Thought Leadership Training Program
Led by the Weill Cornell Medicine media relations team along with trusted external experts, the program trains faculty members on techniques for Op-Eds, media interviews and social media. The program consists of three in-person courses requiring a total of seven hours of course commitment. Ideally, the program is to support early-career faculty, but is open to all faculty, and includes:
- Course #1 Op-Ed Writing: covers the techniques, tools and best practices for writing and placing effective Op-Eds as well as other bylined pieces. It will outline successful Op-Ed structure, what Op-Ed editors seek from submissions, tips for building, writing and editing, as well as the process for placing the piece. Additionally, the course will cover how to avoid problematic journalistic issues and provide techniques to maximize the effectiveness of an Op-Ed.
- Course #2 Media Training: provides messaging techniques and other best practices to maximize media interviews that will lead to greater understanding of and increased visibility for your work and expertise. The course will emphasize the importance of interview preparation and message development, how to translate and deliver complex scientific messages to lay audiences, and how to navigate the interview successfully.
- Course #3 Social Media: designed for current social media users to advanced technique and develop a thought leadership presence on social media to drive educational discourse and potentially counter misinformation. Faculty will learn about content creation, editorial calendar management and community engagement.
The three-course sequence will start with the Op-Ed session, followed by the Media Training and Social Media sessions. To provide faculty members individualized attention, each course will have a maximum of 5-8 participants.
Each faculty member will be required to confirm his/her commitment to the seven course hours as well as any related preparation. After completion, the Weill Cornell Medicine media/social team will assist and counsel faculty on how to put their skills and new learnings into practice.
Following are the sessions and dates:
Session 1:
Op-Ed Training: Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Media Training: Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Social Media Training: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Session 2:
Op-Ed Training: Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Media Training: Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Social Media Training: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Session 3:
Op-Ed Training: Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Media Training: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Social Media Training: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Session 4:
Op-Ed Training: Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Media Training: Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Social Media Training: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
For faculty interested in applying for the Thought Leadership Training Program, applications can be accessed here. Please note: your Chair will be notified of your interest in participation.
Educating the public about health, medicine and science is a valuable part of Weill Cornell Medicine’s mission. We encourage you to apply for this unique professional development opportunity to learn the skills and best practices to hone your messages for effective communications.