Health Communication | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Health: where the jobs are

Jobs in the health sector are growing at a faster rate than all other occupations.

It’s a rewarding field where your work makes a difference in people’s lives.

The focus program in health communication and marketing (HCM) prepares students for these growing opportunities. In this three-course program, students will hone the skills needed as a strategic communicator to help patients, consumers, providers and health organizations communicate about critical healthcare challenges.

This program is suitable for anyone considering a career in advertising, journalism, public health, business, policy and beyond.

Program Overview

HCM students will learn about the health sector from both a U.S. and global perspective. It is a complex space with a diverse set of stakeholders, so a key objective is to understand the broad array of organizations and what drives their behavior. The ultimate goal is to deliver better health outcomes that improve the quality of people’s lives.

Engage with Employers

Students in the Health Communication and Marketing Focus Area have the opportunity to hear from a wide range of guest speakers through our ongoing speaker series. In the past, we’ve welcomed leaders from across the healthcare landscape, including the commissioner of health for the state of Massachusetts, executives from the pharmaceutical and health insurance industries, experts from advertising agencies and market research firms, and representatives from organizations like Doctors Without Borders.

A key goal of this program is to expose students to complex healthcare topics from a variety of perspectives. By learning directly from professionals in different types of organizations, students gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the field — preparing them to effectively engage with these stakeholders in their future careers.

Hear From a Student

“Before pursuing the Health Communication and Marketing program, I believed my career options were limited to traditional public relations or advertising, but taking MEJO 469 completely changed that! I learned how health communication and marketing drive real behavior change and that the true target audience in healthcare campaigns is often not the end consumer.

“My newfound passion for healthcare inspired me to apply for health-related marketing internships. Interviewers consistently told me the Health Communication and Marketing program set my application apart. As a senior, I have continued to work for Enovis and will return full-time after graduation. I am confident that the Health Communication and Marketing Focus Program didn’t just shape my education; it helped launch my career!”

Riley Page '26 | Marketing and Communications Intern, Enovis

Application Process

To complete the Health Communication and Marketing Focus Program, students must take the three courses listed below. Once they have finished all three courses or are in the process of doing so (i.e., currently enrolled in the required courses), they must apply by Feb. 1 of their senior year to have the Health Communication and Marketing Focus noted on their transcript.

Courses Offered

This three-course sequence introduces students to the healthcare landscape and the science behind patient and provider motivations while providing an experiential learning opportunity to address a real-world concern with a company or organization from the healthcare sector.

Please note that MEJO 469 is currently in the process of being split into two separate classes. In the future, the first course will be titled “MEJO 469: How Healthcare Really Works – Stakeholders, Strategy and Impact.” A second course focused specifically on Health Communication and Marketing will be offered at a later date.

For now, all of this content is included in MEJO 469, so your first step in joining the program is to complete that course.

There are no prerequisites for MEJO 469, and it is open to students at any level.

Meet the faculty

Rebecca Fish

Professor of the Practice

Director, Health Communication and Marketing Focus Program

Contact Professor Fish (Opens in a new window)

Francesca Renee Dillman Carpentier

W. Horace Carter Distinguished Professor

Carroll 327

francesca@unc.edu

Esther Campi

Professor of the Practice

Carroll 388

Esther.Campi@unc.edu

Torod Neptune

Assistant Professor

Carroll 364

tneptune@unc.edu

Seth M. Noar

James Howard and Hallie McLean Parker Distinguished Professor

Carroll 382

noar@unc.edu

Student and Guest Speaker Testimonials

“I have left every class feeling inspired and motivated to pursue a career in healthcare marketing. In every job interview I have had, I have found myself pulling quotes directly from our class.”

— Delaney Garver ’25, social media strategist

“Thank you for the opportunity to work with your amazing seniors enrolled in ‘MEJO 669: Health Marketing Capstone’ at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. The diverse points of view that come from each team make Prapela a better company, supporting the amazing caregivers who treat and care for thousands of opioid-exposed newborns everyday.”

— John Konsin, principal founder of Prapela, a stimulation therapy that improves breathing and oxygenation in newborns.

“As a pre-med student, this program has opened my eyes to a whole new side of healthcare and has really given me a passion to attack health disparities. I have a better sense for the complexity of the system, how it all fits together and how money moves through the system.”

— Cole Hilbourn ’27

“There’s nothing like speaking with an engaged class who isn’t shy and asks critical questions! These UNC Hussman health communication and marketing students think outside of the box. They fully embrace an interdisciplinary approach.”

— Bruce Gellin, former deputy assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services

“Enrolling in the health communication and marketing program was one of the best decisions I made at UNC, and that’s largely because of Professor Fish! As someone who studied biostatistics and advertising, I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of data, storytelling and health, and this program brought all of that together in a practical and thought-provoking way. I learned about the many roles within healthcare, the nuances of our system and how to think critically about the incentives and motivations of every stakeholder involved. It also taught me to view marketing as strategy, as a way to guide decisions and create meaningful impact. Professor Fish doesn’t just talk about critical thinking; she teaches it through hands-on assignments and thoughtful feedback. I left her class more confident in my health literacy (even when buying my own health insurance!) and more grounded in the importance of doing things the right way, not just the easy way — a mindset that continues to guide me in my work as a brand manager at P&G. Her class truly set me up to be a better marketer and a more intentional communicator.”

— Katherine Zhang ’25, brand manager at Proctor & Gamble

Industry veteran Rebecca Fish leads certificate program in health communication and marketing

Professor of the Practice Rebecca Fish, a seasoned professional with more than 25 years of healthcare experience, joined the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media in July to teach health communications and marketing courses and oversee the school’s Certificate…

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UNC Hussman’s Health Communication and Marketing Focus Program helps graduate launch her career

When UNC Hussman student Connor Sule ’25 first skimmed a newsletter blurb about the school’s Health Communication and Marketing Focus program, she didn’t know it would ultimately shape her path into a career in strategic health communications. Today, Sule is a client services fellow…

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For more information

Please contact Professor of the Practice Rebecca Fish with any questions about the Health Communication and Marketing Focus Program.

Email Rebecca Fish

Health Communication and Marketing Focus Program