Can you hear me now: ‘Body of Work’ podcast set to launch in June

In a world where we can quickly access an abundance of news and perspectives, filtering out misinformation can be challenging. This is especially true for health and science issues.

Enter ‘Body of Work,’ the Baylor College of Medicine podcast. Launching June 3, Body of Work is an exploration of health topics in the news and important scientific matters featuring insights from experts at Baylor.

Erin Blair, Body of Work host and senior director of faculty communications at Baylor, gives us a glimpse into the creative process, upcoming episodes, and more in the following Q&A.

Q: There are many platforms to share information. Why a podcast?
A: It’s basically another medium for telling stories about what our scientists and physicians are doing in the greater world of health and science. It’s also a longer format than a press release for instance, so it also allows for a conversational and informal tone.

I’ve enjoyed being able to ask follow-up questions that take us a little off course, but also reveal some really interesting details that wouldn’t have come up if we were sticking to a strict script.

Q: How will Body of Work approach controversial health and science topics?
A: From vaccinations to the opioid epidemic, there are a lot of opinions about so many health issues right now. It’s important to have a source who is educated, professional, knowledgeable and rational to cut through the noise.

There’s real value in making authoritative experts available to people where they are – we do this through our blogs, press releases, internal and external communications, so a podcast is the natural next step.

Q: What has the creative process been like for you?
A: I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve always been the one capturing the story and writing about it, which is great because you can be invisible. It’s been a growth experience.

This is a complete group project and we’ve been given a lot of creative freedom. I’m still learning things, and I like that!

Q: What do you want listeners to take away from Body of Work?
A: I want them to have an open mind, listen to different perspectives and reconsider their assumptions. I think this podcast can be part of a movement for more civil discourse. We aim to elevate the level of conversation about these topics by taking the drama down a few notches.

Q: What did you learn from the first episode?
A: We discussed direct-to-consumer genetic testing with Dr. Amy McGuire. I hadn’t thought about how these at-home genetic testing companies were really making their profits. It was interesting to hear about their connection to pharmaceutical companies and researchers who are gathering large and diverse data sets.

Q: What else is on the horizon for Body of Work?
A: We are interested in a variety of topics, including infertility, immunotherapy, elephant herpes virus, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sports injuries, food, and nutrition. We’re also interested in sharing what the doctors of tomorrow are learning and how they will change the way medicine is practiced in the future.

We’re new at this and entering a crowded field of podcasts. We definitely look forward to hearing feedback from our listeners so we can continue to evolve.

-By Nicole Blanton