Communication Recipe: Empathy, Adaptability, Transformation

Get Spotted: Global Health and Anthropology 

(video and more content coming soon - page under construction) 

This podcast explores the communication skills developed in the Global Health and Anthropology module led by Dr. Jennifer Randell. Public health is about creating change, so the ability to persuade is crucial. However, as Dr Randell tells us, persuasion requires truly understanding your audience. This means empathy is essential and emotions are to be embraced. 

Magda, a medical student, and Satchel, a dentist, share how the module's emphasis on self-reflection has helped them better understand themselves and their patients. Satchel describes this self-awareness as transformative. They also discuss the challenge of presenting to real-life groups, such as women in a South London refuge centre, rather than fellow students, and how this helps develop empathy – a  key ingredient for audience engagement. 

Former student Tash, now a science advisor in Parliament explains how the communication skills she gained—reflection, empathy, the ability to engage with any audience, and the importance of incorporating qualitative data in her reports—are central to her current role. Tash gives a gripping account of how this module transformed and empowered her. Our panellists show how this Global Health module challenges but also empowers students, helping them truly gain their own voice so they can better understand others.