{"id":12450,"date":"2016-01-29T10:40:25","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T15:40:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lisatener.local\/?p=12450"},"modified":"2024-09-30T08:58:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T12:58:42","slug":"karen-mechanic-harvard-medical-schools-cme-healthcare-leadership-publishing-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/2016\/01\/karen-mechanic-harvard-medical-schools-cme-healthcare-leadership-publishing-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Karen Mechanic on Harvard Medical School’s CME Healthcare Leadership and Publishing Course"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"with
With Karen Mechanic at Harvard Medical School’s CME leadership and publishing course<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Are you writing a book about health, well-being or related topics? Have you wondered whether Harvard Medical School’s CME healthcare leadership and publishing course is right for you? Or have you attended and wondered if it would be worthwhile to return a second time?<\/p>\n

I met\u00a0Karen Mechanic, MD,\u00a0two years ago at the course and have served as\u00a0a sounding board for her from time to time. I’ve been impressed with how the course helped her go from being shy about writing and addressing large groups of people to being comfortable and eloquent. In this interview, Karen shares her writing and leadership journey of the past two years.<\/p>\n

\"book
The Creativity Cure was written by course participant Dr. Carrie Barron.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lisa: How did you hear about Harvard Medical School’s healthcare leadership and publishing course?<\/p>\n

Karen: Searching the internet\u00a0for a conference to focus on specific professional skills, including communication, writing and healthcare leadership.<\/p>\n

\"real<\/a>
Tara Mardigan’s and Kate Weller’s book is a cookbook and nutition guide for athletes and fitness-philes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lisa: What was your primary reason for attending the course the first time?<\/p>\n

Karen:\u00a0I expected to sharpen communication skills such as writing clearer emails and giving more entertaining talks.<\/p>\n

Lisa: What did you get out of the course?<\/p>\n

Karen: A focus on reading critically and a new feeling of confidence that I have my own story to tell.<\/p>\n

Lisa: When you left, what did you plan to do with the information?<\/p>\n

Karen: I set an intention of daily journal writing and set a goal to submit one piece for publication.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.<\/a>
Dr. Pfeiffer published two books with Yale after attending the course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lisa: And so much more actually took place! Can you share what you achieved over the course of the following year?<\/p>\n

Karen: I accomplished much more than I’d imagined possible.\u00a0 In writing more to myself, \u00a0I read more, began to explore more ideas, listened more acutely to how language is used, began to notice nuances of writing like voice and tone.<\/p>\n

Lisa: So learning about writing, voice, tone and language at the course helped you pay more attention to that in your rea<\/p>\n

\"Behind
Behind the Therapy Door was written after Dr. Randy Kamen attended the course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ding, speaking and writing. That’s wonderful. You mentioned to me that you were a bit shy about writing and speaking at first. What happened after attending the writing course that first time?<\/p>\n

Karen: I began to share ideas with writing professionals. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I sought out opportunities to present my ideas to a wide variety of audiences, and noted reactions of others, which stimulated new ideas and new goals. \u00a0\u00a0I also sought feedback on my\u00a0ideas.<\/p>\n

Lisa: Such as?<\/p>\n

Karen: Did I need comments from a small intimate group of people who weren’t familiar with me or did I need to introduce ideas to\u00a0a large audience to see if they were \u00a0interested,\u00a0engaged, or\u00a0fell asleep?\u00a0 I noted\u00a0questions or comments they voiced in the group\u00a0versus the ones they\u00a0privately asked\u00a0me after my presentation.<\/p>\n

\"harvard
A lively lunch discussion at the Harvard course, with Karen in the foreground<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lisa: Sounds like the course gave you the confidence and tools to fully explore your ideas and expand them.<\/p>\n

Karen: Yes.\u00a0The steps I learned at the course\u00a0flowed naturally as my\u00a0goals shifted throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Lisa: As you began to express your ideas in writing to a larger audience, can you share a bit about what happened and how your modest goals grew to bigger ones?<\/p>\n

