Communication in health: Mahoney trains the pediatrics residency of Idaho

As a communications instructor, Michelle Mahoney, lecturer for the Department of Marketing, teaches students how to develop clear, concise and compelling messages. Outside the classroom, she is putting those same skills into practice.

Mahoney recently partnered with Full Circle Health's Pediatric Residency of Idaho (PRI) to provide residents with media and communication training. The residency was created to help produce outstanding pediatricians for communities throughout the Treasure Valley and Idaho.

Mahoney saw an opportunity to contribute in a way that aligned with her own expertise. For her, communication has always been about more than finding the right words, so when PRI Director Dr. Perry Brown approached Mahoney about providing media training for residents, she jumped at the chance.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to give back to our community in a way that I know how," Mahoney said.

From the classroom to the clinic

The training focused on a skill Mahoney believes is essential for medical professionals: communicating complex information in a way that the public can understand and trust.

Residents participated in both theoretical and hands-on activities designed to help them translate their medical expertise into clear messages for patients, families and the broader community.

The goal, Mahoney emphasized, was not to turn future pediatricians into media personalities. Instead, the training was designed to help them become clearer, more credible and more compassionate communicators.

For pediatricians in particular, those communication skills can become even more important. Their work involves discussing emotionally charged topics including child development, mental health, maternal health, public health and safety.

Residents practiced developing professional presences, framing issues, creating memorable takeaway messages and adapting their communication to different platforms, including television, print, radio, social media and public forums.

They also worked through real-life scenarios to practice communicating difficult topics while maintaining both credibility and empathy.

A two-way learning experience

Mahoney entered the workshop as the communication expert and left with a new appreciation for the communication demands placed on medical professionals.

In preparing for the training, she realized that health professionals are responsible for more than keeping people well.

"They're also tasked with keeping us well informed," Mahoney said.

That realization reinforced how closely communication connects to health advocacy. Medical professionals must be able to take complex information; whether about vaccines, maternal health, mental health or public policy, and communicate it in a way that people can understand, remember and act upon.

For Mahoney, the connection was familiar. The same principles she teaches her undergraduate and MBA students - clear, concise and compelling communication - apply far beyond a business classroom.

"In every field that's out there, communication is important," she said. "But I would say in health professions, it's even more vital."

Giving back through communication

The PRI workshop is just one example of how Mahoney has used her communication expertise in the community.

She has also led conflict-management workshops, including work with the Women and Children's Alliance, and serves as one of Boise State's ombuds, helping faculty and staff navigate workplace communication.

Outside the university, she volunteers with Ada County's mediation program, helping community members work through conflicts. For Mahoney, those experiences all connect to the same larger purpose, using her skills to help people communicate and understand one another.

"I think being involved in the community and giving back should be part of all of our jobs," she said.

That philosophy is also connected to Mahoney's roots in journalism. Her interest in communication began with a natural curiosity about people and a desire to understand their experiences.

That curiosity eventually led her from journalism into education, but the underlying purpose remained the same. Mahoney sees teaching as a two-way process where educators are continually learning from the people around them.

"I might be a teacher, but I'm also a student every day," she said.

Speaking with confidence

Mahoney has now worked with PRI residents twice, and she hopes to continue finding opportunities to share her expertise with organizations in the community.

Ultimately, she hopes her work gives people something that extends beyond the technical skills of communication; the confidence to use their voices.

"My biggest takeaway on much of what I do is to give people the confidence and the courage to speak their truth, to speak with conviction and clarity, and to communicate their perspective and their knowledge clearly with their constituents and their community," Mahoney concluded.

By Morgan Reah

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