June 6, 2024
Barbara Zarowitz, PharmD, MSW, BCPS, CGP, was surprised to receive the 2024 John Gladstone Award for Media Excellence. “I was just enjoying doing an AMDA On-The-Go podcast. It was a great experience, and I didn’t expect to get an award for it,” she says. “Of course, it was an honor I was pleased to receive.” She further notes, “I wake up every day just so grateful for the job I have and the people I work with, as well as the opportunities I have—and will have in the future—as an educator, researcher, and clinician. But it is so gratifying to be acknowledged with such an award. It just reinforces everything you’re doing and inspires you to keep going.”
The Gladstone Award, named for AMDA’s long-time website administrator who passed away in 2022, is designed to honor and recognize contributions to the PALTC clinical community through a media project. Dr. Zarowitz was recognized for her appearance on the AMDA On-The-Go podcast, Optimizing the Use of Gabapentin. She is a geriatric pharmacotherapy and clinical research consultant at the Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
Whether she is speaking at a conference or on a podcast, or talking to a reporter, Dr. Zarowitz brings the same passion and enthusiasm to the task. “It’s an opportunity and a privilege to impart good information to people who can use it,” she says. One thing that makes these efforts easier is that she prepares for them and knows her audience. She thinks in advance about what she wants to convey and what information will be of greatest interest and import to the particular audience. Dr. Zarowitz is a social worker as well as a pharmacist, and she says, “I’ve had training in different communication styles appropriate for different audiences and how to listen and convey messages effectively.” She adds that asking if you’re providing someone with the necessary information is perfectly appropriate. “Eliciting feedback and affirming that you’re on target is important to ensuring your messaging is successful,” she suggests.
Don’t expect Dr. Zarowitz to rest on her laurels. She knows the importance of repeating key messages. “We know that adults need to hear the same message 5 to 7 times before they begin to internalize and incorporate it,” she says. She also notes that it’s crucial to remember that you aren’t likely to connect with everyone every time you communicate a message. “You may need to go back and seek other approaches,” she says, adding that this includes finding common ground and goals.
Whatever the communication platform, Dr. Zarowitz suggests, “Know what your story is, what you want to communicate. Have a plan for what you want to share and know who your audience is.” If you’re asked to do an interview or guest on a podcast or other program, she says, it’s essential to know who you’re talking to and what, if any, agenda they might have. If possible, get questions in advance so that you can adequately prepare.