JAWS Now Soliciting Applications for Next Cohort as First Year of Health Care Journalism Development Program Concludes

Second year of program to grow cohort from six to eight

2023 Health Journalism Fellows speak about their projects at CAMP in Chicago. Photo by Nina Zacuto.

Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS) will offer eight promising emerging journalists interested in health care coverage intensive training and mentorship as part of a ten-month fellowship cohort launching in January 2024.

The program’s first cohort of six diverse early career journalists produced stories featured in a variety of publications, including the Seattle Times, Kaiser Health News, Black Iowa News and Il Latino News Network. Topics ranged from health care deserts, period poverty, health care for incarcerated people, maternal disparities for people of color and mothers with long covid to insurance obstacles for people seeking mental health care.

JAWS’ Health Journalism Fellowship program is supported by the Commonwealth Fund, a national, private foundation based in New York City that supports independent research on health care issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy.

“We are excited to grow this exceptional program,” JAWS President Angela Greiling Keane said. “This partnership with the Commonwealth Fund enables us to nurture reporters breaking into the critical field of health journalism, a beat where women are historically underrepresented.”

“Strong health reporting from a diverse group of journalists is an essential piece of a better and stronger American health care system,” said Bethanne Fox, Vice President for Outreach and Strategy at the Commonwealth Fund. “We are thrilled to continue to support the Journalism and Women’s Symposium’s health journalism development program and look forward to the excellent work we know the participants will produce.” 

Interested journalists are encouraged to learn more and apply. The application deadline is December 15, 2023.

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About the Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS)

Arising from a first meeting of women journalists in 1985, JAWS advances the professional empowerment and personal growth of women* in journalism and advocates for more inclusive coverage of the diverse experiences and cultures that comprise our society. We believe that by advancing women in journalism, we transform the world.

JAWS brings together working journalists, journalism educators and researchers from across the country to share resources, support, training and information about issues that affect women in our field. We meet in person and online in an atmosphere of mutual support and enthusiastic interest in one another’s differing experiences and journalistic dreams.

Learn more at jaws.org.

* Women here refers to individuals who identify as women, including trans women, or non-binary