The Association of Health Care Journalists, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit, and its 501(c)(3) Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, train and support thousands of journalists each year to deliver accurate, in-depth coverage of health care — from policy and business to research, to ethics and public health.
Shrinking Health News Coverage: Local and regional newsrooms are shrinking, leaving entire communities—especially rural areas and health news deserts—without credible health reporting. AHCJ addresses this gap by providing targeted training, mentorship, and resources to help journalists—especially those in under-resourced newsrooms—cover health accurately and with context, ensuring communities have access to the reliable information they need to make informed decisions.
Rapidly Changing, Complex Health Landscape: Health policy, science, and medical research evolve rapidly, leaving journalists without the tools to cover these issues accurately and in context. Through fellowships, conferences, and workshops, AHCJ demystifies complex topics and connects journalists with trusted experts, empowering them to produce reporting that is timely, accurate, and nuanced.
Rise of Misinformation: The explosion of health misinformation is eroding public trust, undermining science, and putting communities at risk. AHCJ combats this by equipping journalists with training, tools, and collaborative initiatives that help them identify, investigate, and effectively report on misinformation, ensuring the public has access to credible, evidence-based information.
Isolation and Burnout Among Journalists: Freelancers and early-career reporters in particular often work in isolation, facing financial stress, burnout, and limited access to mentorship or peer support. AHCJ fosters a strong professional community through networking opportunities, mentorship programs, online forums, and mental health resources, helping sustain and support those who cover this challenging beat.
Decline in Professional Development Support: As newsroom budgets shrink, journalists are increasingly paying out of pocket for training and professional development—or forgoing it altogether. AHCJ keeps high-quality professional development accessible and affordable through scholarships, travel fellowships, and low-cost training opportunities, ensuring that quality health journalism remains possible across all markets.
Barriers to Access and Transparency: Journalists face growing obstacles to obtaining the public data and records necessary for accountable health reporting. AHCJ advocates for open government and transparency, provides guidance on overcoming access challenges, and educates policymakers on the importance of ensuring that journalists—and the public—can access critical health information.
AHCJ produces online articles, tip sheets, glossaries and resources for how to cover various aspects of health reporting, from environmental health to health equity to the business of health care.
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Whether you’re seeking guidance or eager to share your expertise, the AHCJ member mentorship program is here to connect you with the support and resources you need to thrive in the health journalism field.
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The annual Health Journalism conference is the top training opportunity for reporters, editors and producers interested in improving health coverage in the world. They gather not only to find the latest story ideas, data and experts sources, but also to reset, rejuvenate and find community – as well as the energy to keep doing this important work for another year.
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We offer dozens of fellowship opportunities each year: yearlong national reporting fellowships; six-month international reporting fellowships; international study groups and state-based health journalism fellowship cohorts. Several of these programs offer reporting completion stipends, cover reporting expenses, travel expenses, audience building, and provide mentorship and other direct supports.
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AHCJ hosts regional events across the country each year, bringing our training and programming directly to our members. Fall Summits are a day-and-a-half deep dive into a single subject that intersects with health care. Workshops are a full day to focus on regional health issues, including rural health, or building skills such as narrative or solutions reporting.
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Our Health Journalism Slack Community is a peer learning community of journalists committed to better health care reporting because we believe accurate, contextual and balanced health care reporting is more important than ever.
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In areas where large concentrations of AHCJ members exist, local chapters have been formed. The goal has been to gather for smaller informational sessions, to develop stories from local speakers, to learn about regional resources and for informal networking.
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Lack of Diversity and Representation: Health journalism lacks racial, geographic, and socioeconomic diversity, which limits coverage depth and its relevance to many communities. AHCJ works to change this by actively recruiting, supporting, and mentoring journalists from underrepresented backgrounds, integrating equity into programming, and building inclusive spaces that broaden perspectives and strengthen health coverage.
Limited Opportunities for Skills Growth: Many journalists covering health do so part-time or without specialized training, resulting in reporting gaps that can impact public understanding. AHCJ provides on-demand resources, beat-specific guides, and targeted skills training to help journalists deepen their expertise and deliver stronger, evidence-based reporting that serves their audiences.
Sustainability Challenges: Funding instability and the collapse of traditional newsroom models threaten the sustainability of health journalism. AHCJ strengthens the field by fostering connections, training, and collaborative opportunities that help journalists and newsrooms produce better reporting, secure support from funders, and demonstrate the value of sustained investment in health coverage.
Need for Greater Impact Measurement: Demonstrating the value and impact of high-quality health journalism is critical to sustaining the field but often difficult to quantify. AHCJ tracks reach, engagement, and real-world outcomes of its programs to showcase impact, refine programming, and galvanize support from funders and stakeholders who want to see measurable results.