John George, a senior reporter at the Philadelphia Business Journal, writes about how he was one of three journalists from across the country selected to participate in the Association of Health Care Journalists fellowship program on health performance supported by the Commonwealth Fund.
His participation led to a three-part series in the paper on obstetrical care.
George writes, “This wasn’t the type of fellowship program where I temporary left my regular job for specialized training. Instead, I was expected to continue in my role as the Philadelphia Business Journal’s health-care reporter while over the course of the year working on my project.
“The three of us selected for the program attended a variety of workshops and seminars related to health care and journalism. We also received the services of a mentor, former CNN medical correspondent and now independent journalist Andrew Holtz, for our projects. The Commonwealth Fund provided financial support that allowed us each to visit different markets to conduct interviews and research.
“During the year, I traveled by car, bus, train and plane to eight states for my project. I attended meetings with health experts and other journalists in New York, Atlanta and even Nebraska (the site of a rural health-care conference).
“I spent time in Washington, D.C., talking with a University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing graduate who, at age 71, started an inner-city birthing center in an underserved area of the nation’s capital.”
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