us” section, and put the various things out there. Make sure it’s updated, because sometimes I’ll look at one and see something from 2007. Keep it updated as much as possible. The more you do, the more you will get.

Gina: We started our conversation talking about some of the initial concerns clinicians might have with engaging with the media, but there are some longer-term concerns I think it would be good to touch on. For example, as you develop relationships with these people and they’re coming to you asking for comments, how can clinicians set clear boundaries around what they will and won’t say without appearing unhelpful or unresponsive?

Denise: I think it’s pretty easy. A lot of times, if I interview somebody and it was more casual, I’ll say, “I’m going to send this to you in writing. I’m going to give you a very quick turnaround, but I don’t want any surprises. I don’t want anybody to say, ‘That’s not what I meant,’ even though it’s what I said.”

If they answer via email, I might not do that because it’s already clear and they’ve had a chance to check it. However, everything goes under medical review and fact-checking, so I’m very careful. If somebody says, “It’s an oral pill twice a day,” and I know it’s once a day, I want to make sure the doctors sign off on their quotes, because that only makes the story better and more impactful.

If you say “off the record”, it means off the record. That does happen sometimes, and maybe it gives me an idea for a story and I pursue a different source.

Gina: Jennifer, have you had much experience of having to deal with this—having to say no and build a boundary with the relationships you have with the media?

Jennifer: I think it can be tricky, and sometimes they have very tight deadlines. I have a very strong purpose and clear sense of why I do it, so when it’s possible and I’m not tied up with patients, I will always make time.

I think it’s really important to be transparent and honest, and this is why I love working with Denise. She gives me clear deadlines, and I’m also clear about what I can do. If I’m not available, or if I am interested but can only respond later, I’ll say, “I got your message. I can respond at the end of the day today.”

Sometimes the deadlines are quite short and she needs it by the end of the day. I think the best relationships are when you can be clear, responsive and concise.

Denise: I’ve heard doctors say to me, “I can’t do this, but here are three other people who might have the time.” What I always tell doctors is that patients come first, second and third. I’m coming to you because of your patient care, so press definitely comes below that.

However, if you have an appointment or an interview scheduled and a patient comes in, just have somebody in your office let the reporter know, because that goes a long way. If somebody had an emergency with a patient, that absolutely comes first. I would even say to my editor, “This is the right source. She’s dealing with a patient. Let’s wait on this.”

Gina: There’s also the issue of balance between education and self-promotion. How can physicians help ensure their engagement genuinely educates and empowers, rather than just amplifying their profile?

Jennifer: I think it’s hard to completely separate the two. It goes back to understanding your purpose and your core values. Patients can sense whether we’re being authentic. Our colleagues can sense it too.

For me, that’s why it goes back to LEADderm. That’s why I started this meeting. It is really about understanding all these other components that help us deliver better care and be better physicians in our community.

It goes back to developing those social and professional skills, and part of that is understanding your core values. This year I’m really excited because I think the theme is going to focus on that. Some people reference Brené Brown’s work around strong grounding and knowing yourself. That helps guide your decisions—whether you participate in media and what form that takes.

So many of us are constantly re-evaluating our purpose, where we want to spend our time, and why.

Denise: I would say the best way to do this is to avoid superlatives. Everybody is “renowned” for something, so let’s just take that off the table. Talk to me about the data, the evidence and your experience. And never push products—only talk about trends.

If it’s a big trend, let’s say CBD, don’t tell me about your CBD product. Let’s talk about CBD and what it can and can’t treat in terms of skin conditions.

Gina: Great tip. Another thing I would think about is your digital footprint. Once you’ve been in the media and you’ve said something, advice may change. How should people think about the long term, and does it change how they should approach interviews and commentary?

Denise: For me, no. Health is a big pendulum swing. Look at HRT: it was the best, then it was the worst, and now it’s okay again. You just have to realise that the research evolves, and sometimes I’ll put a clause in my article by way of background and then go into the backstory.

Just realise that it changes based on evidence, and nothing is written in stone in health. Most things are dated.

Gina: Jennifer, you touched on something before that I think is a really important point: is it all worth the time? Could it be like another job? How can people really tell that their media engagement is actually working and fulfilling their why?

Jennifer: For me personally, it’s really about empowering physicians and patients with knowledge and the latest evidence because, as I said, part of my work is looking into the research and answering those questions. Once we learn more, I want it to be implemented sooner, and media helps me get that out.

In some ways, for me, it’s knowing that I’m helping not only the patient who is in front of me, but also other lives that I may never know I’ve touched. Media uses many different ways of measuring our reach, whether it’s a like, a heart, or the number of views. So I think we do have some numbers to help us get an idea of how far our message is reaching.

But it’s a tricky question. Sometimes it’s the stories that patients tell me that make me feel like it’s all worth it. A patient who makes an appointment because they saw one of my YouTube videos, or because they looked me up on the internet and saw me quoted as an expert in alopecia areata.

In healthcare, we have this privilege and unique power to connect and help others, so I think it comes in many different ways.

Denise: I would say it really goes back to your why. If you’re doing this because you want more patients, that’s going to be obvious after a month or so. Are they coming in? If you’re looking for more podium time, you’ll be able to see that too.

So it really depends on knowing exactly what you want out of it. Some things, like whether you’re making an impact on a person’s life or helping them treat a disease, may be harder to quantify. You might have to find that in individual patient stories. But the other stuff is pretty measurable and obvious after a while.

Gina: Earlier you mentioned not hiring publicists at the beginning. Is there a certain point where you think someone might need one?

Denise: If you love it, and you find that you absolutely love it and want to go bigger and better, absolutely. But definitely do your research, and remember that a good publicist is not cheap and nothing happens overnight.

You’ve got to give something at least six months to see if you get any hits and see how it’s going. Make sure they have experience in the industry, but not too much. You don’t want them also representing the plastic surgeon across the street who does similar things.

So you have to find someone who is an expert, knows your area and your niche, but is not overexposed. Be very clear about what you want. And if they say, “That’s not going to happen,” listen to them and see why they want to steer you in a different direction. Find a true expert.

Gina: We began this discussion by highlighting the importance of developing skills beyond the clinic. If you had to sum up for listeners today, how would you explain the value of media skills to a clinician?

Denise: I think it really helps you reach a larger audience. But again, it’s not for everybody. Some people are much more comfortable behind their desk than they are in front of a camera, so that’s the first thing to note. Know who you are and know what you’re comfortable with.

But if you do like the media, look at what someone like Dr Sandra Lee has done for acne awareness across the country. It will extend your reach personally and that of the profession if you get out there and share good information. But you have to want to do it, and you have to love it. Some people are great in front of the camera.

Jennifer: I agree, Denise. For me personally, it’s about turning clinical research into public hope. When we speak clearly and concisely through the right channels, we’re reclaiming the narrative of healthcare.

Gina: Well said. That brings us to a lovely end to today’s episode. I’d like to finish by saying a huge thank you to you, Jennifer, and of course Denise, for joining us and for sharing your experience and insights.

Jennifer: This was great. Thank you so much.

Denise: Thank you for having us.

Gina: Whether engaging with the media is something you’ve been actively considering, or you’re simply curious about it, we hope today’s conversation has offered a few practical ideas, maybe a bit more confidence, or perhaps just opened the door to the thought of developing some of the additional skills that could support your career and wellbeing in medicine.

Now, before you go, if you’ve enjoyed today’s episode, please do subscribe. And don’t forget, you can now find us on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.

Note: This transcript has been edited by AI (ChatGPT v5.4) to improve flow and clarity.