\n
\"book
Author Vint Virga attended twice as a participant and recently returned as a speaker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Karen:\u00a0 Once I became more confident expressing myself in writing for the public, I became a Huffington Post <\/a>blogger. I also wrote a short piece for\u00a0The Philadelphia Inquirer<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0 Instead of declining\u00a0opportunities like interviews,\u00a0I accepted them because I appreciated\u00a0the importance of platform.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lisa: Yes, platform–or reaching an audience before your book ever comes out–is a big theme in the course.\u00a0Why did you attend the course a second time?<\/p>\n

Karen: Once I went into action with ideas and strategies I learned the first time around, I was more ready for some of the more advanced topics including social media and platform building.<\/p>\n

\"book<\/a>Lisa:\u00a0What were your goals the second time around? What did you want to get out of the course?<\/p>\n

Karen: I was interested in advanced workshops with opportunities to interact with my peers. I wanted to pitch my book idea because I was seeking feedback from as many agents, coaches and editors as I could present myself to.<\/p>\n

Lisa:\u00a0What observations do you have about your process? Any surprises?<\/p>\n

Karen: I feel\u00a0more confident, in general.\u00a0 I’ve now had conversations\u00a0about writing with several\u00a0very successful authors\u00a0and\u00a0learned there is no mystery or special secret\u00a0about writing.\u00a0 I was more impressed by their discipline and determination.<\/p>\n

Lisa:\u00a0Did you get what you came for in year two?<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Kathleen Trainor attended the course and her book comes out this spring.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Karen: \u00a0Like last year, I got even more than I anticipated.\u00a0 I’m grateful to Dr. Julie Silver <\/a>for the comfortably safe environment of her course.\u00a0 I understand why people attend more than once.<\/p>\n

Lisa: You mentioned the opportunity to pitch being a big draw the second time around. When and how did you fine tune your pitch?<\/p>\n

Karen: I had lots of help from many people at the course both from lecture content and actual stop watch and editing sessions\u00a0\u00a0with the \u00a0professionals in attendance.\u00a0 I also wrote out at least ten revisions on my own.<\/p>\n

Lisa:\u00a0What plans did you leave with last April?<\/p>\n

Karen: \u00a0Continue journaling, self editing,\u00a0platform building.\u00a0 I also planned to submit\u00a0short\u00a0pieces for publication and line up more talks.\u00a0 Plus more blogging and some tweeting.<\/p>\n

\"Reset
Victoria Dunckley is another course particpant who recently published.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lisa: And what took place since the second course?<\/p>\n

Karen:\u00a0Since the second course I have been writing more and\u00a0speaking more as an expert in major media outlets (on television, radio,\u00a0online and in print). \u00a0 With improving\u00a0confidence and communication skills, I have been invited to speak and write more on a level that I didn\u2019t anticipate. \u00a0During this year I have interacted with many people who have given me invaluable assistance and guidance. \u00a0In addition, my first book proposal is under serious consideration by a publisher. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Wow, congratulations and good luck! Let us know when your book comes out and we’ll add that to this interview!<\/p>\n

Karen Mechanic is a psychiatrist who specializes in addictions and consultation liaison psychiatry. \u00a0 She also is interested in integrative care. She blogs on the Huffington Post and writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer. You can tweet her at @mechanickaren<\/span><\/a>.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Readers, have a question about the course? Feel free to ask as a comment? Have an experience of the course you’d like to share? Please do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are you writing a book about health, well-being or related topics? Have you wondered whether Harvard Medical School’s CME healthcare leadership and publishing course is right for you? Or have you attended and wondered if it would be worthwhile to return a second time? I met\u00a0Karen Mechanic, MD,\u00a0two years ago at the course and have…  Read more<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13550,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,36],"tags":[355,44,1771,975,1770,1136],"class_list":{"0":"post-12450","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-more","8":"category-writing-courses","9":"tag-dr-julie-silver","10":"tag-harvard-medical-school-publishing-course","11":"tag-healthcare-writing","12":"tag-huffington-post","13":"tag-karen-mechanic","14":"tag-platform-building","15":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12450"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":279040,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12450\/revisions\/279040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}