Medical student Ana Aragon Sierra wanted to learn how to engage with her future patients and create content that could magnify the voices of those in need.
So Aragon Sierra added journalism and mass communication to her studies as she looked to accomplish that goal.
Aragon Sierra enrolled in the MD/MMC program, a partnership between the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Mayo Clinic’s Alix School of Medicine that allows medical students to pursue a Master of Mass Communication degree. She graduated from Cronkite last fall and is pursuing a medical degree with the goal of becoming a dermatologist.
“I highly encourage all medical professionals to consider learning more about communications and how they can use it effectively to help their patients,” she said.
Aragon Sierra said adding the mass communication skills to her medical training will allow her to help patients “take control of their own health and well-being.” She credited the Cronkite faculty with providing the support needed to successfully complete her master’s degree.
“I don’t come from a traditional background being a medical student and a journalism student, but they went out of their way to provide me with experiences, resources and stories that would really tie in all my interests,” she said. “Furthermore, I know that once I graduate, they’re just a phone call away and will be very open to helping me succeed in the future.”
Videos produced by Trilce Estrada Olvera