Allison Clair, Associate Director of Media Relations, Department of Communications and Marketing at NYU Langone Medical Center
I graduated from the Baruch Corporate Communications MA program in 2012, and it helped me in many ways to prepare for the job I’m doing now. I took classes focused on media relations and crisis communications, which allowed me to identify areas I wanted to focus on in my career. In addition, the coursework has a strong emphasis on presenting and writing, both of which I do on a daily basis. By having a ‘safe’ place like school where I could give first presentations (which were quite nerve-wracking at the time), I was later able to perform better in more high-pressure situations at work. As part of the media relations team at NYU Langone Medical Center, it’s my job to help protect and elevate the reputation of the hospital. This is rarely difficult to do, because I really work with the smartest, most impressive people in the world, from my own Department, to the doctors and researchers at the hospital, to the patients we help on a daily basis. They allow me into their lives, and I get to share their stories with the world. Each day is different and I never know when my best laid plan and organized schedule is going to get thrown out the window for an important media interview, or a crisis I’ll have to help handle. Interacting with the media is a key part of my job, and one of my favorite parts of working in public relations. I also do a lot of writing each day which can include press releases, statements, Q&As, messaging documents and pitches to reporters. |
In addition, the professors are fantastic and they are now mentors to me as I navigate my career path. I love that the program doesn’t end when you graduate; there is always support and engagement with alumni and staff.
Healthcare is such an interesting and vast field, and there are many communications jobs in this sector. I started my career in agency communications, but by meeting so many people through the Corporate Communications program, and actually by attending one of the mentor meeting nights that the Corporate Communications program organized, I met a woman who helped me move from agency PR to the job I hold now at NYU Langone. I’m incredibly grateful that CUNY gave me the opportunity to meet her and take my career in a different direction.
I’m passionate about teaching and giving back, which is why currently I hold an adjunct professor position in the Corporate Communications program teaching “Healthcare Communications and Public Relations” each year. I love working with the students and teaching them about a topic I feel so passionate about, giving them advice as they move through the program and keeping in touch when they graduate.
Some advice I would give to students who are considering careers in healthcare would be to do your homework and look into the different places to work in the healthcare field. It’s vast. Pharmaceutical companies, medical device corporations, hospitals, PR agencies, marketing agencies, government organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (and the list goes on) – all of these organizations employ communications specialists. Look closely at their websites, apply for jobs, and see if you can set up an informational meeting with someone who works there (perhaps an alumni, look on LinkedIn to easily figure that out). Also, talk to current students in the program! There are probably people in your program who work with or for healthcare organizations. Lastly, think about volunteering at healthcare nonprofits to help fill in your healthcare experience on your resume.
Healthcare is such an interesting and vast field, and there are many communications jobs in this sector. I started my career in agency communications, but by meeting so many people through the Corporate Communications program, and actually by attending one of the mentor meeting nights that the Corporate Communications program organized, I met a woman who helped me move from agency PR to the job I hold now at NYU Langone. I’m incredibly grateful that CUNY gave me the opportunity to meet her and take my career in a different direction.
I’m passionate about teaching and giving back, which is why currently I hold an adjunct professor position in the Corporate Communications program teaching “Healthcare Communications and Public Relations” each year. I love working with the students and teaching them about a topic I feel so passionate about, giving them advice as they move through the program and keeping in touch when they graduate.
Some advice I would give to students who are considering careers in healthcare would be to do your homework and look into the different places to work in the healthcare field. It’s vast. Pharmaceutical companies, medical device corporations, hospitals, PR agencies, marketing agencies, government organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (and the list goes on) – all of these organizations employ communications specialists. Look closely at their websites, apply for jobs, and see if you can set up an informational meeting with someone who works there (perhaps an alumni, look on LinkedIn to easily figure that out). Also, talk to current students in the program! There are probably people in your program who work with or for healthcare organizations. Lastly, think about volunteering at healthcare nonprofits to help fill in your healthcare experience on your resume.