Logo

Doctors to Watch

Apr 19, 2010  •  Post A Comment

Physicians are playing an increasingly important role in television news at both the local and national levels, and experienced particularly high visibility this year during coverage of the aftermath of the earthquakwe in Haiti. NewsPro correspondent Elizabeth Jensen profiles some of the current TV doctor-reporters who are making names for themselves on and off the air.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, CBS News

Dr. Jennifer Ashton was hired as the medical correspondent for CBS News’ “The Early Show” before Executive Producer David Friedman got to the show, but she was one of the elements that stood out for him as he watched the program in advance of taking on his new assignment.

“She pops on TV right away,” he said. “Jen is right up there with the anchors.” Not only is she knowledgeable, he said, but “she’s very easy to understand.” He added, “It’s almost like going to see her in the doctor’s office.”

Ashton, who was previously a medical contributor for Fox News, joined CBS in March 2009; she contributes to other shows on the network in addition to the morning program, and was the network’s medical correspondent in Haiti after the January earthquake.

Although she is on “The Early Show” nearly every day, and is a regular guest expert on woman’s health on the “The Dr. Oz Show,” she also continues to practice medicine. A board-certified physician in obstetrics and gynecology, Ashton is on the attending staff of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, N.J., and has a private practice, Hygeia Gynecology, which treats women for medical and surgical gynecologic conditions.

In coming months, Friedman said, the show may experiment with having Ashton do stories that appeal to men, as well as women. And Ashton may host roundtables or town halls on various issues. “She’s so calm and people really take to her,” Friedman said.

Dr. Richard Besser, ABC News

Dr. Richard Besser joined ABC News as its senior health and medical editor in September 2009, right in the middle of the swine flu story. It was a story he already knew inside and out; before coming to ABC he was the director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and from January to June 2009 he served as the CDC’s acting director, leading the agency’s response to the H1N1 influenza outbreak.

“The government’s loss was our gain,” said Jon Banner, the executive producer of “World News With Diane Sawyer.” And, said Banner, “He’s been an incredibly quick study when it comes to the sausage-making part of our business,” learning how to do television. Besser first joined the CDC in 1991, leaving in 1993 for five years to join the faculty of the University of California, San Diego, as the pediatric residency director. He returned to the CDC in 1998.

With so much time at CDC, “It’s very easy for him to get a lot of people on the phone,” Banner said. His contributions so far haven’t been limited to big public health issues; Besser, like other networks’ medical reporters, traveled to Haiti in the wake of that country’s earthquake. And Banner singled out Besser’s recent reporting on the possible dangers of the Fosamax osteoporosis drug, noting that the reports started with a tip, and ended with the FDA alerting doctors to be on the lookout for possible risk of fractures. “He really stuck with it,” Banner said.

Dr. Sapna Parikh, WNYW-TV, New York

Dianne Doctor, the vice president for news at Fox-owned WNYW-TV in New York City, hired Dr. Sapna Parikh, at her previous station, CBS-owned WCBS-TV. Parikh left to be the medical correspondent for the Fox station in February 2006, and Doctor followed in April 2008.

“She’s very intertwined with the public health issues in the city,” Doctor said of Parikh, who completed an internship in general surgery at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center before going into broadcasting, and is currently working on her master’s degree in public health at Hunter College in the city. “She’s a step ahead of other reporters, because she has access to so much information,” Doctor said.

Parikh, who is also at home filing a report from Central Park demonstrating the best running shoes to avoid injury, appears nearly every day on the station’s morning show, “Good Day New York,” and a couple of times a week on the afternoon and evening newscasts. Doctor likes Parikh’s ability to “take a complicated medical issue and translate it into simple terms for people.”

In recent weeks, Parikh has been working with a group of Jersey City, N.J., middle school teachers who wrote in wanting to participate in the “Dr. Oz Weight Loss Challenge.” (WNYW carries “The Dr. Oz Show” in New York.) Her team has been following the group’s progress every few weeks, through the May finale. “She’s done a great job of tying and making relevant stories from ‘Dr. Oz,’” Doctor said.

Dr. Maria Simbra, KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh

Dr. Maria Simbra, the Emmy award-winning medical reporter for KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh, started out as a physician, with a private practice and academic career in neurology. But in 2003, a year after beginning reporting for the station, she also received her master’s degree in journalism and mass communication. (She’s since been pursuing a master’s degree in public health, as well.)

Simbra, vice president of the National Association of Medical Communicators board, “definitely has taken that part of her life seriously. It’s important to her and I think that probably comes through,” said Christopher Pike, KDKA’s vice president and general manager. From 2005-07, Simbra also served on the board of the Association of Health Care Journalists.

Pittsburgh has “an above average interest” in medical stories, said Pike, thanks to the large regional medical community based in the area. Not only are there well-respected treatment facilities in the city, but also a significant amount of research is being done in cancer, diabetes and regenerative medicine, among other fields. “There’s an abundance of medical stories,” he said. And a proportionately older population is keenly interested in health news, he said.

