Burnett School of Medicine at TCU Communications Team Collaborates on ‘Shadow Day’
TCU strategic communication students visited the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University during a half-day program organized by the Greater Fort Worth Public Relations Society of America.
FORT WORTH – Walking through Arnold Hall, Quinn Babcock took photos and video for an Instagram takeover.
“I was hoping to learn how the communication team communicates about the medical school and how they use the stories of the medical students to attract new students,” said Babcock, a junior at the Bob Schieffer College of Communication, and a member of TCU’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter.
Babcock was one of several students who took part in “Shadow Day,” a program developed by the Greater Fort Worth Public Relations Society of America (GFW PRSA) with student chapters of the organization in the Fort Worth area.
“It’s important for future communicators to get a sense of how modern-day operations run,” said Maricar Estrella, Director of Digital Development and Content Strategy at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, which collaborated with GFW PRSA to host some of the students for Shadow Day.
“We wanted to show different aspects of the strategic communication field, and how curiosity, lifelong learning and compelling storytelling are integral in creating compelling campaigns,” said Estrella, who serves on the GFW PRSA board as a director.
As part of the program, the students were given assignments including creating social media posts that would promote the medical school. The strategic communication students took a tour of the medical education building including the simulation and technology department where they met and talked with Hal®, the newest and most technologically advanced high-fidelity Manikin at the school.
Emma Santos, a TCU freshman, asked Hal®, “How are you?” and to her amazement, he replied: “I’m feeling uncomfortable because of the pain.”
“I’ve never experienced anything like that in my whole life,” Santos said.
Following the visit at the medical school, the PRSSA students and PRSA mentors gathered at the Key School and Training Center, which hosted a panel discussion of PR professionals and luncheon.
“I’m glad to see these students take advantage of this opportunity to not just learn, but also to network,” said Lewis Jackson, Digital Media Producer and Marketer at Burnett School of Medicine. “I think this will be huge for them as they continue their journey to become communicators.”