About HeSCA
The Health and Science Communications Association is an association of communications professionals committed to sharing knowledge and resources in the health and science arenas. The foundation for our network is built upon our unique membership which has created opportunities for unlimited exchange of information and support.
Our Members
International in scope and diverse in background, our members broadly describe themselves as biomedical communicators. More specifically, members include producers, graphic designers, medical illustrators, photographers, videographers, instructional designers, multimedia designers, computer animators, librarians, learning resource center managers, educators, writers, trainers, publishers, distributors, health care practitioners, and market specialists in academic, hospital-based, government, non-profit, and corporate environments. From conceptualization to final products, our members are involved in designing, producing, implementing, and evaluating informational and instructional media experiences for the health sciences.
Information Exchange Opportunities
HeSCA links you to your professional peers, future employers, employees, consultants, and clients by providing:
- Annual Meetings: An event that combines continuing education, networking, demonstrations, peer review, and Awards Ceremony for the Annual Media Festival. Sessions offer insights from experts, hands-on experience with latest technologies, innovative instructional paradigms discussions, and cost-saving production methods.
- Interest Groups: structured groups which share professional interests and serve as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas. New groups form as interests and needs arise.
- Continuing Education: sharing ideas, skills, resources, and techniques in formal and informal settings with peers as well as industry experts during the annual meeting and through out the year at local and regional events, sometimes in conjunction with other professional groups.
- Teleconferences: topical subjects are presented via a variety of state-of-the-art teleconferencing delivery systems.
- Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine: a quarterly journal published jointly by The Institute of Medical Illustrators and HeSCA.
- Feedback: HeSCA’s official newsletter published four times a year to provide members with timely information.
- Special Publications and Resources: HeSCA periodically publishes distinctive resources such as the The Media Festivals/Learning Resources Center Catalog, Guide to Locating Patient Education Audiovisual Materials, and the How to…Series, which are easy-to read “nuts and bolts” guides on how to create effective media in all formats.
- HeSCA Media Festivals: internationally recognized as the pre-eminent media festival in health sciences, the “best of the best” entries in print, film, video, still media, and interactive media compete for distinguished honors and visibility. Awards are presented at a ceremony held during the Annual Meeting.
- Membership Directory: annual “who’s who” in HeSCA. This is a valuable resource unto itself.
- World Wide Web Site/HeSCA list/HeSCA Discussion Group: The HeSCA web page provides up-to-date information on HeSCA activities, discussion, information, and resources. All members are also invited to join the HeSCA Discussion list.
- Mailing Lists: members can order mailing lists of members, interest group members, regional, and other groups of members.
- Brokerage/Consultation Services: via HeSCA’s central office, assistance with locating professionals for per-project, freelance, or permanent placement.
- Job Placement Services: current information on available biomedical communication opportunities throughout the country.