“Dr. Maria helps us fill that need,” Pike said. “She’s respected, she’s been here awhile, and being a doctor herself adds credibility to her reports. She’s also accepted in the medical community, which probably gives her access that others might not get. She’s passionate about it, and I think that comes through.”

77 Comments

  1. Excellent job.

  2. Excellent job.

  3. I found your site via google thanks for the post. I will bookmark it for future reference. Thanks Super Colon Cleanse is a great site for related tips.

  4. Good post, thanks

  5. Thank you for a great post

  6. Amazing, thanks for posting about it. This stuff appears intriguing. Will make a note of your internet site and pop back again. Appears like an excellent reference. All the best. Henry

  7. This great site can be utterly outstanding with more clips or pictures … at the least I do know that my deviantART mates would really like it a lot better.

  8. Thank you for a great post

  9. Excellent job.

  10. Thanks for your visiting this http://www.hello-free.com/freebies online Free WebSite.

  11. I learn something new on different blogs everyday. It is always refreshing to read posts of other bloggers and learn something from them. Thanks for sharing.

  12. This is very short diet, so don’t cheat, follow the 3 day diet religiously and you will see results in just 3 days. Although I want to be clear that 3 days are not enough for stable weight loss results, but if you want to wear that new dress or to look perfect for a party or any other urgent reason, it will work.

  13. Took me awhile to read all the comments, but I really love the article. It proved to be very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also engaged! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.

  14. This article was very interesting! Post more please! and Thank you very much! Euro Diet Recipes for Weight Control For those who want to quickly and easily get rid of excess pounds. Achieve a healthy lifestyle,exercise, meditation, relaxation, and nutrition advice. This was very helpful to me and my family! I love waking up in the morning and looking through any of these great delicious recipes and think of the beneft in the long run 🙂

  15. Cradled in the peaceful hills above Santa Fe, New Mexico, Life Healing Center embodies the hope of recovery from emotional trauma, mental health disorders, addictions and the complex, very human problems that so many of us face. At Life Healing Center we understand how hard it can be to reach out for help and how important it is to find the right kind of care. Our treatment focus is on the specific, individual needs of each and every client, encouraging an individualized, comprehensive approach to recovery and emotional well-being.

  16. Cradled in the peaceful hills above Santa Fe, New Mexico, Life Healing Center embodies the hope of recovery from emotional trauma, mental health disorders, addictions and the complex, very human problems that so many of us face. At Life Healing Center we understand how hard it can be to reach out for help and how important it is to find the right kind of care. Our treatment focus is on the specific, individual needs of each and every client, encouraging an individualized, comprehensive approach to recovery and emotional well-being.

  17. Thank God we have a common interest, thank you for sharing, you’re a good author. Hope to see more of your articles. Juno sincere.

  18. Neat blog layout! Very easy on the eyes.. i like the colors you picked out

  19. Nice!! Great Ifo. Great People. Great Blog. Thank you for all the great sharing that is being done here.

  20. Zune and iPod: Most people compare the Zune to the Touch, but after seeing how slim and surprisingly small and light it is, I consider it to be a rather unique hybrid that combines qualities of both the Touch and the Nano. It’s very colorful and lovely OLED screen is slightly smaller than the touch screen, but the player itself feels quite a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as much, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, while being just a hair thicker.

  21. Considering the GOP gains within the House the other day, Republicans are moving into their House majority with a team of representatives aiding this change. 4 of Governor Palin’s endorsees are chosen to be a component of this team

  22. I would like to start my own blog one day. This was a really nice blog that you made here. Keep up the success 😛

  23. Kudos to you! This is a really good blog here and I love your style of writing. How did you get so good at blogging?

  24. Hey how are you doing? I just wanted to stop by and say that it’s been a pleasure reading your blog. I have bookmarked your website so that I can come back & read more in the future as well. plz do keep up the quality writing

  25. Keep focusing on your blog. I love how we can all express our feelings. This is an extremely nice blog here 🙂

  26. You make blogging look like a walk in the park! I’ve been trying to blog daily but I just cant find writing material.. you’re an inspiration to me and i’m sure many others!

  27. Neat blog layout! Very easy on the eyes.. i like the colors you picked out

  28. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

  29. Way to focus and straight to your point, i love it. Keep up the work people. Dont let anyone stop us bloggers.

  30. Keep focusing on your blog. I love how we can all express our feelings. This is an extremely nice blog here 🙂

  31. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks

  32. High quality info here! Keep up the great work. I love the feelings being expressed.

  33. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

  34. Love all the opinions expressed here! How is everyone? Love how everyone expresses whatr they feel 🙂

  35. Credit for the great blog post. I am glad I have taken the time to read this.

  36. Love the blog here. Nice colors. I am definitely staying tuned to this one. Hope to see more.

  37. Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy.

