"I'd rather have people understand why they should believe something, not just that they should."

— Dr Aaron Carroll

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr Aaron Carroll, pediatrician, professor, president and CEO of Academy Health, and renowned science communicator, discusses the art and science of effective communication in healthcare. Learn how he developed his skills through years of dedicated practice at the Incidental Economist, to global reach at the New York Times. He reflects on the challenges of translating complex research into accessible content, and why building trust is essential for changing minds.

What You'll Learn:

* Why repetition and consistency are fundamental to effective science communication

* How to build trust through transparency, evidence-based reasoning, and admitting when you're wrong

* Why the academic publishing model limits practical applications of research

* The challenges of communicating during the COVID-19 pandemic and navigating controversial topics

* How to balance personal storytelling with scientific rigor in public-facing content

Some Takeaways:

* Science communication requires consistent practice and coaching, just like any other skill

* Academic research often takes years or decades to translate into practice, often due to communication barriers

* Many healthcare practices lack strong evidence, yet professionals often present all recommendations with equal confidence

* Building trust requires explaining not just what to do, but why it matters and the evidence behind it

* Personal stories can significantly increase audience engagement and build trust when balanced with scientific evidence

Where to find Dr Aaron Carroll:

* Twitter/X

* LinkedIn

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Introduction to Dr. Aaron Carroll

(01:00) Why science communication became his passion

(02:30) The gap between academic and public communication

(06:30) The limitations of peer-reviewed literature

(08:33) How to develop science communication skills

(13:16) Building trust through consistency and transparency

(16:43) Institutional approaches to science communication

(19:36) Addressing myths and biases in healthcare

(23:40) Challenges with clinical decision support systems

(28:33) Writing for the New York Times during COVID-19

(32:22) Navigating controversial healthcare topics

(37:00) The power of personal storytelling in science writing

(41:50) Balancing scientific rigor with accessibility

Referenced:

* The Incidental Economist: https://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/

* Healthcare Triage: https://www.healthcaretriage.info/

* Academy Health: https://academyhealth.org/

* New York Times - Dr Carroll's articles: https://www.nytimes.com/by/aaron-e-carroll

* About Aaron Carroll - https://academyhealth.org/about/people/aaron-e-carroll-md-ms

* Dr Carroll’s Books

Contact information:

If you have any feedback, questions or if you'd like to get in touch, reach out at [email protected]Music Attribution: Music by AudioCoffee from Pixabay