US News deputy editor to debut visiting writer program

Josh Fischman, deputy editor for U.S. News & World Report, has been named the first Biomedical and Public Health Writer in Residence by UW–Madison.

Fischman, a veteran science and medical writer and author, will spend a week on the UW–Madison campus working with students and faculty to share his experiences and insights gained over 30 years of working on the front lines of biomedical science and medicine. He will be on campus the week of Sept. 18.

Before joining U.S. News & World Report, Fischman held writing and editing posts at Science, Earth magazine, Discover, Science Digest and Psychology Today. At U.S. News, he has covered an array of biomedical topics, ranging from tailor-made drugs to the treatment of pain and the evolution of beauty. While at Science, Fischman oversaw the development of the magazine’s online presence, Science Now, and edited the full range of science coverage, including biomedicine and public health.

As an author, Fischman has written The Ultimate Guide to Medical Schools. His freelance work has appeared in Time, National Geographic, Health and Family Circle.

The new Biomedical and Public Health Writer in Residence program is a partnership among the UW–Madison schools of Journalism, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. It is intended to bring to campus nationally known writers to share their expertise with the university community and the public.