  38. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks

  39. Nice blog here! Also your website loads up fast! What host are you using? I wish my website loaded up as fast as yours lol

  40. Great blog!! You should start many more. I love all the info provided. I will stay tuned 🙂

  41. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

  42. Very okay. agree with most people

  43. Well, not totally sure about it btw…

  44. Very okay. agree with most people

  45. Hehe, u cant be serious??

  46. Very okay. agree with most people

  47. Very okay. agree with most people

  48. Hehe, u cant be serious??

  49. Amazing freakin blog here. I almost cried while reading it!

  50. Hey how are you doing? I just wanted to stop by and say that it’s been a pleasure reading your blog. I have bookmarked your website so that I can come back & read more in the future as well. plz do keep up the quality writing

  51. Dreamin. I love blogging. You all express your feelings the right way, because they are your feeling, focus on your blog it is great.

  52. The Zune concentrates on being a Portable Media Player. Not a web browser. Not a game machine. Maybe in the future it’ll do even better in those areas, but for now it’s a fantastic way to organize and listen to your music and videos, and is without peer in that regard. The iPod’s strengths are its web browsing and apps. If those sound more compelling, perhaps it is your best choice.

  53. Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy.

  54. You make blogging look like a walk in the park! I’ve been trying to blog daily but I just cant find writing material.. you’re an inspiration to me and i’m sure many others!

  55. Kudos to you! This is a really good blog here and I love your style of writing. How did you get so good at blogging?

  56. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks

  57. I love the way you write and also the theme on your blog. Did you code this yourself or was it done by a professional? I’m very very impressed.

  58. Amazing freakin blog here. I almost cried while reading it!

  59. Good advice in this article, I’m a old classic car enthusiast

  60. Im not going to say what everyone else has currently mentioned, but I do need to remark on your information of the topic. Youre honestly well-informed. I cant believe how significantly of this I just wasnt conscious of. Thank you for bringing much more info to this topic for me. Im really grateful and genuinely impressed.

  61. Kudos to you! This is a really good blog here and I love your style of writing. How did you get so good at blogging?

  62. I love the way you write and also the theme on your blog. Did you code this yourself or was it done by a professional? I’m very very impressed.

  63. I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one these days.. 🙂

  64. Hello there! I really enjoy reading your blog! If you keep making great posts I will come back every day to keep reading!

  65. Neat blog layout! Very easy on the eyes.. i like the colors you picked out

  66. Way to focus and straight to your point, i love it. Keep up the work people. Dont let anyone stop us bloggers.

  67. Nice blog subject. thanks for letting me add something!

  68. This is the best blog I’ve ever seen in my life! I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to share your this with everyone.

  69. You make blogging look like a walk in the park! I’ve been trying to blog daily but I just cant find writing material.. you’re an inspiration to me and i’m sure many others!

  70. I really enjoyed this article and have book marked it. Nice Site! I also do blogging and post videos online about my weight loss journey, feel free to visit me (I put the link above, in the website field). Thanks so much for your post. Will be back to read more soon! Carissa.

  71. I really enjoyed this article and have book marked it. Nice Site! I also do blogging and post videos online about my weight loss journey, feel free to visit me (I put the link above, in the website field). Thanks so much for your post. Will be back to read more soon! Carissa.

  72. I really enjoyed this article and have book marked it. Nice Site! I also do blogging and post videos online about my weight loss journey, feel free to visit me (I put the link above, in the website field). Thanks so much for your post. Will be back to read more soon! Carissa.

  73. I really enjoyed this article and have book marked it. Nice Site! I also do blogging and post videos online about my weight loss journey, feel free to visit me (I put the link above, in the website field). Thanks so much for your post. Will be back to read more soon! Carissa.

  74. I really enjoyed this article and have book marked it. Nice Site! I also do blogging and post videos online about my weight loss journey, feel free to visit me (I put the link above, in the website field). Thanks so much for your post. Will be back to read more soon! Carissa.

  75. Thank you so much!! I just finished loosing 35 pounds :D!!!! Your website helped me SOOO much. I followed your tips and some I got from a couple of guides, and they helped me so much. Thank you!! I follow your blog everyday and applied your methods and some I got from this weightloss course (http://bit.ly/i5yuIO if you want to check it out). Your methods went perfectly with the program, and helped me out a lot! Again, thank you 🙂 ! Everyone trying to loose weight, DEFINITELY FOLLOW THIS BLOG!!! If anyone needs help just email me, and I will definitely give you some advice (my email’s greatestlovefrom.emily@gmail.com) or add me on facebook. Again thank you, and GL to everyone!

  76. I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?

  77. I love the expression. Everyone needs to express there own opinion and feel free to hear others. Keep it up 🙂

Your Comment

Email (will not be published)