‘Living Chronically’ Podcast to Launch in Winter 2025
UC San Diego Department of Communication hands-on learning initiative will highlight patient experiences
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Almost 130 million people in the U.S. live with a chronic illness or disability such as heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, multiple sclerosis or medically managed cancer. To serve this important and growing population, UC San Diego’s Department of Communication will launch “Living Chronically,” a new monthly podcast dedicated to highlighting the experiences of people living with chronic diseases. The first episode will air in January 2025.
“Living Chronically” will be produced by students and instructors in the state-of-the-art studio facilities in the department’s Democracy Lab and will be part of a quarterly service-learning course that will focus on the intersection of health media and patient advocacy. Matt Dewey, a doctoral alumnus of the Department of Communication, will teach the class where students will learn the skills and techniques of producing audio and video content. Dewey will also serve as the executive director of the first season. His recently taught courses include “Television, Culture and the Public” and “TV Industry.” Upcoming courses in the 2024-25 academic year include “Television and Citizenship” and “History of Electronic Media.”
UC San Diego's journalist in residence Marco Werman hosts the public radio show The World from the broadcast studio located in the Department of Communication and visits classes to talk to students about podcasting and other aspects of the journalism craft. Photo by Eric Jepsen/University Communications
Brian Goldfarb, a professor in the UC San Diego Department of Communication in the School of Social Sciences and director of the public service minor housed in Marshall College, will serve as the managing producer of the series.
“The course will allow students to hone their media production skills while gaining first-hand experience interviewing people living with chronic illness, their loved ones, caregivers, health care workers and researchers, among others,” Goldfarb said.
In recent years, there has been a strong growth spurt in podcasting along with an increase in the number of people tuning into podcasts. According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, about half of adults in the United States (49%) said they listened to a podcast in the preceding 12 months.
"Living Chronically” will further bolster the hands-on education offerings in the Department of Communication by giving students increased opportunities to gain experience in podcast development. In addition to classes taught by Dewey and Amanda Peacher, a department lecturer and public radio journalist, students can intern with Marco Werman, acclaimed co-host of The World, public radio’s daily global news program produced by PRX and WGBH. As the university’s first journalist in residence, Werman frequently visits classes to talk to students and answer queries about podcasting and other aspects of the journalism craft. The launch of a new major, media industries and communication (MIC), in the 2025 winter quarter, will provide even more opportunities for students to acquire skills and competencies to pursue careers in media.
The generosity of the donors in supporting 'Living Chronically' paves the way for phenomenal opportunities for UC San Diego students to make a difference.
The “Living Chronically” podcast is supported, in part, by San Diego area residents Andrew and Esther Schorr, known for their decades-long work in advocating for patients and caregivers. The couple have touched the lives of many patients as the producers of videos and as hosts of online health news programming. They have received numerous national awards for the quality and impact of their work. Andrew Schorr is the author of “The Web-Savvy Patient: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Internet When Facing Medical Crisis,” published in 2011. As founders of the educational site PatientPower.info, the Schorrs aim to empower cancer patients to become informed and active healthcare consumers.
Support for “Living Chronically” also comes from Cathi White, a medical communications strategist with more than 30 years of experience and a deep dedication to patients with serious illnesses. She has served as a vice president of award-winning patient education platforms including patientpower.info.
Philanthropic support for “Living Chronically” will allow students to learn the craft of podcasting as they highlight the experiences of patients living with chronic conditions, said Goldfarb. “The generosity of the donors in supporting ‘Living Chronically’ paves the way for phenomenal opportunities for UC San Diego students to make a difference.”
Anticipated to launch in winter of 2025, “Living Chronically” episodes will be available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Youtube, Stitcher, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart Radio, and other popular listing platforms. To learn more about the initiative, visit http://livingchronically.ucsd.edu and http://livingchronically.life.
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