When Deborah Balthazar went to her undergraduate cell biology professor to talk about medical school, she was taken aback at the response. “You’re too nice,” her professor said. Medical school might be too cutthroat for her, the instructor added. Had she considered research instead?
Balthazar, who had wanted to be a pediatrician since age five, was at a loss. While she took time to think, she enrolled in a Johns Hopkins summer research program for students from underrepresented backgrounds in science. After reading Balthazar’s final research paper, the director of the summer program suggested she check out “The Best American Science and Nature Writing,” an annual selection of exemplary work in the field. Sure enough, after Balthazar graduated from Caldwell University two years later, her plans changed: Rather than going to medical school, she wound up pursuing journalism.
Balthazar spent three years reporting on her hometown government in West Orange, New Jersey, for the hyperlocal daily online newspaper TAPinto.net before enrolling in New York University’s Science, Health, & Environmental Reporting Program. She then freelanced with outlets including Science News, Science News Explores, and Scholastic Classroom Magazines. Now, Balthazar is reporting on biotechnology, public health, and health equity with Boston-based STAT and spending time in MIT’s Knight Science Journalism Program as a 2023-24 Sharon Begley Fellow. I spoke with her about her journey, her approach to covering health with hope, and obstacles she’s faced in science journalism thus far. (The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
Hannah Richter: Before you pursued science journalism, you were interested in becoming a pediatrician. Do you see any similarities between the two fields?
Deborah Balthazar: Whenever I had a question, [my pediatrician] would always take the time to answer. And I said if I ever become a physician, I want to be the type of person that answers any question for any patient, making sure that they have my undivided attention.
Now, as a science journalist, I definitely get to pursue those questions. My family just calls me Google. It’s kind of like a full circle moment. That’s always what I wanted to do anyway — to find the answers to questions or to be able to answer those questions for people.
HR: How did you come to be a Sharon Begley Fellow?
DB: It was definitely on my radar. And I was just like, let’s leave this opportunity for someone who’s more deserving. I’m probably not there yet. And also, I didn’t want to leave New Jersey to go to NYU — why would I want to leave New Jersey to go up to Boston?
But then the program director of NYU, Dan Fagin, he reached out to me and was like, Hey, you know, there’s this opportunity, the Sharon Begley Fellowship. I think you’d be perfect for it.
And I was just like you know, I appreciate your confidence in me, but I don’t agree. But all right, fine. I will apply and we’ll see what happens.
And then lo and behold, I got the opportunity. And I was just like, What? You’re thinking of offering me this position? Wow. Well, I guess I am better than I thought.
HR: Your parents have always been some of your biggest supporters. What do they think of your career so far?
DB: If I tell my mom I have a story going up, she’s just clicking on my page and just refreshing, refreshing, refreshing. My dad also tells his coworkers to read my stories as well. It’s really validating that they’re my number one fans, my number one readers. My mom always sends me studies and things from different universities. She’s definitely a better journalist than I am; she has her finger on the pulse!
HR: People are constantly inundated with potentially scary information about their health. How does this factor into the kinds of stories you tell at STAT?
DB: I definitely do not want to be a Debbie Downer, regardless of my name. I like focusing on the stories where there’s a positive outcome or we hear something that we can look forward to.
I think it was the first or second story that I worked on where it was just like, yeah, we know that Black people get more aggressive forms of cancer more than the rest of the population. But there are people that are trying to understand why, or they’re trying to catalog the information so that that can be helpful to people — so that we don’t just have to focus on why we are dying.
Those are always the kinds of stories that I’m trying to look at — the positive and the gray.
HR: As an early career journalist, how do you hope to see the field of science journalism change or develop over your years?
DB: There could be an easier path or an easier way for you to figure out “Oh yeah, this is what I want to do.” Even at the college level. Even at the high school level. Because when I started out looking at jobs in science, the main things are researcher or doctor. Seeing that there is a big umbrella of different science-related or STEM-related jobs that are available to people, and also available to early-career journalists or journalists of color — I think that’s definitely important to develop.
HR: The field of journalism can often seem daunting to young writers. How do you combat forces like self-doubt and imposter syndrome?
DB: It’s definitely something that I’m still working on. Because of course, there are just some days where you’re just like, yeah, I made it here. I’m worth this opportunity. Then there’s other days where you’re just like, man, I should pick up this information by now. I don’t think I belong here. What am I doing?
So really just kind of trying to keep yourself present in the idea that this is your early career. This is a learning opportunity. You’re here to learn, you’re here to make mistakes. And of course, as always, never be afraid to ask questions.
Hannah Richter is a student in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing.
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