16 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You might start by checking email (Microsoft Outlook) and your editor’s assignment list (Microsoft Word or an editorial CMS). Morning: scan health journals, press releases, and government sites for story leads; make several calls and schedule interviews.
Afternoon: attend a press conference or visit a clinic, take notes and photos, draft the story in Word or directly in the website CMS using HTML. Late day: edit copy, resize photos in Adobe Photoshop, send the draft to the editor, and update the story if new information comes in.
Learn Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel first — editors use Word for copy, Outlook for assignments and interview scheduling, and Excel for tracking data or sources.
Also get basic HTML for posting stories online and Adobe Photoshop for simple photo cropping and color fixes. Those five tools cover most daily tasks listed in the job description.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 39,250 employed health reporters with a median annual wage of $62,200. The lowest tenth earn about $36,240 and the top tenth around $144,140 per year.
Those numbers are broad. Local market, employer type (newspaper, broadcast, online) and experience cause big differences, but BLS is the standard source for these figures.
Use AI for searching and summarizing background, but verify every medical fact against primary sources: peer‑reviewed journals, CDC, NIH, or official hospital press releases. AI can misstate details or invent sources.
Always name real sources in your article, keep transcripts of interviews, and run clinical claims past a qualified expert or your editor before publishing.
A health reporter focuses on news: current events, outbreaks, policy changes, and local impacts, often working to deadlines and using interviews, photography, and live reports.
Medical writers often produce educational or promotional materials for hospitals, journals, or pharma and may not do daily reporting or fieldwork. Science journalists cover broader scientific fields and may dig into basic research more than direct patient or policy impacts.
Start with a journalism or communications degree and take courses in public health or biology. Build clips: write for your school paper, local outlets, or a blog and publish bylines.
Intern at a newsroom, learn Word/Excel/Outlook/HTML/Photoshop, and assemble a portfolio of 5–10 clear articles and photos that show interviewing, data handling, and plain explanations of medical topics.
Clear writing and the ability to turn interviews into accurate, readable stories matter most day to day. Editors hire reporters who can meet deadlines and explain complex issues simply.
Medical knowledge helps you ask smarter questions; you can build that on the job. So prioritize reporting and writing skills, plus a baseline understanding of health topics you cover.