Science Communications Education

Science Communications Courses

Science Communications Courses at the Pritzker School of Medicine

The National Academy of Medicine has identified “health literacy as a necessary element for achieving health equity.” Physicians must be able to communicate effectively with their patients from all backgrounds in order to improve their health. At a larger, public health level, physicians and researchers need to be able to engage, inform, and spark people to take action that can save lives, as we’ve seen in this global pandemic.

"This was an incredible class and one I believe should be a standard part of the MD program."

UChicago Pritzker School of Medicine Student

MEDC 30119 S&D Elective: Improving Scientific Communication and Addressing Misinformation

The pandemic has exposed the need for better scientific communication among physicians and scientists to address misinformation and myth. This is a critical skill for future physicians and scientists. Using principles from scientific communication and based on a existing course taught by Sara Serritella (at Institute for Translational Medicine who is the co-director of the course) for UChicago undergraduates, we will offer a course for first-year medical students to learn to use scientific communication principles to identify and address misinformation. Students will put those concepts into practice by creating a strategic infographic for a lay social media audience to combat a misinformation topic of choice.

Instructor(s): V. Arora, MD - Dean for Medical Education, S. Serritella

Check out former students presenting science comms and infographics at national conferences here. >

MEDC 30119 S&D Elective: Give a Dynamic Scientific Talk That Doesn't Put Your Audience to Sleep

You’ll give hundreds of presentations in your medical career, whether its to your department, a conference audience, or the family of your patients. Gain skills in oral communication and apply these skills to produce a TED-talk style video communicating primary research in a scientific area of your choice. The goal is effective, engaging communication of science to a general audience without sacrificing scientific accuracy. You will write scripts and design visual and audio elements. You’ll leave the course with a professionally-produced video that you can use to advance your career and promote your topic.This course will culminate with students taking the stage at a UChicago TED-Style Talk to deliver their presentations to the University and Chicagoland community.

Instructor(s): V. Arora, MD - Dean for Medical Education, S. Serritella

This is just the beginning of the scientific communications offerings at The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Sign up here to be an insider for the latest #scicomm updates!